Landlord Harassment

Is Your Landlord Harassing You?

When money, investments, and habitats intertwine, the landscape of landlord-tenant relationships can sometimes transform into a volatile powder keg. It's an arena where tensions simmer and grievances fester, creating an environment ripe for misunderstandings and conflicts to explode. But, like most things in life, this realm can possesses two sides to the coin, however landlords have seemed to have an upper hand. The power of disrupting a persons place of home can ripple throughout their lives.

Defining Landlord Harassment

Landlord harassment refers to situations where a landlord engages in behaviors designed to coerce a tenant into violating the lease agreement or abandoning the property they currently occupy. With an estimated 44 million renters in the United States, the problem seems to be growing.

This specific set of actions has legal implications, with courts increasingly recognizing the gravity of such behavior and doling out penalties for transgressions. While proving landlord harassment might be challenging, the legal system's evolving awareness of this issue is a step in the right direction.

Unveiling Examples of Landlord Harassment

Let's delve into some examples of landlord harassment that can strain relationships and erode the trust between property owners and tenants:

1. Neglecting Maintenance: Failing to address maintenance issues promptly, thereby affecting the tenant's quality of life.

2. Amenity Withholding: Denying previously available amenities, such as pool access or landscaping services, in a bid to push tenants out.

3. Fabricated Allegations: Creating false allegations of improper conduct to distress tenants.

4. Selective Enforcement: Singling out a tenant for alleged violations while turning a blind eye to other similar cases.

5. Rent Payment Issues: Refusing rent payment or feigning ignorance of payment receipt.

6. Unlawful Entry: Intruding into the property without proper notice or justification.

7. Disturbance Creation: Creating disturbances that impede a tenant's peaceful enjoyment of the rental unit.

8. Property Damage: Intentionally damaging a tenant's belongings.

9. Financial Threats: Using financial leverage, like damaging credit or withholding references, to intimidate tenants.

10. Physical Intimidation: Resorting to threats of violence or engaging in intimidating behavior.

Understanding the Motivations Behind Landlord Harassment

Landlord harassment often arises from a place of frustration and financial pressure. In instances where properties are subject to rent control, landlords might seek ways to replace existing, lower-paying tenants with more lucrative alternatives. They may single out a tenant who asks for maintenance to be performed. These actions are frequently motivated by the desire to circumvent eviction costs and legal procedures. However, regardless of circumstances, accepting the harassment is never an acceptable solution.

The Path to Resolution

Addressing the issue of landlord harassment requires a multi-pronged approach. It will always go without saying that all renters, especially when dealing with harassment, communicate in writing. Email is best, text can be a resource as well Being aware of resources is key:

1. Education: Raising awareness among landlords about the legal consequences and ethical implications of harassment.

2. Tenant Empowerment: Educating tenants about their rights and how to recognize harassment, empowering them to speak up. Often, thousands of dollars are at stake.

3. Mediation: Encouraging open communication and providing a platform for landlords and tenants to address grievances.

4. Legal Recourse: Ensuring that tenants are aware of their legal rights and have access to resources for seeking redress.

In cities like New York City, where the law takes a stringent stance on landlord harassment, the financial penalties imposed can act as a deterrent, promoting fair treatment and respectful behavior. Each State varies in being able to provide Renters protection, however the landscape is changing fast and it is important to stay informed.

Inspect-By-Tenant℠ is a mobile App that allows tenants to complete a formal, organized and independent inspection of their residence. In the past, landlords have had access to organized applications, software and resources to ensure they had protection however with the rise of tenancy and people needing to rent over purchasing, tenant resources are growing. “We always recommend that a tenant complete a Move-In inspection upon signing a new lease and most importantly, a Move-Out inspection using our app before they hand in their keys”. This draws a line in the sand as to what the residence looked like at the time of move and how the tenant left the residence when they moved out.

Security deposits are often thousands of dollars and landlords have had the easy ability of stating that damages occurred during the tenancy of the renter when in fact, there were none. “Once the keys are handed back to the landlord and the lease has ended, they only evidence you can provide are photos and video to confirm otherwise. This is what will help a renter getting their security deposit back into their hands and not in the pockets of their landlord.