I hate people (tl;dr)

WARNING: Long ass rant ahead.


So I have the worst neighbor ever. The guy is 34, has had 4 DUI's, currently has his jaw wired shut (apparently for the 3rd time in his life) from getting in a fight, and insists on blaring his music so loud everyday that it rattles the dishes in my kitchen. I have been as civil as possible, calling when the music is up and trying to be nice/put up with the guy and yesterday everything boiled over.

So I live in a duplex. It is nice, cozy, has a garage and a yard for the dog, I love my house. In my lease it says that Emily and I will maintain our yard. Great, no problem, I don't mind. Well when we first move in Jerry (dumb ass neighbor) makes it very clear that it is his responsibility to take care of the yard as he is the landlords employee. Cool, I don't have to do yard work even though I have no problem doing it. Well on Saturday he calls me, I am just coming down from the mountains (Apogeoa, Colorado's burnging man, that is it's own thread) and he leaves a message saying we need to talk. When I call him back he says the landlord is mad about the yard he needs my help and I say sure, but I am busy right now.

Fast forward to yesterday. It is my day off. I have had a crazy weekend of partying and am power lounging. My boy has a doctor appointment in an hour when he knocks on the door:

Me: "hey man, whats up?"

Jerry: "hey dude I am getting rethy to do yawd werk, you wanna help out?" (notice the lisp as his jaw is wired shut so tight from getting whacked in the face with a mag lite that his mouth doesn't move)

Me: "Evan has a doctor appointment, he is getting his vaccinations and then I have to run by the bank. Maybe when I am done running errands if I can get done soon enough."

Jerry: "Okay, well is anyone going to be home? I am going to play some music loud while I do yard work."

Me: "Well Leah (my g/f's friend who is staying with us for about a week) is going to be here so I don't know about the loud music."

Jerry: "Is the baby going to be here, cuz if not I am going to play some music."

Me:"No, but we have a guest and blaring music would be rude."

Jerry:"All right, see you later."

So about 30 minutes later we are getting ready to leave and he starts blaring his music. It isn't funny when he starts blaring his music, it is rude, it rattles my whole house (duplex), and it is uncalled for. Leah says "whatever I am probably leaving anyway, we all leave and that is that. So after Evans appointment we are near my moms house and stop by so Evan can visit. Her computer keeps randomly shutting off and I trace it back to the fan not turning on and the CPU overheating. It takes almost an hour to track down and order the part online, it has been about 3 hours since I left the house now when I get a call from Jerry.

Jerry: "Dude where are you at?"

Me: "I am at my moms, she needed help with her computer."

Jerry: "Well I am back here working my ath off."

Me: "Listen man don't worry about it, leave the weeds and my yard unmowed, I can work during the week, I am to busy today, don't worry about that stuff, sorry, my weekend was already really busy."

Jerry: "un-fucking believable" *click*

Whatever, I try to call him back, no answer, leave a few messages, and finally call Leah who is back at our house and tell her to have Jerry call me. She goes outside and says "Danny is trying to call you, he wants you to call him" and he says "Tell Danny he can kiss my fucking ass."

The bottom line, it is in my lease to take care of the yard. Jerry needed help and I have no problem with that, but nowhere does it say that I have to work on the yard on my neighbors terms. I can do that shit on my own when it works for me, I was planning on today after work but that is none of his fucking business.

Also he is not my friend, you argue with friends, some guy I barely know shit about just told me to kiss his ass and he is at my house. I get home and the music is blaring. I walk inside and call the police to file a noise complaint. Keep in mind I have had to call him every fucking day for the last 3 months about his music and I have had it. The cops show up 10 minutes later and as they leave Jerry is pounding on my door.

Jerry: "Did you call the cops on me?"

Me: "Yeah, I can kiss your ass right? It's over Jerry. If I hear a peep out of those speakers anymore I am calling the cops again, get away from my door and don't knock on it ever again." *me shutting door*

So Em and I are sitting in the house, the baby is screaming as his shots in his legs were making his legs sore, and over the crying I can hear Jerry outside circling my house yelling at the top of his lungs about how "the next time he sees me he is kicking my ass", about how I am a "bitch" and how I "am going to need to find somewhere new to live cuz nobody fucks with Jerry." This goes on for about 20 minutes an I sit and look at my 8 week old son and his mother who is scared and call the cops again and tell them what is going on.

