Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Neighbors

[Mr. Anubite]

Strap in, this is gonna be a long one.

I live in a very small apartment building, with only eight one-bedroom units. The rent is rather high, but it's very nice, and has an extremely desirable location.

My former neighbor moved out a few weeks ago. I was sad to see her go. She was the only non-student in the building, though, and she wasn't very happy being a non-student in college town. So she left to be closer to her parents, who aren't in great health.

She was a really nice person, and a good friend. She did have some problems, but the other neighbors and I worked very hard to set her on the right track, and I'm very proud of her for the changes she's made. Unfortunately, she's not the best judge of character.

Since our leases are for 12 months, she had to find someone to sublease. She found a couple on craigslist that wanted an apartment, so she told them that they could have it. They moved in a few weeks ago.

They're... not well. He has cerebral palsy, and she has an undiagnosed mental disorder, I'm guessing in the Psychotic family of disorders. (I used to want to be a Psychiatrist, before I decided Indian Literature is what I want to do with my life )

The heavy, heavy, HEAVY amounts of cannabis, alcohol, and crack aren't helping.

At first, the only problem I had with them was that whenever they opened their door, the smell of weed would waft out and linger around on the porch for a while. (The Smell of Marijuana: My Anti-Drug )

They broke up recently. I was in my bedroom, far away from the porch, but I could hear their (literally) violent break-up fighting from my bed. The police were called twice that night, but I didn't call them, and all of the other residents had left town to see their families, so they must have called the police on each other.

So he moved out. Kinda. He came back several times the next night, at first banging in her door, and then trying to access her apartment from the rear windows. I know, because I was in my bedroom, and watched him walk past my windows, around the building, and over to her windows. At that point, I no longer felt safe, so I packed my things and left town a day earlier than I intended.

I don't know what to do. I really want to call the police on her so that she can get help for her substance abuse problem, but I'm worried about her or her possibly-still-boyfriend becoming violent or vandalizing my apartment or something. Something retributive. Same reason why I'm hesitant to call the landlord.

I don't want to screw over J, my former neighbor, who is subleasing to the couple. Since she's subleasing, on January 2nd, she'll have to pay the couple's rent, since they have made it clear on their Facebook pages that they won't pay. They've also written threatening things about both J and myself. Drugs are bad.

So, what do I do? I'm sensitive about feeling safe in my apartment, because of the events that happened in 2012 in my last place, which I've posted about on CS. I don't really feel safe there anymore.

A note that may be important; she, the new, sucky neighbor, has a long criminal record for a woman in her mid-20's. Multiple felony possessions, and prostitution. She's currently on probation. If I call the police and tell them about the drugs, they're locking her up and throwing away the key, due to repeat offender sentencing laws. Her record's THAT bad. I found it on the city police website.

Any thoughts?

[Jester]

You don't feel safe, but you're worried about her being locked up. And you want her to get help for her substance abuse problem.

Blunt talk time.

Not everyone can be saved. Not everyone can be helped. Not everyone wants to change. Not everyone has a good person in them waiting to get out.

Look, maybe this woman could be grant and wonderful if she got the help she needs. But she's made it really clear that she's not interested in getting that help. And the fact that these two subleased a place and subsequently made clear that they have no intention of paying the rent on it removes any sympathy I might have had for them.

So you've got to put yourself first. Either you need to move out, away from these fucktards, or you need to get them the hell out of there. Call the tenant who's about to find out she subleased to a couple of non-paying slugs. Call the landlord, tell them what's going on, making it clear it's not the tenant's fault. Call the police. Shit, call the damn army in if you think it will help. These people have played their hand and made their intentions clear. You can either continue to live in fear of what may happen, or be proactive and take what control you can.

I know which one I'd choose.

[Seshat]

What Jester said. Plus:


It sounds to me like she's using non-prescription drugs to self-medicate her psychoses.

If she's in a state lockup, the state is responsible for her medical care. Which means she will have access to psychiatrists. She will have access to psychologists. She will have access to prescribed medication.

Even if they do lock her up and throw away the key, she may well be better off and have a better life than she currently has, locked inside a psychotic skull.

Bast is schizoaffective, and has psychotic phases. She HATES them. SHE is not the being in control during those phases. She's kind of trapped inside, looking out, helpless. Being medicated gives her a LIFE, not a series of quasi-random chemical-induced behaviours.



Seriously: locking her up might be the best thing for her.

It certainly sounds like the best thing for the rest of society.




No, I'm not advocating locking up everyone with psychiatric problems. But some cannot function in normal society at all, no matter what. And some need assistance.
This woman clearly needs assistance, and clearly is not getting it: and she's clearly non-functional in normal society to such a degree that she's actively dangerous to the general populace, and possibly to herself. Therefore; she must be separated.
It's sad, but it's the only way I can think of to care for both her, and the rest of the civilian populace.

[EricKei]

What Jester said

Contact the friend who's subletting the place to them, and give her any documentation you have -- even if that means screenies of the FB stuff. She'll find out sooner or later anyway, and it's probably best that it be sooner. Along with said documentation, keep track of stuff you mentioned like the guy trying to get in by the back window/threats towards you, and contact the police if you've not done so already. At this point, they WILL be involved one way or another, and it's probably best that the damage be mitigated by getting rid of them ASAP. Either way, provide the cops with all the "ammo" you can, and let them and the complex landlord deal with it, for your own safety.

[Food Lady]

Everything everyone has said so far is right-on. You shouldn't have to feel unsafe in your own home. And I have compassion for that woman; she does need help. She can't do it herself. Jail might be the best thing for her right now. As for your friend, I hope she doesn't get into legal trouble for subletting, but she did choose to do so. Just sad all way 'round.

