Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So my situation is such that I need to move my family up north permanently, yet we just bought a townhouse not four months ago. The thing is, there have been some issues with the neighbour next door (to put it mildly). Before we moved but after we put an offer down there was a shooting next door (the owner was shot by home invaders, and it was obviously targeted rather than random). We were not informed of this at that time and moved in not knowing. After a few months of living there the neighbour's home was raided by police on a search warrant, and apparently they found drugs. The neighbour in question has not been seen since that time.
Now we need to rent our house ASAP and I don't know what to do. I don't feel right about renting to a family because, despite that it is a safe community, I don't know what's going to happen in the future. My family and I still live in the home and we're not scared of anything happening, but the tenants will eventually find out one way or another (the other neighbours are very chatty and will let it slip out).
Should I mention everything to the prospective tenants? Legally, must I inform them? What are they likely to do if they find out? Has anyone else been in a similar situation?
Legally you shouldnt say that a neighborhood is safe. There is no such thing. If someone asks you can refer them to a crime stat site or something. You are not responsible for the actions of neighbors nor should you be. Nor should you either speak badly or overly positively about them. The tenant or buyer should do their own research.
Legally you shouldnt say that a neighborhood is safe. There is no such thing. If someone asks you can refer them to a crime stat site or something. You are not responsible for the actions of neighbors nor should you be. Nor should you either speak badly or overly positively about them. The tenant or buyer should do their own research.
Thanks, but I also have a conscience. I don't want to inflict that kind of stress on anyone, particularly to a family with young children. Maybe I should just focus on the prospective tenants that are child-free?
Your conscience is going to cost you. Follow the suggestion above to refer them to a crime site. Also, what is "bad" to one person is not bad to another. You could get sued for any language you use.
If I do that we're going to incur severe financial penalties for selling just four months after we bought the place (upwards of $5,000). I don't know how it is in the States but that's how it is here.
Thanks, but I also have a conscience. I don't want to inflict that kind of stress on anyone, particularly to a family with young children. Maybe I should just focus on the prospective tenants that are child-free?
You would be breaking the Fair Housing Act if you advertise for child free. You could get fined from the feds. Don't attempt it.
Your neighbor is gone for how long? Is the place vacant now? He's probably in jail or hiding. Was he renting or did he own the place? Did someone else live with him? Possibly this latest police thing got rid of the problem. Sounds like he was a drug dealer and the cops figured it out based on the home invasion and they raided his home and caught him.
The home might be rerented to normal folks, or sold. who knows
Well, if it was targeted and drugs were found and the tenant hasn't been seen since, chances are your house is as safe as any. It's up to the renter to investigate these matters. And trust me, as a renter I do some major checking on properties I'm thinking of renting.
Well if youre not in the states then may the laws regarding fair housing are different. I suggest contacting a property manager and brushing up on your local lanlord tenant laws.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
