Neighbours Garbage

[Mini]

Next to us there is an apartment building whose garbage bin is continually overflowing with piles and piles of garbage. More than you could ever imagine and often overflowing into our yard.
Also I'm sure the building has not been painted in decades.
We have already put up a long fence to hide the garbage from our guests but now it looks like we may have to even extend it again.
It looks terrible and we have had several guests who actually think it is our garbage. There also are soooooo many old wrecked vehicles out front.
We have twice had to have the City ticket them as often they are parked in our lot.
We have talked to the owner of the building who seems to do nothing about it considering it is the tenants' garbage and vehicles, not actually his.
I received this email today :
We happened to be in your town last weekend. We drove to your B+B to see
it was available for future visits to the city.
Our questions?
1. Are you closed?
2. Old recked vehicles around
3. Lots of garbage.
Are we mistaken?
Appreciate a reply.
Thanks'
Marilyn Rxxxxxxx

 

[Morticia]

Ouch.
Doesn't the landlord have to provide appropriate bins for the trash? How about the tenants? Can you approach them?
If someone is parking in your lot can you have the cars towed away? I know I rant about that in the summer, but this sounds like a permanent problem.
If you can approach the tenants and get results that would be your best bet. They have to live there, too, and may be just as upset as you are that they do not have a place to put trash or a place to park. Then again, maybe they don't care at all. In which case you have to rely on the city ordinances to get what you need.
I would definitely extend the fence and put up signage stating illegally parked cars will be towed at the vehicle owner's expense. As for the trash, I'd bag it it up if it was in my yard and dump it back over the fence. Too bad you can't leave it in the apartment owner's front yard.
As with anything like this, it helps to start off friendly and helpful and THEN get tough rather than the other way around.

 

[Mr.Design]

With regard to the vehicle, if the person hasn't moved it, at least around here, the city will come and tow it after a certain amount of time it's been sitting there.
Maybe call the health department with regards to the trash. Perhaps they'll make the owner put a dumpster in.

 

[swirt]

Oof...neighbor relations can be a pain. Zoning ordinances any help?
Something seems off about that email though. Seems like somebody is messing with you. Who writes with questions like that???? It makes me wonder if it is perhaps a tenant next door who is not happy with the mess either and would actually like you to be the cause of it getting cleaned up.

 

[gillumhouse]

Does your City have a Streets & San Dept? Calls to your Council person and calls to City Hall - daily if you must - should be made. Check the City Ordinances for an appropriate ordinance and cite it to City Hall. You should not have to keep building fences. Definitely post the tow away sign (but see if a towing company will do it "at the owner's expense"). If they are junks - the owners may not give a fig that the car was towed. Do the cars have current and valid license plates? That is another way to get the City involved - if they are not properly licensed, the City may be losing money.
Another question is this - Is the garbage being picked up by the garbage hauler as it is suposed to be?

 

[Morticia]

Oof...neighbor relations can be a pain. Zoning ordinances any help?
Something seems off about that email though. Seems like somebody is messing with you. Who writes with questions like that???? It makes me wonder if it is perhaps a tenant next door who is not happy with the mess either and would actually like you to be the cause of it getting cleaned up..

Oof...neighbor relations can be a pain. Zoning ordinances any help?
Something seems off about that email though. Seems like somebody is messing with you. Who writes with questions like that???? It makes me wonder if it is perhaps a tenant next door who is not happy with the mess either and would actually like you to be the cause of it getting cleaned up.

Yeah, unless knowlesl edited the email, it does seem weird.

 

[Copperhead]

I knew Gillim would post some great words of advice. There should be ordiances that require the owners of the complex to keep the garbage picked up. - IF not, you should be an activist to have one. Since you have tried to communicate with the owner and got nowhere, contact your council person, invite him/her over for breakfast or afternoon tea - whatever you can to draw them. This way it is visual for them! Tell them this is an eyesore for travelers to see something in the town with this lack of upkeep. Of course, all the time charming them with goodies and telling them about some of your previous guests.
The garbage issue is not only the visual, it is a health issue as well and could (if not already) attract rodents that can then make there nesting home on your property and cause you money to get rid of them. Watch for rodents in the garbage or going to and fro and take pictures to provide to the health dept and councilperson when you talk.
One other avenue you can take with the car issue is to place a notice at each appartment door stating that your property is private and that this serves them notice (as well as the sign you must put in place) that if they park on your property, it will be removed at their expense. Do you know if the complex has the # of required spaces for the size? If not, bring this up to your councilperson as well.
Sorry you are having this to deal with. Sometimes neighbors can be such a burden. It is even worse in your case because the owner does not 'live' with the problem.

