Mass pet evictions = grrrr

[Roscoe's Mom]

Ross the TAG, Penny the Hahns, the lovies & I have lived in our apartment complex since November of 2007. Having them added to my lease under the pet provision was a primary concern, and before I signed I was assured that they were allowed.

A new manager has taken over and the old one is nowhere to be found for comment. The new manager is a frigid harpy whose first official act has been to enter our apartments without prior notification to search for pets; she made a list of those apartments where pets lived and returned to the office to comb through leases in search of everybodies written permission -- and it turns out that my old complex manager didn't bother to put so many people's pet permissions into writing that about 10 of my friends and I woke up three weeks ago to find 72-hour notices to remove our pets taped to our front door.

The new manager says she doesn't doubt we got permission to bring our pets, but states it is our fault they have to go because we ought to have stood over the prior manager's shoulder and made sure she wrote it down before we signed our leases. She said people who don't read their leases well enough and then come crying to her make her sick.

When my mother called to explain that she was there when I signed and recalls it was written on a separate form, the awful lady told her "I don't have to talk to you. It's not my job --" and hung up on her.

I managed to buy a little time after I explained the fragility of these creatures. Then I asked my doctor to write a letter exempting them from the pet rules as 'therapy animals', since I am in the middle of a high risk pregnancy and suffer from a small painful brain tumor.

I got the letter and brought it back to the new complex manager. At first she argued that it wasn't good enough and that it didn't count b/c its author was a CRNP @ my drs office. Then, when the actual physician wrote one, she dug up some form nobody in my complex with therapy animals has EVER SEEN which threatens my doctor's office with legal action if the birds ever bite anybody or damage the apartment.

My doctor's office was advised that this is a new trick the local housing authority uses to discourage therapy animals (the complex gets paid either way whether I am liable or a drs office is, and the form is just a convenient way to discourage animals exempt from eviction) and was told they've been dragging doctors to court left & right lately.


This place isn't housing authority run and the awful lady has just decided to implement this new policy.

They were counseled not to sign the form but are considering it anyway because they are so angry over what is happening here.

I will know soon whether they will sign it. Just looking at the fids pains me. I am having trouble eating and sleeping, and I am sure the turmoil is not good for my baby.

I have 10 months to give birth, pay off my baby furniture and medical bills, and save for a bigger place on a moderate budget, and the only place I've found to possibly house these guys until then is just too smoky and inadequate. After my miscarriage and those awful infertility treatments, this should be a happy time in my life. Instead I feel daunted and crushed.

These are my FIRST babies. I love them more than I know how to articulate. I could never be happy with them so unhappy and so far away.

[Marrie]

Have you thought about writing a letter to a local newspaper? Or some of the animal blogs? Often a little bad publicity will get a person to be a bit more cooperative in a situation like that. Or at least might get offers of suitable arrangements for either the people who need to move, or their pets to be fostered/rehomed as needed by each person.

How awful the woman is being. Sorry you have to go through this.

[Roscoe's Mom]

Mostly I've thought about getting legal help. I have so much baby stuff to buy and so many drs appts that I don't know how I'd pay for it or find the time, but I may have to.

She sent animal control to remove most of the pets who were still here after 72 hrs. She called to threaten me with them about 2 hours before I brought my doctor's recommendation to call the birds therapy animals to her office. Otherwise who knows where they may be right now.

Writing a letter couldn't hurt, and would be easier than hiring a lawyer given my finances and activity restrictions. The damage is already done for some of my friends' pets. I wonder how many will be euthanized over nitpicking and unfinished paperwork

[Pipers Mom]

Marie really gave you a great idea about contacting the newspapers. By any chance, did you save the paper that was taped to the door that your babies have to be removed? Do you have any evidence that they entered your unit without any permission or warning? I would also contact your local news stations. Sometimes they have "Problem Solvers" or "Investigators" that may help you out with your situation. I think the last thing this nasty woman needs is her face plastered all over the media. Sorry to hear that you have to deal with this mess.