Basically they show up again and talk to him and then knock on my door and basically say not to talk anymore. He is standing in his door listening ans I say a few things like "that is right, and I don't want him knocking on my door anymore, talking to me, my friends, my lady, or our family's, I am a father trying to raise a child and I am done with his childish behavior." I also mention that if I ever hear his music again I am calling the police as I have had it.

The bottom line. This guy is unstable at best. I don't need my neighbor telling me what to do and when to do it and I don't need to answer anything to him. I also don't need to hear Free bird at 11 at night through my wall when I am trying to go to bed and feed the baby. I also don't need him smarting off to my girlfriends mother when she comes over which he has done the last few times she was over. I have been so incredibly patient with this guy and then he comes over telling me what to do one day, I got pissed, and I don't have the time for it. I seriously feel like my home is a place I don't want to be because of this guy now as he is crazy and I don't know what kind of stupid shit he might think to do now.



I just needed to vent

That is all.

/end rant

Crazy neighbors.....this is the exact reason I bought a handgun...

idh78 wrote:Crazy neighbors.....this is the exact reason I bought a handgun...

<-- wants a handgun


<-- has a hippie g/f who hates guns


<-- doesn't care

Lock and load, buddy, lock and load.

But get a permit, sounds like you've got a wack job on your hands.

I would honestly approach the landlord and ask to be released from the contract. You can reference the recent police activity and the fact that you are acting in the best interest of your family. You can re-read the lease agreement to see if there are any "escape" clauses that would allow you to void the contract and I would pursue those as hard as I could.

I had a roommate when my wife and I first got married that let her boyfriend move in with us. He was never added to the lease, but he eventually lived with us full-time. A few weeks after moving in, we discovered he was not only using illegal drugs (I wish it had only been pot), but he was selling from the house as well. As soon as we indicated we wanted out of the lease for this reason, the landlord actually kicked the roommate out and discounted the rent by the amount she had been paying for the last 4 months of the term (he knew we couldn't afford to live there without a roommate). At the conclusion of the lease, he actually gave us the full deposit (including the roomates portion) because he said that she had violated the terms and since we had not done anything wrong we were still eligible for the full deposit..

Don't get me wrong I'm not against guns by any means, but I would really hate to see something happen that could cost you, Emily, or your son something valuable. If you feel you need to have one, do so in a mannor that will keep everyone in the utmost safety.

I'm not really buying a gun, and if I did, it isn't like I am buying one to shoot anyone lol.

For the record I have the most hardass landlord you have ever heard of. I called him and he said verbatim: "this is the way I see it, you and Emily have a lease with me that says you will take care of my yard, if you don't I will have somebody come out to do it for you and I will charge you for it. As far as you and Jerry are concerned I don't give a fuck, I am not a fucking counselor and I am not a fucking babysitter, if you have a problem with Jerry call the cops, I don't give a fuck and I don't care how it happens either fix the yard or I send someone out and give you the bill."

Talk about overkill. I am pretty sure he does roids and has a little napolean syndrome going on (he's not that tall and is a huge asshole). On the flipside my lease does say that we have the right to "quiet and enjoyment" and says a 2nd complaint and the agent (landlord) will place a 30 day notice on the door to have the renter kicked out. If he wants to be such a hardass with sepecifics I will be bringing this up to him if I ever have to call again. The yard, no problem, I just hate Jerry and he needs to leave.

I can tell you that from working in the engineering world, Contractors, Engineering companies, and local governments live and die through contracts. I have seen contractors run sub-contractors into the ground because the sub wasn't good at contracts (working by, understanding, or negotiating them). Use your contract as a leveraging tool. Because all involved parties agree to it, all are legally bound to it and therefore must abide by it. Knowledge is power, use it!! By knowing the full contract as well as the local laws (or knowing someone who does - ie. a lawyer), you can gain a huge advantage over your problems. Yes you will run into those people who will refuse to abide by them, but that's all the more ammunition for you when the shit finally hits the fan.

dexman1349 wrote:I can tell you that from working in the engineering world, Contractors, Engineering companies, and local governments live and die through contracts. I have seen contractors run sub-contractors into the ground because the sub wasn't good at contracts (working by, understanding, or negotiating them). Use your contract as a leveraging tool. Because all involved parties agree to it, all are legally bound to it and therefore must abide by it. Knowledge is power, use it!! By knowing the full contract as well as the local laws (or knowing someone who does - ie. a lawyer), you can gain a huge advantage over your problems. Yes you will run into those people who will refuse to abide by them, but that's all the more ammunition for you when the shit finally hits the fan.

