Hanging out dirty laundry

Hanging out dirty laundry

Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

So, I and a partner have created a creative community, with all residents being creative in some form. This is a private cul-de-sac and we made all outside space 'common area', for people in our community to hang out. 

Yesterday I found a line with laundry flapping in the wind, across the common area. I knew who's it was and texted the wife to please not hang out laundry in the area that is used by everyone (they don't have private yards anywhere. They're renting the inside of their house). 

The husband called me and we got into a heated argument, because he wants to save on electricity and I don't want him to do this in our public area. It's trashy.

I then brought them a letter, signed by me and my partner, telling them that it's not acceptable to hang laundry in the common area. It rained later and after the laundry was gone and I brought the line and put it in front of their door. 

This morning I found the line back up, full of clothes, that are spray painted 'this is art'. So, now I'm ticked off, because he's doing this to spite me, but in the meantime he's disrespecting everyone that's living there by doing this. 

I put up a 1-day notice , that he tore apart in front of me and told me that I'm f*cking with the wrong person. I yelled back that if he things that starting a war with his landlord is a smart thing to do then he'll better dream on. Also, that I would no longer communicate with him verbally and everything is now in writing and legal route. 

Now I'm trying to figure out how to file for eviction, because that situation is obviously not addressed in the lease. I would have never thought that anybody would be so disrespectful and hang out their laundry in the common area where people sit and eat etc. 

How can I, as a landlord, enforce a rule, that we had to set as a reaction to something we didn't expect?

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Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
9y

well when you travel through Europe  Italy and Greece in particular you will see laundry hanging out on the line in front of these great ancient homes.

up here in Orygun well we don't do that much unless you want to grow moss on your clothes..

plus in many areas of the US your just inviting the petty thieves to steal your skinny jeans

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  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    9y

    Just for sh*ts and giggles, here's an update:

    Had filed for eviction and tenant put the outstanding funds into my account on May 2nd, before response to court, so that fell through. 

    That same afternoon he put out this shopping cart (that I've asked him several times to get rid of, because it's obviously stolen from a store, which has the name on the handle) in the middle of the area, and some broken statue and 2 solar lights I had hanging in the trees, and spray painted red over them, topping it off with an open umbrella, calling it art. (He did it only to give me the finger)

    I took the cart and rolled it outside the property and then  heard him scream and holler and fly in a rage when he came out and the shopping cart was gone. 

    I left and then got a call from another tenant, telling me that he's put paint on the house and gate to the community. He basically took a bucket of pink paint and threw the paint against the house and the raw wooden gate that we had built a few months ago.

    I called the police on him for vandalism, thinking I could put him in jail - oil paint on the house and new wood is not easy remedied - but they told me that it's a civil issue, since he's renting the house and has access through the gate (as the rest of the community), so they can't do anything. 

    So, I gave him a 1-day notice on May 2nd, since he hadn't paid rent on the 1st, and filed for eviction again on May 3rd, requesting full payment of May rent, plus filing fee, plus future late fee, plus eradication of any trace of paint that he used to vandalize the property. 

    He got served yesterday and today he sent me texts again how I'm not a landlord and I have no idea what I'm doing and that he will get all the tenants together to state that I allowed them to paint anything in the artist community, including houses and fence and whatever. He threatened to get everyone turned against me. And then he had the audacity to ask me, if his family could stay if he left. 

    I offered to give his deposit back, if they turn the property over to me by 6pm Sunday. He declined and wants to see the judge. 

    We'll see

  • Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    9y

    Time is past to show any form of leniency. He needs to be gone and you will likely need to take him to civil court to collect for the vandalism.

    No landlord chooses a fight but I personally enjoy the challenge when given no other option by a overly entitled A hole. I Know it's wrong, I do have a warped scenes of enjoyment, but I can not resist the pleasure I derive from making their lives miserable while all along they have the misconception they are making mine miserable. I go for the max just to teach them a life lesson.

  • Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    9y

    @Thomas S. . I hear you. I really don't enjoy evictions. But I sort of enjoy being in the right and going by the book and knowing that the tenant doesn't have a leg to stand on, regardless of how much they're trying to bully me. 

    For one thing, the fact that he caught up last month will now be counted as the "tender defense", which means that a tenant is allowed once in 12 months to pay rent late, after dispossessory has been filed. The 2nd time the landlord does not have to accept payment. But many landlords do, because the often only have the issue of late rent, not vandalism and threats and cussing me out etc. 

    The tenant texted that he'll pay the rent into my account before the court date and I texted back that any payment he makes will be turned over to the courts to put into their escrow account, because I won't accept it.

    Of course he's blaming me for making a mountain out of a mole hill, just because he hung out a clothesline. Typical woman - must be in menopause etc. He won't accept responsibility that it was his behavior and actions that resulted in this. Noone to blame but himself.

  • Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    9y

    It is always a tenants choice to be evicted. 

    Like you I operate by the book but once give no option you might as well get what enjoyment you can out of it.

    I once had a tenant it took me 3 years getting rid of as a result of our pro tenant legislation. 10 court appearances and a total cost to me of 3K but well worth every penny in the end. She though she was winning by making my life difficult while all along I never gave it a second thought and personally enjoyed the court appearances. I knew she was suffering sever stress and mental anguish that she tried to hide. She had been self institutionalised in the past to avoid criminal charges and I hoped to push her to it again. (She was the worst sort of tenant that continually threatened and intimidated all the other tenants.) 

  • Colleen F.Pro Member
    Investor · Narragansett, RI · Member since 2013 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    9y
    Adding a line is obviously a violation especially since you told him to remove. We have a section in our lease about common areas and a note that rules may change from time to time. You think it is common sense but really it is a standard and you may need to define your standards for acceptable common area uses and art. I have to say though I must be trashy as I don't consider hanging laundry out trashy. We have a common line for our tenants and they really like it. Most however just hang wet suits and bathing suits. I however go ballistic when anyone tosses cigarette butts. It is the standard you set. and how you want things kept. get rid of him...
  • Investor · Jasper GA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    @Michaela G. I wouldn't take the Cops word.  I would try to talk with a local prosecutor.  He has vandalised your property.  I also would have the bank stop accepting deposits so he can't pay the shortage.  

    I always thought artsy folks were peaceful. Sounds like he didn't get "the memo".

    Good luck.

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