[Roscoe's Mom]

By any chance, did you save the paper that was taped to the door that your babies have to be removed? Do you have any evidence that they entered your unit without any permission or warning?

I save all of the letters she sends. There have been waves of them going out to us all over the past 5 months. The last one I got was an eviction threat worded "I seriously doubt your ability to abide by the terms of your lease due to the following repeated severe infractions: YOU HAVE SOME BOOKS ON YOUR WINDOWSILL. REMOVE THEM WITHIN 72 HOURS OR YOU MAY BE TAKEN TO COURT."

(Funny part is nobody had ever asked me to move them before. The eviction threat certainly wasn't necessary!)

The only proof I have that she came in without permission is her statement to me that: "Nobody complained about them. I saw them with my own eyes." When?! My lease says she has to give me 24 hrs written notice before coming in here.

Nobody else I've asked knew she'd been in their apartments either. I think she made a majority of her inspections on holidays: I came home from Thanksgiving to find my front door unlocked and hanging wide open. I knew someone from the complex must have left it that way because they're the only ones with a spare key. I couldn't figure out why they would have been there that day, and when I asked they claimed they weren't. They suggested that I'd left it open myself though I distinctly remembered locking it.

Ross was imported and he is afraid of everyone except me. Penelope is 6, and she has only known life with me from the time she was six months old. The lovies are gregarious and they have no lack of suitable fosters clamoring for a few months alone with them, but for Ross & Penny separation from me would be devastating.

[boomer girl]

What a awful women to be doing this to you in the condition your in and I think just like the others you need to call the newspapers, the news stations and any one else and make what this lady is doing known to everyone. We have a news station that would be all over this kind of thing and I know if people seen your situation on TV they would do everything they could to help you out. I am so sorry your going through this. I remember Roscoe and the rough times you had with him at first and he wouldnt take being separated from you at all. If you were closer I would foster each and every bird for you in a heartbeat because I know how much you love your birds and I know it wouldnt be for too long. Have you called any rescues in your area? They may be able to also help you out with keeping your birds or it least be there for you if this heartless witch comes in trying to take them you.

Sending you many big hugs and do try to keep calm for your babies sake.

[Pipers Mom]

I save all of the letters she sends. There have been waves of them going out to us all over the past 5 months. The last one I got was an eviction threat worded "I seriously doubt your ability to abide by the terms of your lease due to the following repeated severe infractions: YOU HAVE SOME BOOKS ON YOUR WINDOWSILL. REMOVE THEM WITHIN 72 HOURS OR YOU MAY BE TAKEN TO COURT."The only proof I have that she came in without permission is her statement to me that: "Nobody complained about them. I saw them with my own eyes." When?! My lease says she has to give me 24 hrs written notice before coming in here.

.

It appears that the apartment manager violated the terms you had written in the lease in regards to entering your unit without 24 hrs notice. How often do you re-new your lease? In the lease renewals, was an addendum added for having a pet? Are you aware of any complaints that the tenants made about your fids, such as noise, squawking, etc? I'm not a lawyer, but years ago, I have lived in an apartment where they did allow pets and quickly changed their minds when new management took over. The new management was more concerned with dogs and cats. From what I remember, the tenants who received the notifications did go to court and the judge dismissed the case and let the tenants keep their beloved pets. From what my former neighbor told me, that the animal clause was grandfathered in until the lease was ready to be renewed. I know each case is unique and it all depends on where you live and the terms of the lease agreeemnt. It sounds to me that this woman is on a "Power Trip". I always remembered this quote from a book I read years ago... "Power lust is like a weed that grows in a vacant lot of an abandoned mind"..

I completely understand your concern for your fids along with your own health as well. As Marie mentioned, I would contact your local newspaper, I would do my best to get this in the hands of the media. It's just horrible to read that the animal shelter had to come to your apartment community and have people separated from their beloved pets..

