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Hi All,
I recently moved into a separate studio that is on the same property as my landlords house. They have a 12, 15 and 18 year old who live at home too. I moved in around the end of July, I am paying more than HALF my income to live here. Santa Barbara is very expensive...I pay $1,050 for a 14x14 room. It does have a small separate kitchen w/ a two burner stovetop but no oven. The landlords pay my utilities. I knew when I moved in these people would be a hassle...just not this much. They aren't very "bright" people, they mean well but also seem very self-centered. They are acting as if I'm just a guest renting a room from them, when I know I have my own rights as a tenant and a lease was signed. The lease was a very general lease...the only major thing on it was that my rent will INCREASE by $50 after 6 months. The lease itself is a 6 month lease then becomes month-to-month.
Here is what I have experienced thus far:
-Their children have let themselves into my home to see my new kitten. I shut this down pretty quickly saying no one should be entering my unit unless I'm there. Their kids still come up to my window or screen door without any warning. The youngest kid even meows and tries to talk to my cat when he's meowing...no privacy.
-I have a boyfriend who lives 2 miles from me. When I moved in we discussed he would NOT be living with me but would be staying over. We never agreed to how many days. He was over 3 days in a week and I got a long text from my landlord stating the studio is for one person, no one else can live there, I need to respect the "unique" living situation (uh, how are they respecting my privacy at all?), etc. They also said they don't want anyone there unless I am. Well, I leave for work early and they seriously expect me to force him to wake up and leave when I do? I responded respectfully, but told them when I leave for work he would be there for the hour or so until it's a reasonable hour to wake up. I also told him that if he felt the need to implement specific rules about my guests it should've been put in the lease. His response was "thanks for understanding! let us know if you want to amend the lease per our conversation" UH NO, I want you to uphold your end and leave me the hell alone. We are so respectful, it's not like he's showering or cooking at my place daily!
-They even tell me where TO PARK on a public street.
-Sunday I had plumbing issues and so he was in my unit. Over the weekend my kitten almost died and I had just brought him back from the vet when my landlord approached me outside. I was like, "Great, what now?!" He was upset I put my own SHOWER HEAD on. He had a "low flow" one on before and demanded it be put back on. I explained I needed a shower head with a filter because I have issues with chlorine. He said he could still put it on whilst my shower head is on too...just to restrict the flow. This entire time I have my poor kitten in the carrier meowing...I told him this wasn't a good time and was really irked by his lack of consideration. He also turns off my fan when he comes into my unit which NEEDS to be on because there is horrible insulation and my place gets 80+ degrees during the day and my cat is there.
All of this really upsets me. I am a good tenant, I pay rent on time, I'm kind, quiet and clean. I have not broken the lease in anyway. I now feel like I'm walking on eggshells...there is ALWAYS something they are hounding me about and I have barely been there 3 months. It's making me really uncomfortable.
My question is: What should I do? Do I bring up my concerns and risk getting asked to move out when it hits 6 months? Do I bite my tongue and "follow their rules?" Finding a studio like this that accepts cats in my town is very hard...but I'm sick of this. HELP!
I had an almost identical situation in Santa Barbara once. I just found another place ASAP, as there was no dealing with landlords who want the insane rent $, but still consider the rental to be part of their own living space.
I pasted the entry issues below and wont address that further. As for the shower head he is right. He is paying utilities and you changed a permanent fixture without authorization and need to remedy the situation. As for the unauthorized guest you need to comply with the terms of your lease regarding guests, as well as occupancy rules for your county/state. If you aren't in violation of any of those things then you can tell him to back off. Leases typically allow 14 days for guest stays and I know in AZ I can fully enforce that limitation even if it isn't consecutive for the same guest, I have before that is how I know but it also requires documentation on my part to prove a particular guest has stayed that long.
WHEN CAN THE LANDLORD ENTER THE RENTAL UNIT?
California law states that a landlord can enter a rental unit only for the following reasons:
In an emergency.
When the tenant has moved out or has abandoned the rental unit.
To make necessary or agreed-upon repairs, decorations, alterations, or other improvements.
To show the rental unit to prospective tenants, purchasers, or lenders, to provide entry to contractors or workers who are to perform work on the unit, or to conduct an initial inspection before the end of the tenancy (see Initial Inspection sidebar).
If a court order permits the landlord to enter.116
If the tenant has a waterbed, to inspect the installation of the waterbed when the installation has been completed, and periodically after that to assure that the installation meets the law's requirements.117
The landlord or the landlord's agent must give the tenant reasonable advance notice in writing before entering the unit, and can enter only during normal business hours (generally, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays). The notice must state the date, approximate time and purpose of entry. 118 However, advance written notice is not required under any of the following circumstances:
To respond to an emergency.
