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caThar4G
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02 Mar 2019, 12:28 pm

Hi. I live in an apartment.
I have been accused of harassment by one of my neighbors.
Here's what happened.
I have a baby. And, one night he was fussy and I calmed him down and was about to go to sleep but the neighbor's radio or TV was loud. I called non-emergency police because it was late.
The next day because it was on again during the day, I knocked on her door and talked to her about it saying I could hear it in my room. She turned it down.
I had forgotten to talk to her about one thing that was also happening. It was something going off about every ten minutes in her room that was loud. I left her a polite note about it because she wasn't there. She fixed those problems, but she told management I was harassing. I haven't done anything other than those. Management wants to meet with me on Monday with my case manager.
Could I get evicted?



BeaArthur
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02 Mar 2019, 4:34 pm

Probably not, from what you have said here, so far. But try to see it from the other tenant's perspective, being contacted frequently about the same issue. It probably does seem like harassment to them.

In future it might be better if you contacted the landlord first, rather than the tenant. Landlords deal with complaints all the time, but tenants, not so much. You never know when you will be approaching a hothead and they will get worked up over it.

When you meet with the landlord, you might ask if a quieter unit in the same complex is coming open soon. Your (and your child's) sensitivity to noise is no doubt a hardship to you - I certainly have similar issues. But there can be better and worse ways of resolving the problem. Have a "pre-meeting" with your case manager, in which you take maybe 5 minutes ahead of the meeting to predict how the meeting will go and what approach you will take.

Whatever you do, don't try to assert what a jerk the other tenant is. There is every possibility they won't seem like the jerk - you will.


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caThar4G
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02 Mar 2019, 7:02 pm

You're advice is very reasonable BeaArthur.

When my landlord contacted me, she was hesitant about telling me the reason for the meeting.

I didn't agree with what she said, but I didn't argue with her. I didn't tell her my feelings on the matter. I just agreed to meeting with her.

From this manager's perspective, when I asked if I did something wrong, she said yes.
She also said (this was all over phone) that she didn't want to kick me out, but I should probably find somewhere else to live. She may have said something about an attorney.

I've had trouble with her (manager) before regarding a malfunctioning burglar alarm in a room beside mine that wouldn't turn off. She wasn't making it stop. I had to go to corporate to get her to do something.

I might be paranoid, but I think she wants to find a way to get me out.

When I first got here, I called the on call noise patrol about a dozen times over the course of a few nights. I told them that I had PTSD and I was having trouble getting used to some sounds, and later I got used to the one more that was bothering me. Half of those were probably about the burglar alarm though.

I really think the manager is trying to get rid of me because she may think I'm too much "trouble".

I'll do the advanced meeting. And, I'll do my best to keep my cool.

If I have to fight though in court....
I hope not.

I don't plan on staying here after this year. Two at the max if I have to, but that's if they resign the lease.



nick007
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03 Mar 2019, 11:42 am

If you live in a state that has lots of laws to protect renters, it could take half a year to forcibly evict someone & cost alot of legal fees so the landlords/property management would very likely not try to evict unless absolutely necessary in those states. As long as you pay your rent & don't break anything you won't get evicted if you live in a state with progressive renter laws


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jimmy m
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03 Mar 2019, 12:25 pm

It is always best to try and resolve a conflict on a one-to-one basis before you bring in the authorities.

So as you describe this particular situation.
First you called the authorities.
The next morning you met with your neighbor and asked her to stop the noise. She complied. So this should have stopped the escalation.
But likely the authorities then later showed up to her apartment, because this was not an emergency so it didn't require immediate action on their part and talked with your neighbor.
She may have thought that the incident was put behind her and a visit by authorities might cause her to believe that you are escalating the situation.
You generate a note and place it under her door. She interprets this as further escalation and harassment.


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caThar4G
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04 Mar 2019, 10:15 pm

jimmy m,
I heard the authorities that night knock on her door loudly.
One thing I learned from this, non-emergency police are still serious police.
Before this, I thought they were more friendly and not as intimidating,
probably because of the name.

I'm not being evicted.



IsabellaLinton
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04 Mar 2019, 11:05 pm

caThar4G wrote:
I'm not being evicted.


I'm really glad to hear this. I hope you can find some relief from the noises. I sent you Magna's earplug advice on the "What's on Your Mind" thread. Congratulations, and I hope you sleep better tonight.


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jimmy m
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05 Mar 2019, 10:02 am

caThar4G wrote:
I'm not being evicted.


Glad to here that.


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kraftiekortie
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05 Mar 2019, 10:06 am

Of course, I'm glad, too.