[taxguykarl]

Agreed with everyone else here. Keep the authorities, J and the landlord posted.

[mathnerd]

I agree with everything said so far, but a few more points:

-Your friend will be responsible for the rent and any damages caused by the subletters. She needs to make moves to get them out of the apartment as soon as possible.

-To that end, she needs to find out immediately what the eviction laws are in your state. She needs to deal with them from a business only prospective. Provide the couple with all necessary notices on the exact time table the law stipulates. It can take months to evict somebody, even when you do everything right.

-Evicted tenants tend to do bad things. Your friend needs to be prepared for this. My family's tenants have done things like parked a live cow in the living room and cut down the stairs (two different people), along with normal things like breaking fixtures, appliances and damaging walls and such. They also tend to leave the place trashed, even if they don't do any intentional damage. She's going to want to have somebody come in to professionally clean the place when she does finally get these people out.

-Even if she might get in trouble with your landlords, she needs to call them, tell them what's up and ask for their help in getting rid of them. The landlords likely have lawyers that will make the eviction process easier in the end. Sure, she might get fussed out if subletting isn't actually allowed, or she didn't go through the proper procedures, but any consequences of asking for help NOW are going to be far less than trying to do it on her own and still having to ask for help later.

-Speaking of lawyers, she might want to talk to one herself, to make sure she's protected legally, no matter what happens.

[Pixilated]

What everybody else has said. You are not responsible for the former tenant's choice of subtenants and while it's too bad it didn't turn out well, it's going to come down on her head at some point anyway, once the landlord sees the (very likely) mess they have made of the place.

Also, consider this: you are worried about their reaction if you call the police and the landlord. This is understandable. But what guarantee do you have of remaining safe in your apartment if you do nothing?

[wolfie]

-Your friend will be responsible for the rent and any damages caused by the subletters. She needs to make moves to get them out of the apartment as soon as possible.

-To that end, she needs to find out immediately what the eviction laws are in your state. She needs to deal with them from a business only prospective. Provide the couple with all necessary notices on the exact time table the law stipulates. It can take months to evict somebody, even when you do everything right.

Considering the OP said the "Tenants from hell" are likely to be locked up for a LONG time if the police get involved (drugs and repeat offender stuff), it's highly unlikely that they'd be allowed out of jail to attend hearings related to an eviction. I'm sure you can guess what that means - default judgement against them, which would make the eviction process a LOT easier.

OP doesn't feel safe? Definitely call the police.

[mathnerd]

Considering the OP said the "Tenants from hell" are likely to be locked up for a LONG time if the police get involved (drugs and repeat offender stuff), it's highly unlikely that they'd be allowed out of jail to attend hearings related to an eviction. I'm sure you can guess what that means - default judgement against them, which would make the eviction process a LOT easier.

OP doesn't feel safe? Definitely call the police.

There's lots of people who should be locked up but aren't. There's no guarantee that these people will remain locked up if they are even arrested. It's still best to start the process as soon as the landlord is legally able to. Been there, done that. It sucks.

[sms001]

Wonderful as Former Neighbor was, your obligations to her ended when she failed to screen the subletters properly. She was looking out for #1, you should as well. It might be that that negates some of the progress you and the other neighbors helped her make in her life, but not every story can have a perfect ending.

Sorry you're having this problem, Mr. Anubite. Keep us updated, and stay safe.

[Seshat]

A point to consider if you're still thinking about the welfare of the neighbours:

If the woman is capable of empathy, she's living in a permanent nightmare. She's harming people, and unable to stop doing so, and thus feeling guilty all the time.

If she's not capable of empathy, she's a low-functioning sociopath (or psychopath, I can never remember which is which); which means she is incapable of functioning without major assistance. She'd be a danger to herself and others.

In either case; best thing for her is assessment and treatment.


As for him: people with cerebral palsy can range from almost as functional as the so-called 'normal person' to Stephen Hawking level of non-functional or lower.
I just don't have the information to say what he probably needs. Other than to be kept safe from her. And since he doesn't seem to be doing that himself ...



And for you AND the other tenants? Sounds like SHE is totally unpredictable. Therefore, get the experts in to handle things. PLEASE.

[telecom_goddess]

If she's not capable of empathy, she's a low-functioning sociopath (or psychopath, I can never remember which is which);

Just for the record it's sociopath, I know a few trust me

[BlaqueKatt]

also, not sure of the laws of forfeiture in your area, however; in my previous city, if a landlord had a drug abusing or selling(pretty much if drugs were found ANYWHERE on the property) tenant, the property was seized by the state and ALL TENANTS were immediately evicted and the property sold at auction. Unless the landlord enlisted the police to get them out.

If the laws are remotely similar, your feeling bad for them, enough to do nothing could mean you're in worse shape, because of people that couldn't care less about you.

Landlord calls to get drugs out=ok
Police find drugs any other way=EVERYONE'S homeless.

[wolfie]

also, not sure of the laws of forfeiture in your area, however; in my previous city, if a landlord had a drug abusing or selling(pretty much if drugs were found ANYWHERE on the property) tenant, the property was seized by the state and ALL TENANTS were immediately evicted and the property sold at auction. Unless the landlord enlisted the police to get them out.

So if a tenant had illegal drugs inside, where the landlord would have no way of finding them (due to tenants' rights, can't go on "fishing expeditions"), and the cops are called in due to a domestic disturbance and see them, the landlord loses his property and tenants in other units lose their homes? Sounds to me like "responsibility without authority" - landlord is held accountable for a situation outside his control.