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akasha · May 19, 2007, 01:28 PM

I recently moved from an apartment due to my landlord, his wife, and their friend (who was also my upstairs neighbor) non stop harassing me. It is a bit of a long story, please bear with me.

I moved into the apartment because it is literally right next door to my job. I am a restaurant manager and I am called in quite often to fix small issues, so I figured living right next door would be perfect. How wrong I was. Within a week of me being there, my landlords wife called me and told me that I could not use the front entrance to my home because the carpet in the front hall was brand new. I told her I preferred to use the front door but if they insisted, I would try to use the side door. A week later, I opened my front door to find her standing in my front hall playing with my locks. When I asked her what she was doing, she started yelling that she told me not to use the front door and that her and her husband saw me going out of it the day before. When I protested, she said that if I didn't like it, I could always move because that is the way it is. Approximately two weeks later, she shows up at my back door and told me that I could not have any more children over and I would have to stop babysitting because the kids are too loud (I babysit for one of my employees). I called the landlord right away and told him I was thinking of moving because I refused to put up with his wife's bull. He was very understanding, even told me he would let me out of my lease and I didn't even have toi give a 30 day notice if I didn't want to. He then said that his wife has a bad addiction to pills and that when she can't get them she pulls crap like that with his tenants. He then told me he has lost 9 other tenants because of similar complaints against her. About a week later, I attempted to give him my rent and he gave me a verbal 30 day notice. His exact words were "nobody should have to put up with my wifes crap and there is nothing I can really do about her actions so it would be best if you just moved". Sinstead of fighting it, I started looking for another place. Two weeks later, I found out that my landlord was returning my mail. WHen I confronted him on this, he called the police and said I was harassing him. When I asked the police what I could do about him intercepting my mail, I was told that because he owns the house he has every right to do that. I immediately went to the police station in an attempt to press charges and was told the same thing by the receptionist at the desk. After that I left a message with the post office inspector and made a complaint to their website. It stayed quiet until the day I moved. WHile I was moving, my landlord followed me to my new address and stood across the street watching me haul boxes. I called the polcie but he was gone by the time they got there. I didn't see or hear from him after that. About a week or two after I moved, his wife went to the gas station in front of my restaurant and told one the manager up there that I was a drug dealer and that I wouldn't have my job much longer. When the employee informed me of what she had said, I called the landlord and told him that I did not want his wife on anywhere near my job again and if I seen her there I would call the police and press charges for harassment. Him and I then made arrangements to meet so he could return my security deposit. We met the next day and he apologised for his wife's behavior and returned my security, minus the carpet cleaning fee that I agreed to in my lease. He then asked me not to let it get back to his wife that he returned my security because she would get mad at him if she found out. I agreed and told him once again to make sure she stays away from my job. A week later, yesterday in fact, I got a phone call from my supervisor saying that my ex landlords wife had gone to my home office and lodged a complaint about me saying that I had been shouting obscenities at her and throwing garbage into her yard while I was at work. I was warned by my supervisor that if she got a complaint like this again that I would be terminated. I went to the police station, once again, in an attempt to file a complaint for harassment against her. The police told me that because my home office is outside of the district, there was nothing I could do and that I would have to wait until Monday morning to go to city hall and file a compaint and try to get an order of protection. I have gone to the police ctation so many times, I am appalled that they keep giving me the runaround, I am also in the process of taking them to court. I filed a complaint with the HOME offices and have made various attempts to file a complaint with the police. It seems that I am getting the runaround everywhere I go, I just want the woman to leave me alone. I moved from the apartment, I haven't spoken to her since. WHat can I do to get this woman out of my life?

matiasmommy · May 19, 2007, 05:42 PM

I don't know about your area.. but I do know that most places have tenant protection groups. See if you can't look up yours in your yellow pages and get in touch. They are most often volunteers, and provide free services. They KNOW the laws in the area, and can tell you where to go and what to do.. seems to me those police of yours are pretty useless!

They can't go and talk to her and give her a warning? Where I am, they would.. and any more complaints and there would be a 2 way restraining order at the VERY least!

So sorry, that sounds like a perfectly awful situation!

Cheers

Jani Teeter
L3 Director, CSG

akasha · May 19, 2007, 07:38 PM

I am in NY. And the thing is I am not even a tenant of thiers anymore, so Im not even sure if that would still apply. I just want the woman to go away! I am just going to go to city hall on Monday and see what I can do. Maybe I can put in a complaint about the neglegence on the police department as well. Thanks for your help.

matiasmommy · May 19, 2007, 07:41 PM

Hmm.. I think that you can still ask though. Thing is, at least with the law where I am.. you will get help because you should not have had to move in the first place!

Good luck!

Jani Teeter
L3 Director, CSG

ScottGem · May 19, 2007, 07:51 PM

First, this is more of a civil matter, not a police matter, so I don't see negligence on the part of the police.

Second, Did you explain to your home office that the complainant is crazy and there is no truth to her accusations?

Anyway, you need an attorney to sue this woman and stop her harassment.

akasha · May 19, 2007, 07:56 PM

Yes, I did explain to my supervisor how crazy this woman is, as well as my co-workers. But still, this makes them question me as an employee, and I don't like that one bit. I have worked too hard to build my reputation there to lose trust over someone being this petty. I was told by the Tenents rights office that this is a civil case as well as a discrimination case. This woman will not get out of my life. When I lived at the apartment, she was there almost daily to "visit" with the woman upstairs, and now that I am gone she is showing up at my job. I am tired of it, and I just want it to stop so I can move on with my life. Thank you for your help, it is much appreciated.