I reside in the state of Florida and a recent rental neighbor has an adult son who has broken into several homes in the area and has stolen many items from cars/garages/etc. He had been arrested for some criminal activity and is back at the house and the crime stopped while he was in jail, but has began again. The landlord has been notified on several occassions that this tennant is conducting criminal activity and could possibly be harboring stolen property within the house. Her solution is for the neighbors to move — two of which have put their homes up for sale. What recourse, if any do the neighboring victims have against the landlord??
Tags: Adult Son, Cars, Landlord, Recourse, Stolen Property
the right to evict
Unless you have positive proof that this neighbor is guilty and the landlord is allowing it, you have no recourse. Keep working with the police. They are your best bet to rid the neighborhood of this criminal. The landlord could actually be sued if the tenant has not been charged with any crimes and are fulfilling the terms of the lease.
Time to consider filing a class action suit against that landlord and the tenant jointly..( or seperately) that would wake him up..The promise of a lawsuit will make him take action one way or another..If for no other reason try to get a moral victory.
Where are the police in all this. Why havent they acted..
Call them, and keep calling them. Make a damn nuisance of yourself. Have all the neighbors call them.. ***** it. if the kid is stealing he is also bound to be doing other stuff as well and that can adversely affect your naighborhood..
Try putting together a neigborhood watch group. After all its your homes that need protecting..
See an attorney. The laws in each state vary so much in a matter like this I would not guess. There may be some ordinance about a nuisance or some such.
If money is an issue, try to get free advice from law enforcement and from a private attorney or legal help line. Generally, to hold the landlord liable, the landlord must be aware of the problem, and have a duty to take certain actions, but as others have stated, the laws vary. In any event, the best option here may not be a lawsuit against the landlord, but getting some quick relief informally. Perhaps the problem person is not even an authorized resident on the lease, or the landlord may have some other grounds to evict the resident. But eviction is generally a remedy reserved to the landlord, not a way for unhappy neighbors to get rid of someone they would rather not have living closeby. Also, be careful when you accuse someone of criminal activity. Unless there is a conviction, you may become the target of a defamation law suit by the person that caused the problem. Even if you can prove the truth of the allegation, it may cost you quite a bit just to defend the suit and get the case dismissed.
The landlord has the right to convict a tenant for commiting unlawful acts. If the neighbour continues to be a liability, I am not sure if you can do it in Florida, but check with an attorney, but you folks should attempt to file a civil suit against the landlord for failure to exercise reasonable care with respect to the tenant.