[DesertDweller]

It is illegal for a manager to enter an apartment without giving the tenant 24 hours written notice. You and your neighbors have good grounds for a civil suit. It's a serious violation of the law. I would contact an attorney - one who specializes in real estate - because you have been wronged.

Also, since you've had your pets for such a long time - with the consent of the prior management, whether it was in writing or not - there exists at the very least implied consent for you to have your pets.

In order for the manager to tell you to get rid of your pets, she must first write a rental contract addendum and give you at least 30 days notice of change of terms of your contract.

I am not an attorney, but I am up to speed on the laws because I'm a Property Manager.

Check with an attorney about the points I made, and if you need any legal citations, I'll be happy to provide them.

[Roscoe's Mom]

There has always been a policy of zero pets other than by the written permission of management, however enforcement was so lax that even allowed pets hadn't been documented when this new manager arrived.

I told her at first that a neighbor of mine is able to contact the old manager and that I would be happy to ask her to call and confirm that my pets were cleared to move with me when I came here, but she said "I don't care what she says. She doesn't work here anymore."

There was one neighbor who complained about them: my third and present downstairs neighbor, but she has complained about everything from the sound of me wearing shoes and babysitting my niece to the sound of my boyfriend and myself calling out Jeopardy answers. There was a six month period where I couldn't trip and fall on the floor without the police showing up -- they'd apologize and say they had to come when called. She was doing this to the three neighbors who share a common wall with her, but I got the worst of it because she moved in directly below me. She stopped seven months ago after the youngest property manager told her she couldn't keep using the office to turn petty gripes into major issues.

At first I thought this was her again and I was pretty surprised, since the system I've worked out has made Penny's squawks a rare event. I was almost relieved to find out it was a universal problem, even in apartments with mute pets like cats, lizards and (in one case, if you can believe this) turtles. Of course there is no real cause for relief: lots of pets have lost their homes over this.

Hopefully I'll get good news from my drs office this week and I will learn they've decided to take the risk and sign the paper. If not I'll have to temporarily board these guys for their own protection and seek outside help.

[Roscoe's Mom]

I remember Roscoe and the rough times you had with him at first and he wouldnt take being separated from you at all. If you were closer I would foster each and every bird for you in a heartbeat because I know how much you love your birds and I know it wouldnt be for too long.

I know you would

I can never forget how helpful the whole community was during my divorce. Does Denise come on anymore? I don't feel like I ever thanked her enough for the way she helped Kip and Nina have their babies. A world without Kip is sad, but at least there is something left of him.

Ross is a tough guy to live through importation, and he is my hero because he has been brave enough to love the same kind of creature that plucked him from the wild. I could never let him down -- and Penny! She is SO bad, but that's why I love her. When she bites me and says "Wha-aat?!" I forgive her instantly. I always wonder what her life would have been like in a less tolerant home, and I am not about to find out.

[boomer girl]

I havent seen Denise around here for awhile now. Poor Denise to have to go through what happened to Kip and your right the world, it least "our" world here is sad without Kip and other really awesome lovies we had here back then. I still clearly remember the day you came here to tell us Kip died, such a sad day but it least we who knew him will always cherish him. Your birds are all special. I really hope that you can find a way keep Ross and Penny at home with you where they belong and not have to board them but birds are strong little souls and both will find a way to manage for a little bit without you if needed. You need to look for that perfect place to let them stay with a good loving person to watch them and they will be OK. I bird sit my sisters Amazon Mango who is a beast with a big beak and bigger attitude and after a few days of sitting here sulking he always comes around and decides its not so bad to vacation here. I just pray your two if it comes down to being somewhere else handles it like Mango does.

[BridgeyRoo]

I would suggest you look into local law schools - they often have clinics which will take cases for free. See if there is a law school near you with such a clinical program and contact them. It is law students who are running the cases, but it is supervised by a licensed attorney. They work hard at it and because it is a clinical program at a law school it is limited to like one or two cases per student, so you get a lot of work and attention. It's worth a try as well.

