Hi moms!
Oh its been a great past few days at this apartment complex! NOT!!!!! Some strange men with dogs keep coming on the property and they are non-residents. The leasing office does jack sh*t about it and I've contacted corporate hundreds of times and they do jack sh*t about it too. There are MANY problems I have brought up and nothing has been fixed. Even though I will be moving out soon; I want it to be known this is an unsafe community. So is there anyone higher than corporate I can talk to. I'm sure a lawyer, but I rather go a different route.
Any advice?
Thanks!
1. When I do call the police it takes them an hour or more just to show up even thought the station is literally in walking distance--by car 2 minutes away if that. When the police show up; the person is usually gone by then.
2. There are no trespassing signs here about 3-5. Yet, people still come into this complex. Its strange because this complex is "hidden"...its behind a shopping center and you wouldn't know its back here unless you lived here or were a weirdo!
3. I've been sending corporate emails about everything that happens.
4. All dogs at this complex have to fill out papers (2x yearly) with updated shots, vet approval, and city license. So these dogs entering the property who aren't residents may not even have their shots. I don't know these dogs. I don't know how they act. Who knows if one day they let go of their leash and bam the dog comes and attacks myself or my dog. Its scary. I've worked with a lot of police dogs. You never know when a dog can turn. Poor pittbulls have a bad repuatation. They are excellent dogs if trained well and loved. I've never had a problem with a pittbull before even with training them!
The police? If these men do not live in the complex, it is trespassing. If you call the police, they will contact the leasing office and the corporate office and will have a lot more authority than you will!
At this point, I'm not sure there's anything you can/should do.
You are moving for some very good reasons.
Trying to get action/change now is just stirring the pot and a waste of energy.
You want them to be in trouble for what they aren't doing.
This might be a mountain you can't move.
Just leave them behind you as soon as you can.
Well...what are they DOING? If they're not doing anything and it's not a gated community plus there aren't any "no trespassing" signs, then there's nothing the police or the apartment managers can do. It's a neighborhood.
EDIT: The reason it takes the police an hour to get to your complex when you call for men walking their dogs in your complex is because it's not an emergency. They're just walking their dogs. What are these men actually DOING besides walking their dogs and ignoring "no trespassing" signs?
Are they the same men every time? When they come onto the property are they standing around loitering? Do they walk around and leave the way they come in? Are they just cutting through? Are you POSITIVE that they aren't visiting someone who IS a resident?
Honestly, I wouldn't say that the complex is 'unsafe' because a few men with dogs are walking through it... Who knows if one day, a person who IS a resident, and has filled out the papers to have the dog, leaves their door open and bam the dog goes after you or or dog... It's more likely to happen than someone to let go of their dog's leash! Plus... dogs are typically the only animals who do have shots... I can guarantee that there are plenty of animals (rodents, stray dogs and cats...) who are running around the complex without shots as well...
It's quite possible that nobody has done anything because there really is nothing TO do. The only thing that they are doing 'wrong' is trespassing (and that's assuming that they are NOT visiting someone who lives there...), which is a non-emergency, thus lower on the response scale for the police... who are more concerned with actual emergencies.
IF it really really bugs you that much, why don't you follow them (discreetly, from a distance....) and find out just WHAT they are doing.
Now, all that said, I WOULD continue to call the police, just so they have the documentation of these men being here, just in case something DOES happen. You might also take some pictures of them, just for more documentation.
But honestly, I think that's about as far as you will be able to take this...
Not sure what they are doing that is so offensive to you from reading your post...simply walking their dog? Are they doing something else that is wrong. Not getting what you are so concerned about?
what kind of dogs? If pit bulls or anything similar I would call the police. There could be a dog-fighting thing going on or something else criminal. A surge of strange men with dogs is not normal and its worth calling police about.
I don't know who you can report them to, but you can go on various online sites like yelp and apartment-rating sites and give them a bad rating so that future residents will know to avoid them.
About the complex not doing anything, you probably could send your complaint to BBB, if they are violating codes you could report them to your city municipality, they do have an office the monitors and inspect rental apt complexes.
Call the police non-emergency line?
Are you sure you don't live in the same complex I do? (LOL) Our "resident manager" and I use that term super loosely is the pits. I have our corporate office on speed dial now and have had to call them more in the past year than I have in the 12 years we have lived here.
As for what to do... If you aren't getting any response from the leasing manager or corporate; ask corporate to have the regional manager call you about your concerns. They may or may not give you the attention you are asking for since you are moving out soon.
Good luck!
Hi, Dancer:
Do you have a civic league or block watch in your area?
If you do, contact someone from there.
If you don't, get some men to go with you and confront them about
trespassing.
Good luck.
D.
As for the people coming in your neighborhood, call the police and tell them you keep seeing suspicious people in your neighborhood that you don't believe live there. They should come and make them prove they are not trespassing. Most apartment complexes have a no trespassing/no soliciting policy. I would report your complex to the Better Business Burea. Also look up on the internet to see if there are any governing bodies that oversee tenants rights, etc. (I am pretty certain there are but I haven't, fortunately, had to look those up). Remember, you are a short timer at this point so grin and bear it until you move!
I would also call the police if the guy with the dogs shows up or any other strange happenings are going on.
I would also post as many reviews as possible about the complex online. I would write them as a mom would and not a disgruntled out-the-door tenant. I almost always look for reviews when searching locations or buying products.
Glad to hear you are moving soon. If you need to leave sooner, I think you would be able to renegotiate your terms because the place is unsafe for your family.
