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Where I live the landlady doesnt want us to use the house to conduct business of any kind, including selling items on ebay or craiglist. I explained that is how its done and it is not a business per se. and I dont need to use her address for ebay or craigslist in the ad.
Without knowing your state (as state courts have ruled differently on this) if you are using your premise for the purpose of placing ads, answering ads, and mailing only personal items you own to buyers, that's an activity they can't prohibit. But, if you are engaged in this as a business (you're making money reselling, selling other people's items, or operating a sellers site), that has been considered a business in some states and may be prohibited.
Don't ask, don't tell. Neither Ebay nor Craiglist do not tell seller's address (unless it's on "From" address on a shipping label, which again could be just "General Delivery" to your local post office).
It might be an insurance issue. In my rentals, I can allow a home business as long as no one business related ever comes to the premises.
So, OP, will Fedex be coming around on a regular basis to take away what you have sold? How will you be shipping all the goods you are selling with your non-business?
It might be an insurance issue. In my rentals, I can allow a home business as long as no one business related ever comes to the premises.
So, OP, will Fedex be coming around on a regular basis to take away what you have sold? How will you be shipping all the goods you are selling with your non-business?
I sell about 5 small items a week on ebay. Not every week, but many weeks. I ship using USPS and have the regularly scheduled mail delivery man pick up my packages on his route. Nothing changes. He was going to bring me my mail anyway, now he is just walking back to his truck with stuff in his arms.
I don't use pickups for Fedex or UPS because they aren't free, so I drop those off on my way to work.
The point is probably that she doesn't want people running businesses out of the home, which can pose issues with the homeowners insurance company, etc. It's difficult to draw the line on what is a business, a hobby or someone just selling a few things that they want to get rid of.
Shipping items is one thing but craigslist often involved the person coming to pick the item up so I can understand her point. If you sell something to be picked up, meet at a public location.
We had a no business clause in all of our leases and then found several tenants operating licensed daycare and there was not a thing I could do about it since my State declared a childcare emergency which said up to 6 children... no problem... the provider doesn't even have to have insurance!
The required fire marshal inspections were over the top too... the inspector demanded to see what was in locked garages that were not leased to the tenant providing the daycare.
Only point this out to demonstrate lease prohibitions don't mean anything if the government decides otherwise and there is talk about expanding to other home based occupations.
You are better off meeting in a public place anyway where it is possible. But I do not think your landlady is allowed to say that assuming you are not renting a room or making it a business. You can tell her your non-overnight guests are none of her business. But if it is a month-to-month she may not renew the next month.
If you do not want to be micromanaged it sounds like you should find a better landlord.
Where I live the landlady doesnt want us to use the house to conduct business of any kind, including selling items on ebay or craiglist. I explained that is how its done and it is not a business per se. and I dont need to use her address for ebay or craigslist in the ad.
Do you have a written lease? Is this term in the lease? It doesn't really matter what her reasoning is, what matters is what's in the contract that you signed.
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