My landlord is a contractor. He owns a company that does windows and doors and he also owns quite a few properties from what I understand. I think if I mention stipulation # 16 on the lease (right to quiet living) he will warm up to the idea of doing something about Jerry. He is a total complete asshole but that is okay because I think at the very least he is fair.

At least you have something to start with. I would wait a day or two for the yard thing to blow over before pursuing the "right to quiet living" stipulation (I would actually not mention the yard work at all as it doesn't really apply to the noise & cops issue). I'm sure if you present your facts (including the police involvement) as well as your contract clauses that apply, you can at the very least get the ball rolling towards negotiations. Either way, I would definatley have the cops on speed-dial for when your neighbor decides to act up again.

dexman1349 wrote:At least you have something to start with. I would wait a day or two for the yard thing to blow over before pursuing the "right to quiet living" stipulation (I would actually not mention the yard work at all as it doesn't really apply to the noise & cops issue). I'm sure if you present your facts (including the police involvement) as well as your contract clauses that apply, you can at the very least get the ball rolling towards negotiations. Either way, I would definatley have the cops on speed-dial for when your neighbor decides to act up again.

This is pretty much the plan. I really wanted to keep the whole yard thing seperate anyway as in no way does that bother me, whichever way it turns out, I have a few spare bucks to pay someone to mow my lawn if needed and I have no problem mowing the lawn either. The plan thus far is to keep the cops on speed dial like you said. So far everyone who heard what happened that knows the situation has said it has been long over due. I was so incredibly patient with the guy and I am so over it but I am truly worried about how he might react. The guy is a full time alcoholic and his mood swings have already been enough being on his good side. This is such bullshit that I even have to deal with him at all. People like him should be in jail already.

yes this does not sound like a very good situation to raise a child in....

as far as the gun stuff goes...I would say to each his own....I grew up with them therefore I feel comfortable with them, I respect them, and know how to properly use one...

and honestly I just "feel" safer knowing it's there....my wife doesn't like them either, she has never shot one or even seen one shot in her life so I can understand that.....but also understands my reasoning for owning one....honestly even having one with nothing but blanks would probably even make you feel safer...especially if you are being verbally threatened....if it gets any worse you gotta do whatever you can to get out of that situation before anything truly bad happens.

I can honestly say that if this would have happened a year or 2 ago there would have already been a fist fight, I just have to put my family first and that put any kind of fighting out of the question.

<---- sooo stressed by all of this.

idh78 wrote:yes this does not sound like a very good situation to raise a child in....

as far as the gun stuff goes...I would say to each his own....I grew up with them therefore I feel comfortable with them, I respect them, and no how to properly use one...

and honestly I just "feel" safer knowing it's there....my wife doesn't like them either, she has never shot one or even seen one shot in her life so I can understand that.....but also understands my reasoning for owning one....honestly even having one with nothing but blanks would probably even make you feel safer...especially if you are being verbally threatened....if it gets any worse you gotta do whatever you can to get out of that situation before anything truly bad happens.

I completely understand your point on guns. I actually got my first rifle at 14. I have fired it several times and can hit a 5" plate at 150 yards freehand (which is perfect for deer hunting). I have taken 3 deer in the last 4 years with it. My wife has also grown up around guns with both her father and brother being avid hunters (her brother is now in the army - no guns there, huh?). Her only issue is with handguns. She has never seen a good use for them outside of the law-enforcement / security officer fields and in no way thinks they are otherwise useful. Therefore I can own as many rifles as I want (as long as they are in a safe and the ammo is stored in a seperate safe), I just am not allowed to own a hand gun.

I actually read an article in Playboy a few months back (yes I read the articles too) that actually quoted a FBI statistic that claimed that the average time from purchase to use in a felony level crime is about 9 months for a 9mm Glock. Amanda has also read that article and needless to say, didn't help my cause to purchase one.