[Roscoe's Mom]

Still no word from my drs office, so we hang in suspense. There is a local sliding scale law office. I may have to contact them.

In the meantime, to protect them from she who calls animal control, I've decided to contact the Pittsburgh PEAC: they likely have a great big roladex of resources which I do not, so if anyone would know where I could find qualified nearby fosters or advocacy it may be them. Food and toys are no issue for me to provide; I'd just need to be sure they'd have attention and exercise, and that they would be treated with the gentle touch their situation demands.

I hope it doesn't come to that. It just may. What a shame. I went out and bought a Vicks starry sky projector humidifier and a Summer infant-toddler shower and deluxe whirlpool bath system today, two things I have been looking forward to adding to my trove of baby stuff, but I couldn't really enjoy unpacking everything because in the back of my mind I am dreading this possible separation.

I really hope they just sign the therapy animal form so I don't have to fight. I'd do anything for them but I don't have much health or energy to fight with right now.

[notredamebird]

Yikes! I have a few quick observations ...

1. I have rented many places, and it is not typical for the lease to contain any information on permission to keep birds. Most places I have lived really mean "cat and dogs" when they say "pets" or specify "pet rent" or place a limit on numbers of "pets." And I have rarely written information on birds onto a lease. Of course, that is probably a big mistake since it does give the landlord a lot of leeway if they decide to violate prior email/verbal agreements.

2. Something about the whole scenario seems odd; I wonder if the landlord is violating some rules in her procedure. For example, is threatening you with eviction? And if so, how fast is she claiming she will evict you? Here's how eviction works in the states I've lived in.

(a) You violate a rule;
(b) You receive written notification and threat of eviction;
(c) If you don't comply, she can evict you, but until some fairly long period goes by (30 or 45 days)
(d) If she makes even a small precedural mistake while evicting you, the whole process delays. (I think the clock might even start over...)

She can't just get rid of you -- she needs a court order to evict you.

3. As someone stated above, she cannot enter your apartment without prior written notice. Unfortunately, landlords frequently violate this (at least they seem to from other poeple's stories... I don't not think it has happened to us.)

4. [Added after reading more closely] I really, really don't understand how she can evict a pet. She can evict you for failing to remove a pet. How she can remove the pet herself, or get municipal animal control do it, totally baffles me. That isn't to say it's not possible, but this strikes me as really weird. It feels like there should be a number of legal steps she has to go through before seizing your property.

Is there a community organization representing tenants in your state or county? Like others, I am not sure exactly where you should go, but if you can get a good explanation of tenants' rights in your state, you can find ways to make her life a lot harder while she tries to get rid of you. If she really wants to push it court, she might not win -- it depends who is technically in the right on the letter of things.

The question of course is: how much is it worth to fight her? I hate to be defeatest about this, but what do you loose if you "walk" and break the lease? Your lease probably forces you to loose your security deposit and a certain additional amount of money, but not more than this. If you are pregnant, maybe its worth the piece of mind just to get out of there and not deal with her. Is this an option? You could start over with a complex with a very clear pet policy and get all things in writing.

I am so sorry to read that this is happening. Its always the kind of thing I worried about during my many years of renting. And the timing is obviously bad.

On a more positive note, congrats on your pregnancy! I am expecting as well!

Reference: this might help: http://www.thelpa.com/lpa/lllaw.html

Also, I saw a listing for numbers to call in Pittsburgh. You aren't in there by chance?

[Roscoe's Mom]

When I moved in there was a packet attached to the lease that specified "no dog, cat, lizard, rodent, or parrot shall be allowed in unit withou the written permission of the landlord" -- we assumed that in bringing it up at the lease signing I'd done my part and she had written it down. I still think she did. Since she no longer works here, where she wrote it is anybodies guess. I can't find my copy of the original paperwork.

The apartment complex isn't housing authority but they do charge rent on a sliding scale. Since I became sick four years ago I have lived on such a limited income that I need a rent subsidy, or I would GLADLY move. Living on subsidy has weird drawbacks: if aI break this lease I can't get another subsidy for three years. It places me in an awkward situation, since I will certainly need treatment for another few years.

