Safeguarding myself against a lunatic neighbor?

Safeguarding myself against a lunatic neighbor?

Developer · NC · Member since 2019 · 211 posts · 112 votes

One of the lots i'm developing is adjacent to a rented house that has a carport encroaching on my property. I finally got in touch with the owner and he was on board for having it taken down. Unfortunately he has the property managed by a slumlord property company, and wants to leave them in charge of taking down the carport. This has been going on for about a month now. Unfortunately in that time the tenant has got involved, and has to tried to make the problem her this business. She has tried calling the water management company saying my trees were causing her toliets to overflow, then tried calling the inspections department trying fabricate i was doing unpermitted work, and today she approached me saying she was filing a police report for harassment if i continued to try to communicate with the owner and property manager about taking the carport down (ironic, i know). Thus far, she has made up numerous lies to the neighbors, to try to get them rooted against me (developers are usually not a well liked bunch as it is anyway). So i wouldn't doubt that she would lie to get something filled with more unlawfulness with the police force. 

My question, is there anything i can do to safeguard myself from any future legal disputes with this crazy tenant?

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  • Investor · Akron, OH · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    6y
    clip on phone case, record if she comes on your property or approaches you in public. Don't engage.
  • San Jose, CA · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    Don't deal with the property management company.  Call and write to the owner constantly.  Call the cops and file a harassment case.  Send a copy of the report to the owner.  That's what I'd do anyway.  What you need is to get the tenant evicted, eventually, but to leave you alone in the short term.  The best way to do that is to make the owner put pressure on the PM to get it done.  The only way to get rid of the PM is if the owner fires them.  And, the best way to get that done, again, is to make it easier for the owner to get rid of these problems - than not to.

    Squeaky wheel strategy.  From the top down.  You can do it in a "shucks, I'm so sorry to bother you again" way.  Just as effective.  Probably more so, actually.  You nicely bug the owner, the owner starts bugging the PM, and eventually the tenant will be gone.

    But, I think I might go on the offense as far as calling the cops if the tenant is coming onto the property and being vocal.  Nicely say, hey, sorry you're in the middle of this, but this is a property dispute between me and the owner of your place, but I am going to have to ask you to respect my right to be on my own property.

    And remember, a year from now, this will be old news.  Sorry you're dealing with it.

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