My best bit of advice would be to remove yourself from this situation as quickly as you can. Living next to people like this does nothing but create stress and a bad environment for everyone else. You have tried the first step in problem resolution with confontation (or second if you count "realizing there is a problem" like in AA), it's now time to remove yourself from it. Fighting through it will only cause more stress and issues and I can tell you from first hand experience that infants (although unaware of the details of the problem) know that a problem exists and will begin to stress themselves. It's time to leave. If you need any help with this (or just someone to rant to) please call me at any time. You got my number and I have my phone on 24-7.

dexman1349 wrote: If you need any help with this (or just someone to rant to) please call me at any time. You got my number and I have my phone on 24-7.

Thanks Keith.

For now I am not going anywhere. I will look over the lease but I doubt anything will let me out prematurley without fees, penalties, whatever. For now the LPD is on speed dial and will be called for absolutley everything. It is going to suck but I have done nothing wrong, I just live next to a total loser is all.

PoWdA wrote:

dexman1349 wrote: If you need any help with this (or just someone to rant to) please call me at any time. You got my number and I have my phone on 24-7.

Thanks Keith.

For now I am not going anywhere. I will look over the lease but I doubt anything will let me out prematurley without fees, penalties, whatever. For now the LPD is on speed dial and will be called for absolutley everything. It is going to suck but I have done nothing wrong, I just live next to a total loser is all.

No problem man, anytime.

It's kinda funny how much differently we handle things once we go from just the average single guy to the head of household. You just gotta do what you think it right for your family. As a single guy I would probably be in the city jail right now pending some criminal act done to my neighbor in a rage, however with the family I would probably be just relaxing on the couch knowing that the cops would never be able to trace anything back to me.....Oh wait. Nevermind. You never saw or hear anything, right?

Taking the educated mans approach and beating them to death with paperwork is actually rather fun once you've done it...

I actually despise guns, and was being inappropriately comedic.

In truth, you should probably call the Denver Bar Association and perhaps ask for a referral to a good tenant-side landlord/tenant lawyer (I can't really help, because we don't do that kind of law in this firm, or at least not to my knowledge.)

If all you really want is to be let out of your lease, quite often a strongly worded letter from good counsel can do the trick, or at least make your landlord spend enough $$$ getting legal advice that he decides to let you out to avoid the ongoing fight.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck.

I actually would have bought a shotgun if I ever thought I would start bird-hunting again...but I don't even know where you would have to go to do that out here....I grew up in the sticks in MI so hunting was quite accessible....

can't agree with you on the keep them in a safe thing (but I have no children) cause if it's not loaded and within arms reach of where I sleep what good is it for protection?

I didn't see the need for a glock myself....I just bought a .22

Mondogarage wrote:I actually despise guns, and was being inappropriately comedic.

I would be fine with there being no handguns allowed in this country.....if you could instead purchase Chuck Norris for under $300.

Mondogarage wrote:I actually despise guns, and was being inappropriately comedic.

In truth, you should probably call the Denver Bar Association and perhaps ask for a referral to a good tenant-side landlord/tenant lawyer (I can't really help, because we don't do that kind of law in this firm, or at least not to my knowledge.)

If all you really want is to be let out of your lease, quite often a strongly worded letter from good counsel can do the trick, or at least make your landlord spend enough $$$ getting legal advice that he decides to let you out to avoid the ongoing fight.

Whatever you choose to do, good luck.

+1

http://www.dola.state.co.us/cdh/renters/docs/LANDLORD%20TENANT%20RIGHTS.doc

Counseling Services
If you need further assistance, contact Tenant Landlord Counseling at (303) 237-0230 or Community Housing Services at (303) 831-1935.

idh78 wrote:

Mondogarage wrote:I actually despise guns, and was being inappropriately comedic.

I would be fine with there being no handguns allowed in this country.....if you could instead purchase Chuck Norris for under $300.

That would be the equavalent of making atom bombs readily available to the general public. I see no good in making Chuck Norris a public commodity.

idh78 wrote:

Mondogarage wrote:I actually despise guns, and was being inappropriately comedic.