We were all given 72 hours to remove our pets. Obviously I have managed to fight it, but animal control came and removed my friend's cats and they have been parked all over the complex for the last few weeks presumably doing the same thing elsewhere.

Eviction procedures here are strange. Nobody believes they can do the things they do but I guess they get away with it pbecause offering subsidized rentgives you special privileges under the law? For instance, once they lost my rent check and sent me a 72-hour. eviction notice. That seems to be the standard for non-payment of rent. However another time they got fed up with my third downstairs neighbor calling the police on me every time I moved or breathed and sent me a 15-day notice to terminate my lease. I had to ask the police to fax over copies of their reports to prove that I hadn't been doing anything wrong when they were called to get out of that. It was crazy.

On the whole, the place has been poorly run for a year and 1/2 or so and I have been stuck here because subsidized housing lists are LONG. As soon as I make it to the top I can go. I didn't mind being unhappy here as much until it put Ross & Penny in danger.

I may be able to foster them between my father's house and my grandfather's house a few months at a time, where I'd be able to visit them every day. They both say they could handle them three months at a time, kust not the whole ten continuous months until I move.

Hope I get my answer on the therapy animals paperwork this week. They really are helpful. On a high pain day they keep me going.

[notredamebird]

When I moved in there was a packet attached to the lease that specified "no dog, cat, lizard, rodent, or parrot shall be allowed in unit withou the written permission of the landlord" -- we assumed that in bringing it up at the lease signing I'd done my part and she had written it down. I still think she did. Since she no longer works here, where she wrote it is anybodies guess. I can't find my copy of the original paperwork.

It sounds like something she should have attached to the lease as an addendum or penciled right onto the lease itself -- so that is it is an integral part of the agreement under which you enter into the lease. I'm not sure, but that sounds like what she should have done to have made it iron-clad. (On that note, are you taking the current landlady's word on it that there's nothing in the paperwork? Has she shown you the document from the file? It's kind of a longshot, but she sounds positively inhumane, so perhaps her veracity is not to be trusted.)

The apartment complex isn't housing authority but they do charge rent on a sliding scale. Since I became sick four years ago I have lived on such a limited income that I need a rent subsidy, or I would GLADLY move. Living on subsidy has weird drawbacks: if aI break this lease I can't get another subsidy for three years. It places me in an awkward situation, since I will certainly need treatment for another few years.

We were all given 72 hours to remove our pets. Obviously I have managed to fight it, but animal control came and removed my friend's cats and they have been parked all over the complex for the last few weeks presumably doing the same thing elsewhere.

Eviction procedures here are strange. Nobody believes they can do the things they do but I guess they get away with it pbecause offering subsidized rentgives you special privileges under the law? For instance, once they lost my rent check and sent me a 72-hour. eviction notice. That seems to be the standard for non-payment of rent. However another time they got fed up with my third downstairs neighbor calling the police on me every time I moved or breathed and sent me a 15-day notice to terminate my lease. I had to ask the police to fax over copies of their reports to prove that I hadn't been doing anything wrong when they were called to get out of that. It was crazy.

This floors me! I suppose if they have done it repeatedly, there must be some legal terms under which they can do it. But if this is so, then the rights given to tenants in subsidized housing are quite limited compared to those of other renters. If that's the case, that is really terrible public policy. It would mean that the most vulnerable portion of the housing population are subject to eviction from landlords in under seven days, DESPITE the fact that there is a legal process for eviction for everyone else that provides warning, notification, and the right to contest in court. The huge problem with this, besides the sheer injustice of it, is that lower income persons are more liable to wind up homeless if evicted suddenly.

