Haaaate

[in_parentheses]

Upon coming home today, I noticed a silver trailer in the other driveway and broken bits of what looked like my back porch lined up along the wall. Uh-oh...

Turns out the landlord decided to re-do the back porch, which was sagging. In theory, this is nice. In practice? Fucking tell me first! My future tomato bed (and current chard bed, if the

Comments

[chieur]

so: i know there are often ordinances that dictate that landlords have to give you x number of hours warning before entering your apartment, emergencies excepted. (i had an overzealous landlord in providence, so i learned the law. i imagine that whichever municipality you technically live in [camberville != a municipality] has a similar ordinance.) aren't there similar ones for non-emergency construction?

not that legal acrimony with your landlord is a good idea. but, um, that's just Not. Cool. damage done this time, but perhaps you could gently suggest, housing ordinances in hand, that next time around, it would be just delightful to get even 24 hours notice so you could clean up. (and in fact, i imagine the contractors would like that, too.)

[ams16]

As a former landlord, agreed.

I think you live in Somerville. Any material change to the property, inside and out, must have previous notice. There are fines that can be levied if this wasn't followed.

(I admit, we didn't always pay attention to this, but we are also friends with the tenants. And we didn't do anything rude, I think. At least, while I owned the place. :))

[in_parentheses]

Man, it would be nice to someday have a landlord who actually gives a crap about knowing rental law, and then follows it. Because the truth is, I care far too much about the peace and stability of my home to risk having a big fight with my landlord.

I did call and say, "Please give us notice next time." He said, "Sorry, this was last-minute. I've been waiting on this guy for a month, and he called this morning and said he could come today." To which I replied, "But we didn't even know you were planning on re-doing the deck! You could have told us a month ago." I don't think he got the point. He and his wife are lovely people, who just completely don't get why tenants would feel they have any claim to the property. *sigh*

[martini_corona]

First: That sucks, and I'm sorry.

Second: I understand your need to not make a big stink about this, but if you are planning on renewing your lease (I assume you are?), you need to make it known as soon as possible that this is completely unacceptable. You do not have to be their friend -- just be professional but FIRM. You are in a legal agreement with them. Meet with them in person, if possible. Check your lease to see if it includes anything about prior notice, and show them.