Are tenants responsible for removing snow? (Long Beach, Eagle: rent, home, buy)

[BigMike50]

Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but

OMG. She sounds nuts! Won't lend you her shovel as she has done for every other occurrence of snow, but is mad you are not shoveling.

^^^ I agree she sounds nuts

[Johninwestbury]

Originally Posted by BigMike50

^^^ I agree she sounds nuts

I know, I just learned it after several years of knowing her.
I should've known something was up when she said I shouldn't like mice because they are "the harbingers of evil".
How can something so cute be evil...aww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM3g3I6Qj7w

[AndreaII]

I don't know about harbingers of evil, but they are harbingers of the Hanta virus.

I vote for not bothering to dig her out ever again.

[Pequaman]

Originally Posted by Johninwestbury

My LL now says I'm responsible for removing snow from my walkway and driveway, is that legal?

Why, Shiver-me-Timbers John! RESPONSIBILITY? That is onbelievable! Maybe we should tax drivers some more for causing all this snow thru the global warmings. I will DM Gpsma to have his amigos come to your apt building on Saturday, we're supposed to get more snow.

[Yzette]

Originally Posted by Johninwestbury

I was informed that the lease says he's not responsible and I live in part of a house. I have been shoveling part of it myself for years, me and my downstairs neighbor each did our part, but my downstairs neighbor is now annoyed with me for not shoveling the driveway in the morning when she wants as well as "not doing my part" according to her. We used to share a shovel (her's) but after this I'm going to have to get my own.
Thanks for your help, looks like I'll be buying a shovel tomorrow (if I can find one..LOL) I guess I'll just shovel my own path and she can shovel her's. What about the sidewalk, though?

All of this drama could have been avoided for $19.97.

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[IlonaG]

Originally Posted by Johninwestbury

My LL now says I'm responsible for removing snow from my walkway and driveway, is that legal?

Nope - it's the responsibility of the home OWNER (aka Landlord).

[IlonaG]

The OP keeps saying that he's been 'told that the lease says'. Don't you have a copy? If not, then you should get one. You can't go on hearsay.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by Johninwestbury

I know, I just learned it after several years of knowing her.
I should've known something was up when she said I shouldn't like mice because they are "the harbingers of evil".
How can something so cute be evil...aww

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM3g3I6Qj7w

She actually said those exact words:

"Mice are the harbingers of evil"

Besides being a confirmed mouse hater, would she also happen to be in some kind of fundamentalist type of religion? (The "evil" makes me think that.)

Mice are just animals, not some high form of evil. I have been fortunate enough to never live in a home with rodents, but if I happen to get any, I will use a humane method of solving the problem, not kill them.

[I_Love_LI_but]

Originally Posted by Johninwestbury

According to what I've been told the lease says tenants are responsible for clearing the snow. I have no problem shoveling, actually, but my downstairs neighbor isn't pleased with my performance.
It's just a shame how some ppl can just turn on you for apparently no reason. I'll just buy my own shovel (when the stores get them back in) and do my own path and she can do hers. As far as the sidewalk, unshoveled walks are a PET PEEVE of mine so I have no problem doing that as well.
She's on her own with the driveway and her car from now on.

You mention that you've lived there several years.

When you first moved in, did you ever receive a lease?

Did you have a lease the first year you moved in and then after it expired, just kept paying the rent, and never received another lease?

If you and your landlord did not renew a lease (actual signed piece of paper) at the end of each rental term (usually yearly), you do not have a lease. What you are on is a month-to-month tenancy.

If this is the case, then, no, you are not responsible for the outdoor maintenance, including snow, for the multi-family house you live in. There is no lease saying you are and it is not a case like renting an entire single-family house where it is usually customary and expected for the tenant to do these chores.

However, if you have been doing your part with the snow removal all this time that you have lived there, you have grandfathered in the function. If you were to stop doing it altogether, while you couldn't legally be forced to do so, if your landlord has to start hiring people to do this now, it will affect your rent (upwards) and your landlord might be the type of person to want to get rid of you also (in month-to-month tenancies either party has to give 30-days notice to vacate).

So getting your own shovel and continuing to do your part with the snow removal is the best choice unless you want to move out of there anyway.

[Jdawg8181]

I have a super who luckily does our sidewalks but everyone is responsible for digging their own cars out. I've been lucky the last 2 times someone drove past me and felt bad and and shoveled for me I'm a really bad shoveler.