This does raise a question. The laws in some states (my old state, Indiana, was one) give a lot of rights to landlords compared to tenants. But there's always some protections for tenants ... If you don't have it already, maybe you can find something about what your protections are. I think in Indiana there were a couple of renter/tenant's rights organizations that had documents up about it and offices one could contact for advice. Also, these really fast eviction times, if legal, are probably in your lease. This might be another reason to get a copy of it out of that leasing office--the terms of the agreement should be set in fairly clear terms. Again, I might be going out on a limb here, but this sounds so wrong-headed that I have to wonder if this is really entirely by the book. I wonder if the landlord isn't banking on people not knowing what they agreed to or being unable/unwilling to push back, given how scarce subsidized housing is.

I guess I said this already, but just to say it: it's also bizarre to me that animal control is involved. At least as far as I understand their business (in other states, I admit), they remove abused/neglected animals, perform control on wild/nuisance animals, pick up strays, or deal with pets that are behaving aggressively. If an animal isn't in these categories, I don't understand where they get the rights to take an animal. I also don't understand on what basis the landlord can initiate an action -- the obvious response would seem to be evicting YOU for non-compliance, not taking property. I mean, that would be like calling the fire dept to remove books from your window and cart them off to Goodwill, rather than sending you an eviction notice stating you must remove them.

Anyway, that's my long rant. I know most of this isn't too helpful, but I want to make clear that this sounds utterly crazy and it miffs me that you and your neighbors are being treated like this. This is one of those moment when I wish I'd gone into law so that I could volunteer to represent people in the community in situations like this. I'm not nearly that useful, I fear.

It does sound to me like it couldn't hurt to talk to any community organizations that exist, who might help or at least be informative.

Sorry to read that you have 10 months on the lease, and glad to hear there is are a couple of places you might be able to put the birds, should their safety be in jeopardy. Even better, that you might be able to get the therapy animal paperwork. I'm rooting for a solution for you! And I hope the solution allows you to relax so you can continue to heal and enjoy your pregnancy.

BTW, we are in Baltimore, which is probably a ways away from you. But if something really crazy happens and there is some way I can help, let me know.

[Marrie]

Animal control does also remove "unlawful pets" - they are the ones that are sent out to get pit bulls, etc. It varies by state/county, but unfortunately, they do have a right to seize a pet that is breaking "the law" (and it would be breach of contract for them to be there). However, animal control often DOES break the law about that, when people have the money to hire a lawyer to look into it for them.

As for where the note about pets should be, to be binding, it would have to be ON the lease - my landlord had to alter our lease during signing and he added in pen at the bottom of the lease the extras, then we signed it and he signed it. Most leases have a little box for that purpose that land lords can write into.

As for the short eviction notices... that does strike me as VERY odd. In most states, to get a 72 hour notice, the land lord would have already had to have gone to the housing court to get an eviction ruling in their favor. Usually that takes a while to get a court to hear them.

I hope you guys can get someone to take notice of this, because at the very least, it is inhuman even if it is legal (which some of it strikes me as iffish on that). Let us know what happens with the therapy animal paper work, I hope it works to keep the lady off your back until you can move.

[shanlung]

What a nasty bit of dysfunctional sh*t that new manager is.
A bit of power (or even perceived power) go into the head and NOVA there making them
Goddess of all that they surveyed.

All the best, but you know that will be what we feel about you and your situation.

[Birdmanca]

You have an aggressive new manager trying to get people to move so they can raise the rent on new tenants. What you need is a lawyer who is pet friendly and good at helping tenants when they need help. This woman probably knows you are telling her the truth about your pets, but serves the owners just the same.

[DesertDweller]

Here is a link for Pennsylvania Eviction Laws. I think you need to read this. It will help you immensely. Your new manager is WRONG and you can sue her in civil court if she proceeds with her threat.

http://rhol.org/csu/evictions/PA/PennsylvaniaSteps.htm

Please read the whole thing. The header says 'eviction for non payment of rent' but it really goes into a lot more than this and does actually address your specific problem.

