Landlords from h**l, HELP US! accused of stealing!?

Question

I am renting a home in Northern California. From my aunt and uncle, unfortuanatly they have decided that they don't like my boyfriend so they have done everything possible to make our lives h**l. We are both on the lease.

When we moved in there was numourous items left in the home. There is a tv, tv stand filled with clothes, as well as the master bedroom closet was filled with items as well. The worst part is they left the garage filled with random items from the previous tenent as well as "all their tools"

They come over all the time banging on our door and demanding to "inspect" They have yelled at me for numourus things like a few dishes in the sink, the bed being unmade, the lawn needing to be mowed, or just simple everyday items being left out.

At first I let them in gladly because after all they are family, but it started to get bad, they would push past us when we would open the door. They also would come over 3 or 4 times a week at random hours without a single phone call, and if they did call they would be screaming saying they'll be here in 5 minutes.

I have gotten called every name in the book as well as gotten yelled at for no apparent reason.

I have done nothing wrong, I pay rent on time every month, keep a clean house, keep to myself, I have even made major improvements on the house free of charge. I have totally landscaped the backyard, put up new light fixtures thru-out the house as well as built a new fence. Helped paint, repair holes in the sheetrock, ect.

Now they are threatening to beat us down and steal all of our stuff because they are claiming that I have stollen all of the items that they left in the house. I don't understand why they are upset about items that they left here because their argument is that they are still here???? I don't know what to do, I moved everything that was in the home to the garage but they insist that I am "hoarding" their belongings.Do they have the right to search through all my stuff to see if I have any of theirs? Oh, and I have asked them tons of times to take all the stuff and they said oh we'll do it next week, or oh it doesn't matter. It's been more than 3 months.

Also my boyfriend and I went on a trip and when we came back we noticed that they had come into our house and went thru our things. Can we change the locks, my boyfriend is fearing for his safety and I don't like the feeling of everything of mine getting searched thru. He feels unsafe because we were harassed by my uncle's brother, he threatened to kick all of our "country asses" and came to our home 3 times in a row trying to kick down our door as well as bringing another women into our home screaming profanities at us. I was calm and collected thru out the whole scene and it didn't make a difference. They still were yelling and kicking and threatinging, over and over until I threatened to call the police. Can I file for a restraining order or should I just plain out move.

Answer 1

I would just move.  It is simply not worth the fiasco that you are painting.  You need to be happy and secure.

Answer 2

Check the renters laws for the state of California.  You have many rights involved such as they can't come in without at least 48 hours notice in most states unless it's an emergency and actually have to notify you in writing.  You can have them arrested and file charges for the threats.  I am assuming you have a rental contract.  At least be sure you have documented all your payments in paying by check or a record of some kind.  They are invading your privacy and you have the legal right to make them stop.  Being a renter gives you rights.

Answer 3

Normally I would not do this but you seem to be hurting, bye the way all the other answers are great too. 1 If you have no lease agreement, kiss a** until you have made other arrangements and leave. 2 If you have a lease, start looking and once you have secured a place leave with prior notice in writing and send letter by certified mail. 3. Document the place w/ camera photos after a good cleaning, keeping a set of records of all bills paid for improved from your bank records or bill statements, get bill statements again. 4 Buy a small digital camera and have a camera shop attach a time to preset any home invasion activities by these people, keep your boyfriend away from them and make excuses. If all else fails and things get worse keep the documentation and put you rent into and escrow account giving your landlords notice that the must repair certain items, select the items that are consequential. Good luck

Answer 4

Honestly?  You better just move out and chalk this up to a hard lesson learned: don't rent from your obviously crazy relatives again.  Sorry you had to go through this, but I would end it quickly and get out of it.  There is no reason for any landlord to come barging in all the time.  And a few dishes and an unmade bed are none of their business.  My landlord stops by only if I have called him and something is broken.

Answer 5

Depends on how far you are willing to go.

Home hearth and safety is number one. What? Who knows what will and could occur. You have a horrible situation.

Changing the locks could be problematic since you have a lease. But even non family landlords have to notify you of a need to enter.

This is a family issue and needs to be attended to as such.... I know from experience. You want to keep the peace but oft times you need to break it all down for things for things to be rebuilt. That forces family to actually think.

Call the police each and every time anything happens. Change the locks.... after a police report or two it would be hard for the uncle to prove anything. You could choose to stick tight after the lease and sue.

Normally I would say that maybe they have a point..... maybe your boyfreind blows and the family cares. But you pay your bills and take care of the place? Nothing is their business in regard to your choices.

Get a couple of police reports and let these people wake up to the real world.