Renters Have Rights Too!

Recently I found myself in a most unpleasant situation. I have the neighbors from hell. These folks don't have jobs, they deal drugs, drink beer and give what I like to call prison tattoos to all of the neighborhood dirt bags. I am not thrilled to have people of this caliber in my neighborhood, let alone in such close proximity to my house. After five weeks of their late night parties, juvenile screaming matches and the pains of looking at them daily I realized I had no choice but to take action.

I learned quite a bit about my rights as a renter, and luckily for me my landlord is also their landlord. As I rent an expensive house and they rent a storefront that they have turned into a residence, I knew I had certain rights that were not being lived up to.

As a renter you have the right to a quiet and private residence. Neighbors can not disturb your quality of life constantly. As I grew tired of the four in the morning parties and fights I began to look into the law regarding tenant rights.

As a renter you have the right to a safe home, that has adequate heating, and both hot and cold running water. You have the right to have all repairs made in a timely fashion. If you have contacted your landlord or property manager multiple times about a loose step on the flight of stairs or a leaking faucet, as an example, many times with no results, you have the right to pay your rent to the clerk of courts until the repairs have been made.

If your landlord enters the property for non emergency repairs without your knowledge or consent, your rights are being violated. A landlord simply can't come and go as he pleases and in most cases a 24 hour notice is required before entering the residence.

You have the right to peaceful cohabitation. If your neighbors are loud, rude and ignorant you have the right to notify the police that they are disturbing the peace, and you have the right to inform your landlord of the situation. Simply put, you do not have to endure what I have been going through. You are entitled to feel safe and secure in your home, without the next door dirt bags harassing you or interfering with your quality of life.

An excellent resource for renters is the Landlord Tenant Guide book that is published for your state. It will outline all rights and responsibilities of both the tenant and the landlord, and this is an excellent tool for arguing your case.