In the apartment complex I live in, violence has recently escalated to the point that tenants are now fearful living in the complex and the owners refuse to do anything about it. In the past 4 months, there have been over a dozen break-ins, four armed robberies, several dozen car break-ins, gas syphoning and just yesterday a murder! There is a gate to the community, but it is broken and the owners refuse to fix it. We, as tenants, have offered to pay an additional $10-15 per month for some sort of new security measures (card/key access to buildings, security patrols, repair to the gate, security cameras, etc.) but again the owners refuse saying there's nothing that can be done. Half of the exterior lighting is continually out or not working and the apartment doors are so thin they are easily kicked in by the intruders (which has been the case in the last several break-ins). What rights, as tenants, do we have to insist the owners do something to help slow/curtail the amount of violent acts being committed in our community? And if they legally do not have to do anything, what are the rights of the tenants in breaking their leases in order to move to a safer and more secure complex? I live in Indiana.

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Originally Posted by maggie0507

In the apartment complex I live in, violence has recently escalated to the point that tenants are now fearful living in the complex and the owners refuse to do anything about it. In the past 4 months, there have been over a dozen break-ins, four armed robberies, several dozen car break-ins, gas syphoning and just yesterday a murder! There is a gate to the community, but it is broken and the owners refuse to fix it. We, as tenants, have offered to pay an additional $10-15 per month for some sort of new security measures (card/key access to buildings, security patrols, repair to the gate, security cameras, etc.) but again the owners refuse saying there's nothing that can be done. Half of the exterior lighting is continually out or not working and the apartment doors are so thin they are easily kicked in by the intruders (which has been the case in the last several break-ins). What rights, as tenants, do we have to insist the owners do something to help slow/curtail the amount of violent acts being committed in our community? And if they legally do not have to do anything, what are the rights of the tenants in breaking their leases in order to move to a safer and more secure complex? I live in Indiana.

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You cannot legally force the owners to provide additional security. You CAN write letters, complain and force the repair of the gate (or anything else) that has broken since you moved in.

If you are unsafe, have complained and the lack of safety is due to the negligence (not failure to provide additional security) of the owner, you can write a letter to that effect, explain why you are breaking the lease and attempt to come to an agreement or simply move and wait to see if you are sued.

What about the neighbors forming a neighborhood watch.

If all the neighbors want to form a teannant association, you all can chip in ( depends on how many tennants) and you all hire your own security guard to patrol. But unless this is a very large unit 10 or 20 dollars a month is not even going to make a dent in the cost.

But in the end, unless the landlord is not obligated to provide the extra security.

Chuck made a good point about the Neighborhood Watch being set up. I am sure there are a lot of people home during the day where you live and a lot of people home at night as well. All it takes is someone to be looking out the window to see the complex areas and notice cars or people who don't belong there. Talk with your neighbors about this scenerio and see if you all can "band" together to put a stop to the additional crime. Landlords can't be held responsible for "additional security".