Tenant Harassment Laws
There are several ways in which a landlord can get physically and mentally harassed by his/her tenants. Some of the ways in which this could happen is by a tenant violating a rental agreement, creating a nuisance in the rental property, shouting and yelling at the landlord without cause, threatening to sue the landlord with false claims and so on. Sometimes, to strengthen a case, a tenant may even call law enforcement authorities, lawyers or building inspectors to support a false claim and intimidate the landlord in order to get what he/she wants.
Listed below are a few questions answered by lawyers on tenant harassment laws.
What can be done if a landlord is being harassed by a tenant demanding reimbursement for improvements?
Case Details: The tenant was told to go ahead with improvements as long as the landlord did not have to pay for it.
Since you were clear right from the beginning that you would authorize the work but not pay for it, you would not be expected to reimburse him. Since he accepted the terms, he should not be able to demand money from you either.
What can a landlord do if the tenant insists on being present for the move-out inspection?
Your tenant should be present at the time to give the inspection some credibility. He needs to see exactly what you are witness to and ensure that he won’t be penalized for something that was either present before he moved into the house or something that happened after he left the place. Basically, he has to be there to protect his own interests. You can’t stop him from doing so.
Can a landlord sue if a tenant is slandering and threatening after being charged cleaning fees?
As long as the landlord has done nothing else, then wait for the tenants to file suit and go to court then file a countersuit against them. The landlord can sue them if he has proof of the slander and/or defamation.
How to evict a tenant if their lease has not expired but the landlord has filed a complaint for aggravated harassment?
You will need the services of an attorney who can help you evict them for violating the terms of their lease. In most cases, city leases have clauses that state tenants cannot interfere with other tenants’ use and enjoyment of the property. You can also file a complaint for harassment every single time he threatens you so you have a record of complaints that you can use in a landlord-tenant court.
Landlords do not need to put up with harassment of any kind from a tenant. If the harassment becomes dangerous and if a landlord starts fearing for his/her safety, the tenant’s behavior can be reported to the police. It is also smart for a landlord to keep a record of any communication that he/she has with a tenant that could be used as evidence of harassment later. Also, it is best for a landlord to handle tenant harassment in a professional manner and refrain from using threats or profanity in return. With aggressive tenants, this could lead to more problems later on.