[notredamebird]

I have read over docs I could find on PA laws on the internet, and I also do not see any provision under which a landlord can evict you in just a few days with no prior warning. Something's not right with the claims this manager has been making. I almost wonder if she is bullying, saying you have a few days to act before eviction. Perhaps what she really means is that she would start the process at that time--but is being intensionally misleading in the notices she's serving. (Perhaps the one way around this would be if your lease gives her some really bizarre rights?)

BTW, here are links to a few documents you may find helpful. Oh, and one more for good measure.

I also found the site to Pennslyvania Legal Aid. I wonder if they would be willing to help or at least recommend information? A librarian might also have some idea where your state's information is recorded or even know of local organizations.

I hope all is going well, considering the circumstances!

[Roscoe's Mom]

Been gone a while, trying to relax & wait for news. I found out today that my drs office filled out the therapy animal paperwork and returned it over 2 weeks ago. One hurtle over: hooray! So now Ross & Penny are officially therapy pets, and anyone who wants me to part with them has to first prove they cause a health or safety threat to other neighbors. My drs office said they were advised against signing the form but they truly believe that both birds provide me with a level of comfort and support that is truly valuable during my illness.

So why did I get another call this morning from the complex receptionist indicating that I am supposed to come in on Monday to 'discuss the birds being awake and screaming all night long' -- ?!?

On what planet do diurnal birds wake up and squawk at night? It's just a plain fabrication. They sleep between 8 - 8 in a dark room, and even Penny the Hahns barely peeps in her outside voice by day since we've started playing the "Quiet Girl" game (a game where Joe & I pretend to be amazed by what a 'quiet girl' she is whenever she performs one of her routines in a lower pitch.)

So this is the point at which we will be going to legal aid. I have their # in my phone. I'm calling tomorrow after my ultrasound. Shame. Tomorrow we find out what we're having. I really wanted to enjoy this without the stresses of the past four weeks hanging over my head.

[Birdmanca]

Unless it is an emergency where landlord or their manager can enter as needed, which this is not. They have to give you a written notice 24 hours in advance stating their intent to enter your premises and also stating the reason for the coming into your rented housing unit. It must also be dated and signed. ENTERING WITHOUT GIVING YOU THIS NOTICE IS TRESPASSING. tHE LADY IS BREAKING THE LAW. iF SHE HAS ALSO DONE THIS TO OTHERS IN YOUR BUILDING, JOIN WITH THEM AND report her to whatever tenants group is in your city. Also, to a tenant friendly lawyer to slow her down. I forgot to stop the capital letters , thought it was small letters in sentence, soory.

[Marrie]

Take a video recorder (if you don't have a camcorder, you can get one now for like $30) with a time stamp and leave it on all night in the birds room. Keep tapes of them for a week straight. Physical proof your birds are NOT screaming at night.

Btw, I am pretty sure they aren't supposed to be able to do anything if they can't prove you are being a nuisance... cause our landlord couldn't do a thing to our neighbors until we PROVED with recordings that they were playing LOUD music all night, if it was just our word, he couldn't legally take it over theirs since he hadn't experienced it himself.

[Roscoe's Mom]

SUCCESS!!

Yesterday was a trip, but it led to a huge victory for us. I will never have to worry about Ross & Penny's place here again.

I thought I was going up yesterday to discuss a bogus noise complaint. However once I got up there I found out it was the same rehashed complaint I disproved over 8 mos ago: the office manager was getting nitpicky.

She pulled out aacket of papers which said parrots were prohibited from the property. The top of the paper stated that it did not apply to therapy animals. I told her so, and she responded that she'd decided the birds didn't count as therapy animals because they weren't mammals.

I managed to get her supervisor's number. My mother called so I could relax a bit. All night I worried, since legal aid had already told me they couldn't help until she was actually evicting me. This morning I got a call from the complex corporate office in Pittsburgh. They apologized for her conduct. They said they are coming on Friday to take my formal complaint and to explain to her exactly how the pet policies work.

Finally! I will be sure to mention to them how the first 3 times I asked for her supervisor's name she claimed she didn't have one.