Landlord/Tenant abuse of other Tenant

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Bellanotre81

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My jurisdiction is: Wisconsin

I am currently helping my sister through a problem, giving her advice as best as I can, and even begging her to seek a lawyer. I'm here to ask if she should, or would begin to look for assistance and how she'd be able to support her claims and the basic process she'd be able to take:

Last summer, I accompanied my sister to look for an apartment. She's a first time renter, and she didn't want to be alone when she chose. She found a nice neighborhood with a reasonable price, grocery stores as well as medical stores were nearby, utilities and a bank, it was a perfect place. The place itself is a duplex, both layouts of the house were basically the same. The basement came with a working washer and dryer which were in poor condition, but she didn't mind it one bit. Washing clothes would be like a weekly visit to my home which she enjoys.

The landlord showed us around, and stated that she could have the bottom complex. But later called and said she would have to take the upstairs, because the other renter has two dogs, and since my sister was a first time renter, she would feel safer. That wasn't the case.

After a month of moving in, (my sister and the downstairs tenant moved in around the same time) my sister noticed a note posted to her door. It claimed that the walls were too thin, and my sister was stepping on the floors too loud and it disturbed the bottom tenant. The tenant went on to tell the landlord, who called my sister to confirm that she needs to walk a little softer as to not disturb the lower tenant! Was she supposed to tiptoe around her own apartment? My sister doesn't even step heavy.

My sister responded that she would do her best, as usual. She's a nice, humble person (not to me when growing up, hah!) so she took steps to remaining quiet when the lower tenant was home. My sister is a socializer, and she loves hanging out with friends, whether it be movies, local bars, or their house. Since its the weekend, my sister would arrive home at midnight. She once recieved another posted letter that the tenant wrote, calling her a nuisance, and said she's disgusted with her behaviour, and that she contacted the landlord once again with my sisters abuse in noise and coming home late.

My sister called the landlord next morning, who once again agreed with the lower tenant. My sister left a note to the lower tenant, asking to meet, even left her phone number so they could get past any issues. The lower tenant refused, and left another insulting letter. Ever since then, my sister has to live quietly, while the woman would blast her music late at night, refusing to answer the door once my sister tries to knock and tell her to lower it down. She wakes up at 5am, and is a nurse, and needs all the sleep she can get. Ever since those notes however, my sister and the lower tenant would walk outside at the same time, and the tenant would either run back into the house, or she would run towards her car as if she were afraid for her life.

The woman would also slam her doors in the middle of the night, and if my sister reports this to the landlord, the landlord would snipe at my sister and question if she'd want to give up her lease.

It has gotten terrible last night, to the point where my sister had to contact the police again (she's done it three times before), and now she fears she'll be put out on the street. After the police issued another citation to the tenant, she began to slam doors throughout the night, keeping my sister awake for most of the night. The police also were curteous to contact the landlord to explain the problem of the tenant.

My sister has sent emails, phone messages, and all of them have went unheard. But when the lower tenant complains, my sister gets an earful. What is the best suggestion to do? Could it be racism? (We're african american, and the tenant & landlord are Caucasian).
 
This is, unfortunately, the cost of humans living in an anthill together.

Your sister has a couple of options. She can simply wait until her lease expires and not renew it, finding another place to live (this is what most folks would do). Or, she can approach the landlord and suggest that since everyone is sick of the entire business she be allowed to be let out of her lease without financial punishment (if the landlord agrees to this, get such agreement in writing).

Don't attempt to pull the race card. Nothing you have written has suggested racism here; just simply a PITA fellow tenant.

Gail
 
Do you have a month to month agreement or a lease agreement. If month to month I would suggest putting in your thirty day notice and finding another living situation.
If a lease I would ask the Landlord to let you out of the lease because of his inaction to enforce the lease agreement.
I would be happy to review your rental agreement and chart out a course of action for you.
 
Gail gave the right advice..especially using the "race card". Was ready to reply but when I read that, I was done.
 
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