Dealing with a horrible tenant...What are my rights? (Philadelphia: lease, lawyer)

[Grtgaljstchatn]

I am a widow and moved from Philadelphia to the burbs due to my job. I am living in a duplex which I honestly love. The problem is the tenant downstairs. She is young. Maybe mid twenties with 2 children and a boyfriend who lives with her. She has given me grief since the day I moved in. She is extremely loud, along with her children. I'm talking past 10:00 pm. The kids scream all hours of the day and night. Stereo blasting. I could go on and on. he locks the downstairs main door on me when she see's me coming up the walk. She throws her trash in my bin when I'm away or not around. She just thinks she owns this building. I have tried talking to her but she is ignorant. She has no respect at all. I do know she takes medication for depression. Her boyfriend has told me many times to call the cops on her. They are off and on again like crazy. I have spoken to the Landlord and documented all she has done many, many times with no luck. The police have told me not to call them because they really can't do much and it will create more of a problem than trying to resolve the issue at hand. I can't afford to move but I shouldn't be living with a knot in my stomach either. Does anyone have any advise?

[orrmobl]

The only thing you can do is call the cops for things like them fighting or loud stereo late at night. Unless the place is filthy, crawling with bugs and no food in the cupboards Children and Family Services won't do anything either.

Keep complaining to the landlord and bide your time until you can move!

[Little Mizz Pittsburgh]

I had to deal with a neighbor like this for an entire year and a half, so I know how you're feeling. I would get a headache every day just thinking about having to go home and deal with these neighbors. Her, her kids, and her 2 GROWN brothers single-handedly destroyed the quiet street we lived on with loud music, drug selling, pit bulls and just flat out IGNORANCE. The more we called the cops on them, the more IGNORANT and so called INTIMIDATING they would become. Calling the cops, writing and calling their landlord, and complaints made to our city's 3-1-1 line didn't help. It actually took for the landlord to evict her for non-payment of rent in order for her to move.

[jimminycricket]

Law student here. If you have been documenting the disturbances, have repeatedly notified the landlord, and feel like it is getting to the point where you cannot stay where you are currently living, then you might be able to get out of your lease and assess your landlord with damages. If your landlord has not done anything to control his other tenants, you might be able to take him to court for interference with the implied warranty of quiet enjoyment. It would be hard to say for certain without knowing more, but I would encourage you to contact a lawyer to talk about your options.

[andreaspercheron]

I would definitely go to your landlord and say that it's either them or you because you've been documenting everything that has gone on, they are disturbing the peace, etc. etc... Ask your landlord to please do something (and I would make everything in writing) and then if your landlord does nothing, call the cops when the noise gets out of control, they are probably right though, I can't imagine there is much that can be done about the situation on the police end. Your landlord is the "boss" of the building, I'd have a conversation on that end first then make you plea to let you out of your lease if you really feel nothing is getting resolved.

[lititzman2003]

I've had people contact me about situations like this before and your only option is to discuss breaking your lease with your landlord and moving. If he resists play the lawyer card with him and most likely he/she will back down. All the huffing and puffing with the police won't amount to anything, except to aggravate the woman even more and then she'll retaliate by being louder and disrupting your life even more.

Sorry you have to go through this; best of luck.

[Grtgaljstchatn]

Thank you all for your post. I have done everything you all wrote and more. My Landlord assured me he was going to give them notice if I would just call the police once and have it on record. I actually went to the police department and made a formal complaint. They have it on record and said like everyone else it's the Landlord...How come we all get it but the "Landlord" doesn't? I know, I know...he just wants to collect his money.

I told him I am done documenting everything and it's either her or I. Hopefully, I'll be able to move by the 1st of the year. Again, thank you all for helping me through this.

[bigh110]

If It was me I would get up at 2 am and jump up and down on the floor till you wake up her and the kids! wait 1 hour and do it again! It won't be loud enough to disturb the other neighbors but it will give em a taste of their own medicine. You could record a obnoxious dog barking and leave it playing loudly on your stereo all day/night while you go visit a friend over night or go to work! also check and see if your township has a nusiance law?

[SD70]

Save up so money and move.