Centralpa

Hello everyone,

first time poster here to this, what looks like, a mighty fine board.

I have a situation with, apparently, an alcoholic and a bully personality who lives below me. It started that when he moved in he kinda sent flags up all around me but I was ill myself at the time. Anyhow, he began to harasses me from within his apartment when he’d come home at night supposedly that he was drinking (although it turned into just about anytime day or night for several years). It became very personal 5 years ago. I should have called the police but as I said, I was ill myself and in bed much of the time. When the landlord learned about this I was told that if I called the police I would be evicted. because the landlord did not want any media showing the rental address so as to not affect the rental business. Friends did, however, go to the police station and talk to them and the police did visit with him and told him to stay away from me. Which he didn’t. He stalked me whenever I was outside. Long story short.....he still goes out and gets tanked and comes back and I hear his disruptive behavior. It disrupts my life. I had thought about going to his Minister recently but no matter what I think of doing just sounds like a big hassle and stressful. The bottom line is that he is renting an apartment and going out and getting tanked and harassing me when he comes home and/or disrupting my space. What can be done?

1. Can AAA send him some literature talking about how his behavior is not okay around others? That’s if AAA teaches that. I don’t know and I don’t care to read all this stuff.

2. Are there any AAA Outreach personnel that can be called to visit him and talk to him about his behavior? If I call the police, I will be evicted. Even if I call the police and they come after about the second visit they will probably say that’s all they can do. I don’t have witnesses and it’s a problem getting neighbors interested. Most of these neighbors are transient and living busy lives and schedules. They don’t want to sit around waiting for hours for him to come home. I’ve tried taping it but it doesn’t come out on my tapes and it is very loud from within my apartment.

3. Is there good equipment (and what specific equipment)can I get somewhere that will record his behavior so that it can be verified?

4. Is it within my rights to upload his harassment on YouTube? I see much there already. This is a way to justify that I am telling the truth.

5. Can I contact his Minister at his church? And what protocol do I use?

Lately I have become vocal after all these years and I know this is not the correct thing to do. But I thought if I make it known out in public (outside) that he is drinking and coming home and being disruptive that may deter his behavior. (He's been doing it to me). So when I see him I say: “Why are you going out and getting drunk and coming back and harassing me through your apartment?” To which he will not respond. That maybe that would embarrass him into being a respectful tenant. Now what he did when I attempted this was put his fingers up to his mouth to indicate to me that I was to be quiet. Well, of course he wouldn’t want me to say he is out drinking and coming back and being disruptive. (He also chooses nights when other tenants are not in the building and it’s just me and him. And over holidays as well.) This is a cunning, premeditating SOB who smiles when he walks out the door and when he walks into his apartment is the total opposite.

Where is his responsibility in all of this? As a result of his actions? (the landlord is protecting him--obviously)

I want my space back. The space I pay for.

Ogilve

I can't tell much about the situation from this post. Are you concerned for your safety? What kind of harassment have you been experiencing? Have you done any research at all as to your rights as a tenant? Have you signed a lease, and if so, under what conditions does it specify eviction? Eviction is a legal process, not just a disgruntled landlord, and in order to evict you the landlord must have a reason, unless you're under a month-by-month agreement. I think your landlord may not be within his rights, but you'll have to check your state's landlord-tenant agreement laws.

If someone is harassing me day in and day out over a period of years, making my life unbearable, and they won't leave, and I can, I leave. Even to another apartment in the same complex if you love it there.

Centralpa

Hello Ogilve,

I absolutely want justification that he has been doing this all along. I'm not backing down even if it means recording it and posting it on youtube. He has gotten away with threatening me. To let it goe does him no favors but only emboldens his behaviors.

My rights as a tenant. The landlord does not have to give me any reason to not renew my lease. Eviction gives me about one month and that process would be very stressful for me. Either way it's a hardship on me. Leaving is a physical, mental and financial hardship. The up side of my leaving is that if he followed me-which I believe he would---I got lots of documentation and I would try to have him arrested.

dancingnow

Good for you for not wanting to put up with being the victim of an alcoholic's insensitivities toward others.

You have been hassled for many years, maybe you might not mind the hassle of moving to another apartment to get away from this person. It's not as simple as changing your seat at a movie theater but the same concept.

The landlord could at least assist you with that.

Not sure what the landlord thinks he is accomplishing by threatening for you not to call police if you are being harassed. If you do end up moving out of complex, others are sure to know about the problem and not want to move in so he will lose out.

Not really a win-win for anybody, is it?

I am in posting mode right now so just take what you like from my rambling and leave the rest.

TreshaLee

Complain to management and get the drunk evicted. If that does not work, go to the police. If you get evicted, sue management. They legally cannot fail to protect you and threated to evict you if you protect yourself.

Freedom1990

I rent from a landlord who is infamous for renting to transients. He owns most of the houses on the block that I live on, including the one I am renting.

I have had more than my fair share of rowdy drunks and drug addicts in the neighborhood. I had a guy get cold-cocked right in my front yard after the fight had moved from across the street.

Personally I don't hesitate to call the police as my landlord couldn't care less. He just wants his rent money, and his rentals are always occupied within a week or two of someone moving out.

It isn't AA's job to send literature to this guy. AA is there for people who want help. It doesn't sound like he wants any help.

It would seem to me that since this has been going on over 5 years, perhaps consider looking for somewhere else to live. It sure wouldn't be worth it to me to stay under such circumstances.

chicory

If your landlord would consider evicting you, as him why not evict the real perpetrator of the trouble.

LexieCat

YouTube is a bad idea. You think your landlord is unhappy with you calling the police--YouTube is far more public, and you are likely to get sued by the guy (if he doesn't do something to you physically).

Call the police, sign a complaint for harassment, or move. Or keep living with it. As far as I can see, those are your options.

His minister is none of your business, unless he is also yours.