Parking spaces & bird poop

Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 465 votes

I have a tenant complained that her space - which is under a tall oak tree - is receiving a healthy amount of bird poop. She is asking to either move her to a different spot, remove the tree or to allow the use of my hosebib for car washing.

This is a new one for me.

I can't assign her a different spot as all spaces are assigned. I told her if she finds another tenant to swap with her I am ok with that.

I can't remove the tree. The city won't let me remove it anyways and it's ridiculous.

I have a clause in my lease against car washing. I don't want to start allowing that and I pay for water.

Anyone an expert on bird poop? Is it true birds like to poop on some color vehicles more than others? Can I float an owl or snake balloon up into the tree and scare off the birds?

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San Jose, CA · Member since 2015 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes

10y

@Sam Leon The fact that she would be okay with you letting her wash her car there, says to me that she doesn't mind the spot that bad. She could drive through a car wash somewhere else. Or, she could buy a cover for her car. But, she made it clear she's willing to wash her car. She just wants you to pay for the water. Wrong.

So, in this case, I'd give her the happy clause. I'm sorry, I can't accommodate you, but I understand that you might not want to continue living here. I'll be glad to let you out of your lease with just 30 days notice. Then, give her that offer in writing, in an email at least, and include in it the options she gave you.

If she tries to sue you for damage to her car, you just whip out the written offer to let her move out with just 30 days notice. The judge will then say, why didn't you just move then? Or go wash your car, since you were obviously willing to wash your own car?

And I would not agree to let her switch spaces with someone. That will just involve you in their drama, agreement, yatta yatta, and create a new precedent that will be a pain in your rear.

People who agree to rent somewhere without covered parking, live with poop and leaves and tree drippings. If she wants covered parking, or included car washes, she needs to get on Craigslist and look for a different complex.

It never ceases to amaze me how some tenants want landlords to accommodate them with champagne on a beer budget.

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Nicole A.Pro Member
Rental Property Investor · Baltimore County Maryland and Tampa Florida · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
10y
I hope you're not really considering giving her $40 of her monthly rent over some bird poo. Even if there is a good amount of droppings, seriously, that is just bending over backwards twice. I'm surprised you're driving 20 minutes over there specifically to look at poo!! What will be her next complaint? She's an adult and needs to figure out what to do about her car problems. When I was a renter and had bird poo on my car, it never even crossed my mind to make that the landlord's problem!
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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
10y
The owls work, but you have to relocate them constantly. One sitting in the same spot for days on end, birds quickly figure out it's not real. I use them in my garden, and I put 3 or 4 stakes in the ground, then move it around to each one. Birds get used to seeing things in patterns, so if you screw up the pattern and it looks like an owl, they may move on.
As for the crap problem, I would probably try to find some kind of long-term solution. Sometimes you can solve these kinds of things just with some selective pruning. Or do away with the assigned parking, and tell everyone one car per unit, and let them find their own space. Then the birds can crap on all the cars democratically.
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