I would be fine with there being no handguns allowed in this country.....if you could instead purchase Chuck Norris for under $300.

Boom.

I feel for ya Danny. I remember apartment living when the wife and I were younger. There was always some crazy neighbor that caused issues for us and at the time we had young kids. Your doing the right thing by not getting physically involved with this guy and letting the police handle the situation. I'm sure all will work out one way or the other, but your family's safety is definitely the number one priority. The Law firm I work at does not deal with type of legal work either.

The thing that sucks is that I do not want out of my lease, I want him to leave.

<--- hates this situtation.

I just want him to fuck up so he gets kicked out. There is no reason this guy needs to be living near other people.

OMFG people are fucking idiots.

So yesterday asshole decides to blare his music. Loud. I mean, rattle the house, hear it 2 blocks away loud. I don't deal with this guy anymore and Emily gets to her phone first to file the complaint. Two officers show up and he argues with them for about 30 minutes and then goes and turns his music down and they come talk to me.

Cops: "Danny, his music was definetly too loud, we could literally hear it 2 blocks away. We had him turn it down and told him this is a reasonalbe level. I fit is above this again call us because that was ridiculous. Also he is not to talk to you or say anything to you anymore."

Me: "The guy is crazy. You guys were just out here last week and the officers said if you had to come out again he was getting a ticket. He is a habitual offender and I am sick of dealing wiht him. I think it is stupid it even came to this and I have to call the police, the guy has no respect for anyone and I am sick of him. I am positive the second you guys leave he is over here trying to pick a fight. I will most likely be calling you in the next few minutes."

Cops: "If there are any problems don't get in a fight, call us."

Me: "Trust me, this guy is definetly not worth it, I will call you in a heartbeat."

[cops leaving]

About 5 mintes later I strap the baby inthe car seat to go to my grandparents for fathers day. As I am walking out the front door what do I hear from Jerry? "FUCKIGN COP CALLING FAGGOT! FUCKING BITCH!" At this point I was able to get the baby in the car and Emily too and couldn't make out anthing else he was saying but needless to say I called the cops as he walked through the front yard puffing his chest at me and giving that "oh I am so badass I am going to kick your ass" glare. I drove down the street as I have bigger things to worry about than this retarded asshole and wait for the police at which point the officer calls me and tells me they are on scene and to return to the house. I get there and see nothing but the cop told me to stay put. I assume they are on the other side of the house. About ten minutes later a cop car comes whizzing around the house. The officer asks me to step out of the vehicle to talk to him.

Cop: "Danny, we ran into Jerry about a block away and had a little run in (He didn't specify what). Needless to say eh is coming with us tonight and spending the night in jail. He can explain to the judge in the morning why he thinks it is okay to crank his music so loud, harrass and threaten his neigbor, use lewd speach in public, and disturb the peace. Also I am sorry, I feel like I didn't do my job. I told Jerry he made me and my partner look like an ass. How we told you that we talked to him and he goes off and less than ten minutes later violates everything we told him not to do."

Me: "Thank you for doing something I appreciate it. I am a father, I have a family, and can't be dealing with this guy if he acts so childish. I normally wouldn't call the police so much but I have been dealing with this guy for months now and I have had it."

Cop: "I understand completly, you did nothing wrong. I heard his music it was fucking ridiculous. As far as his reactions, I explained to him and his signifigant other that in this country at some point you have to act like an adult and if you don't the police are called. You did nothing wrong, this guy has no right to act like this."

Me: "Once again thank you, have a nice day."

[shake hands with cop, leave for grandmas house]



Why are people so fuckign stupid. This guy is doing it to himself. Not only is he now in jail over his god damn music (normal people would never let it get this far) but I am now calling my landlord with FOUR events where the police were involved over his loud music. Stipulation 16 in our lease reads that "we have the right to quality living, after 2 noise violations a 30 day notice to vacate will be placed on the renters door by the landlord." It is so stupid that this idiot lets this shit go so far, he dug his own grave.

PoWdA wrote:OMFG people are fucking idiots.

... he dug his own grave.

x2

You did the right thing Danny. You can look back on this and be proud that you handled this the way you did. Now, I would definately get the landlord into the loop. He should know that this is going on within his property and that it would be in his best interest to release this idiot from his contract and evict him.