 

[gillumhouse]

I knew Gillim would post some great words of advice. There should be ordiances that require the owners of the complex to keep the garbage picked up. - IF not, you should be an activist to have one. Since you have tried to communicate with the owner and got nowhere, contact your council person, invite him/her over for breakfast or afternoon tea - whatever you can to draw them. This way it is visual for them! Tell them this is an eyesore for travelers to see something in the town with this lack of upkeep. Of course, all the time charming them with goodies and telling them about some of your previous guests.
The garbage issue is not only the visual, it is a health issue as well and could (if not already) attract rodents that can then make there nesting home on your property and cause you money to get rid of them. Watch for rodents in the garbage or going to and fro and take pictures to provide to the health dept and councilperson when you talk.
One other avenue you can take with the car issue is to place a notice at each appartment door stating that your property is private and that this serves them notice (as well as the sign you must put in place) that if they park on your property, it will be removed at their expense. Do you know if the complex has the # of required spaces for the size? If not, bring this up to your councilperson as well.
Sorry you are having this to deal with. Sometimes neighbors can be such a burden. It is even worse in your case because the owner does not 'live' with the problem..

Why thank you, CH. I did not even get to the rodent problem. Our daughter is required to live in Chicago since she is emploed by the City. Her neighbors did not bother to put the lids (required) back on their dumpster. Next thing my daughter knows she has rats the size of cats around her place. She has dogs so cannot put out poison. she calls Streets & San. No reply. She tells her friend about the problem and the friend just happens, unbeknownst ot our daughter, be a personal friend of the HEAD of Streets & San!! They came out the next day (and as the S & S Dept knocked on the front door, the guy ran OUT the back door - he thought they were INS) to assess the problem. They told her the rats were Norway rats that can eat through walls AND can climb walls. The rats were nesting under the neighbors garage and had set up housekeeping under my daughter's A/C. She had to do some sort of cementing thing around the A/C unit to close the nest. Cost her more than a few dollars. Citations were issued, yada, yada. I think the rats have now been eliminated, but it is an LARGE issue in this case. Call CITY HALL and your Councilman.
It is like everything else - NETWORKING WORKS!!!

 

[Mini]

Their parking lot is right next to our parking lot, where our guests, park and I am sure some of their vehicles are never moved, they just sit there year after year, all junked up. That is why we really need that extra fence. The fence we put up 2 years ago is between the apartment building and our b & b. This next fence will be between their parking lot and ours which is also where their garbage also is.
Yes, we have phoned the city several times. It has worked on occasion but then they get new tennants and it starts all over again.
Thank you all, You're great as usual. We have lots of work ahead of us.

 

[Copperhead]

Their parking lot is right next to our parking lot, where our guests, park and I am sure some of their vehicles are never moved, they just sit there year after year, all junked up. That is why we really need that extra fence. The fence we put up 2 years ago is between the apartment building and our b & b. This next fence will be between their parking lot and ours which is also where their garbage also is.
Yes, we have phoned the city several times. It has worked on occasion but then they get new tennants and it starts all over again.
Thank you all, You're great as usual. We have lots of work ahead of us..

Yes, we have phoned the city several times. It has worked on occasion but then they get new tennants and it starts all over again.
That is why the city should site the OWNER of the complex. If they were cited and had to pay fines, you bet your bottom dollar they would keep a better handle on their property and their tennants. This is why you get your counciperson on your side, and keep them there. (another form of networking)
Not having seen your property, I am wondering is a dividing fence going to be enough to keep them from parking on your property? Or are you planning on fencing IN your parking lot and having a gate?
Good luck to you!

 

[birdwatcher]

Well if nothing else has worked then I would call the newspaper...media coverage wether good or bad will give you eitrher exposure or exposure of the problem. We have something similar although its not right next door. When guests are driving to our B & B to our small little town they pass three trailers, now their garbage, firewood, dogs and several other "stuff" not to mention broken down cars etc is IN THE FRONT YARD. No lie, I just could not believe this when I first moved here, but every time we pass I just kind of sigh and when it does get bad, the city is called they come out and give a citation and the trash and debris are cleaned up for a while.
I don't understand that. Yes, I know about the Norway Rats, had some of those last year they call them River Rats, kind of same. (WE WHERE CLOSED FOR WITHER) don't know where they came from or why, but they are HUGE and yes they eat throghou anything, had to use poison to get rid of them plus some traps as well. Haven't seen them since.
Good luck but I would definantely worry about the vermin and would call the Health Department, even if they are renting its the owners resposibility to make sure that the trash is picked up in a timely manner and that the vehicles are either fixed and removed or they remove them for the tennants.
Its your business that they are hurting. Just my 2 cents.....