The tenant has moved out or has abandoned the rental unit.
The tenant is present and consents to the entry at the time of entry.
The tenant and landlord have agreed that the landlord will make repairs or supply services, and have agreed orally that the landlord may enter to make the repairs or supply the services. The agreement must include the date and approximate time of entry, which must be within one week of the oral agreement.119
The landlord or agent may use any one of the following methods to give the tenant written notice of intent to enter the unit. The landlord or agent may:
Personally deliver the notice to the tenant; or
Leave the notice at the rental unit with a person of suitable age and discretion (for example, a roommate or a teenage member of the tenant's household); or
Leave the notice on, near or under the unit's usual entry door in such a way that it is likely to be found; or
Mail the notice to the tenant.120
The law considers 24 hours' advance written notice to be reasonable in most situations.
If the notice is mailed to the tenant, mailing at least six days before the intended entry is presumed to be reasonable, in most situations.121 The tenant can consent to shorter notice and to entry at times other than during normal business hours.
Special rules apply if the purpose of the entry is to show the rental to a purchaser. In that case, the landlord or the landlord's agent may give the tenant notice orally, either in person or by telephone. The law considers 24 hours' notice to be reasonable in most situations. However, before oral notice can be given, the landlord or agent must first have notified the tenant in writing that the rental is for sale and that the landlord or agent may contact the tenant orally to arrange to show it. This written notice must be given to the tenant within 120 days of the oral notice. The oral notice must state the date, approximate time and purpose of entry.122 The landlord or agent may enter only during normal business hours, unless the tenant consents to entry at a different time123 When the landlord or agent enters the rental, he or she must leave written evidence of entry, such as a business card.124
The landlord cannot abuse the right of access allowed by these rules, or use this right of access to harass (repeatedly disturb) the tenant.125 Also, the law prohibits a landlord from significantly and intentionally violating these access rules to attempt to influence the tenant to move from the rental unit. 126
If your landlord violates these access rules, talk to the landlord about your concerns. If that is not successful in stopping the landlord's misconduct, send the landlord a formal letter asking the landlord to strictly observe the access rules stated above. If the landlord continues to violate these rules, you can talk to an attorney or a legal aid organization, or file suit in small claims court to recover damages that you have suffered due to the landlord's misconduct. If the landlord's violation of these rules was significant and intentional, and the landlord's purpose was to influence you to move from the rental unit, you can sue the landlord in small claims court for a civil penalty of up to $2,000 for each violation.
It never ceases to amaze me that people with tenuous rental situations make things worse by getting a pet. Especially in an area where pets are generally not allowed in rentals (as the OP claims is the situation in Santa Barbara.
Having a boy friend sleeping over 3 nights a week and staying there when you aren't there is excessive. I agree with your landlord on this one. He rented to one person yet has two people there half the time.
Utilities are included, so of course the landlord does not want you to leave electric on while you aren't there. Also, he pays for water and you received the place with a low flow shower head. If your replacement is also low flow maybe he wouldn't be so worried about it. Offer to give him an additional $10 a month to pay for the fan running. He's seeing you as being deliberately wasteful because it isn't coming out of your pocket.
Kids, you can't do much about except for continuing to correct them when they come into your house. You have no right to control them in the yard, but can correct them if they are peering in the windows
You might not be staying long. If it is going to be really difficult to find a place that you can afford that will also take pets, you might think about trying to be easier to get along with.
OP, you have learned a lesson most of us have learned the hard way. Never rent in your landlord's backyard. Been there.
Your best bet is to just move as soon as you can. Someone mentioned you're in CA? If that's the case, you can break your lease, and they can only charge you rent until they find a new tenant.
I used to be an apt mgr in CA.
If I was you, I'd find a new place, give your LL 30 days written notice with permission for them to enter to show it so they can have the new tenant move in asap.
Okay...I have a question that I didn't find the answer to in the OP. Does this unit have its own, separate locking door? Or is it more of a Mother In Law setup where it is conjoined but not separated? It might make a difference.
It never ceases to amaze me that people with tenuous rental situations make things worse by getting a pet. Especially in an area where pets are generally not allowed in rentals (as the OP claims is the situation in Santa Barbara.
That's one of the first things that stood out to me to -
Another thought is that the ages of the LL' s kids might have something to do with the push-back on overnight guests...
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