For the past 2 years, my wife and I have rented a home from my mother-in-law.
She comes in, un-announced, moves things around and even throws away our belongings.
Most recently, she came in and transfered all of our computer equiptment out of a spare room and turned it into a "play room" for our children. In doing such, she killed off two of my work-related computer systems and crushed a computer media center.
We requested she pay us for the damages and this started a huge family fight. During this fight, she told us that she is giving us our 30 days notice to leave. I requested she put it in a written letter and she stormed out of the house and came back no less than 20 minutes with a hand-written letter.
At that time, the wife and I took our local news paper and found some rental property to go look at. We explained to the possible "NEW" landlord the situation we are in currently with our in-laws and they were very welcomed to help us out. They asked us to come over and we could work out the details.
Just before we took off, the wife and I setup our digital video camera in the kitchen to record the living room door because we knew she would come into the house while we were gone.
We packed up the kids and took off to look at the new house.
Two hours later, we returned home to find padlocks installed on both entry points into the house. We informed my mother-in-law that she can-not lock us out of our home and she then turned to us and started yelling very nasty things infront of our 1 year old and 6 year old.
I then called the local police department and they requested me to come down and file a report. My wife and kids waited at the house while I went to the police department. While at the police department, my wife called me and was telling me that they are removing the locks from the doors and that she is now inside the home. Once inside, she said that the camera was missing.
Finally, an officer looked over my report and said he would follow me to my home and talk with my mother-in-law.
After arriving at my home, the officer asked to look at our rental agreement and gave a laugh. He went next door and spoke with my in-laws. Shortly after he came back into our home and told us our rental agreement is a joke and needs to be thrown in the trash, along with the 30day notice she gave us... When I asked why, he stated that the contracts are not notarised? and not up to state laws and if I took the documents before a Judge in the county, they would laugh me out of court. So with the officer in site, we threw the documents in the trash.
The officer then informed us that we need to get out for our own good, which we then stated that we will be leaving in 2 weeks so we are not worried about it. He also included that we are not to go over to their home nor are they to come over to ours. If one of us do, then they will be forced to take one of us to jail for trespassing. (understood)
The next morning my in-laws contacted my wife on her cellphone while at work and informed her that they will be turning off all the utilities on Tuesday (today is Monday).. I contacted the police department and they firmly stated that they will not get into a civil dispuit in this matter. I asked them if we could have the utilities turned on in our name and they stated that "Your Mother-In-Law stated that your living on the premisis against her will and you are illegal tenants of the property" and the conversation ended there.
Under our rental agreement, which the police told us to throw away, we paid for the utilities under her name along with the insurance for the property.
Does anyone know where I can turn for more help? I have tried to contact a local attourney but have been put on a "wait list" and was told it could be up to 2 weeks for a call back. I have also tried to contact the local DA's office but have not had any of my calls returned as of yet.
Thanks,
-jfritts
She comes in, un-announced, moves things around and even throws away our belongings.
Most recently, she came in and transfered all of our computer equiptment out of a spare room and turned it into a "play room" for our children. In doing such, she killed off two of my work-related computer systems and crushed a computer media center.
We requested she pay us for the damages and this started a huge family fight. During this fight, she told us that she is giving us our 30 days notice to leave. I requested she put it in a written letter and she stormed out of the house and came back no less than 20 minutes with a hand-written letter.
At that time, the wife and I took our local news paper and found some rental property to go look at. We explained to the possible "NEW" landlord the situation we are in currently with our in-laws and they were very welcomed to help us out. They asked us to come over and we could work out the details.
Just before we took off, the wife and I setup our digital video camera in the kitchen to record the living room door because we knew she would come into the house while we were gone.
We packed up the kids and took off to look at the new house.
Two hours later, we returned home to find padlocks installed on both entry points into the house. We informed my mother-in-law that she can-not lock us out of our home and she then turned to us and started yelling very nasty things infront of our 1 year old and 6 year old.
I then called the local police department and they requested me to come down and file a report. My wife and kids waited at the house while I went to the police department. While at the police department, my wife called me and was telling me that they are removing the locks from the doors and that she is now inside the home. Once inside, she said that the camera was missing.
Finally, an officer looked over my report and said he would follow me to my home and talk with my mother-in-law.
After arriving at my home, the officer asked to look at our rental agreement and gave a laugh. He went next door and spoke with my in-laws. Shortly after he came back into our home and told us our rental agreement is a joke and needs to be thrown in the trash, along with the 30day notice she gave us... When I asked why, he stated that the contracts are not notarised? and not up to state laws and if I took the documents before a Judge in the county, they would laugh me out of court. So with the officer in site, we threw the documents in the trash.
The officer then informed us that we need to get out for our own good, which we then stated that we will be leaving in 2 weeks so we are not worried about it. He also included that we are not to go over to their home nor are they to come over to ours. If one of us do, then they will be forced to take one of us to jail for trespassing. (understood)
The next morning my in-laws contacted my wife on her cellphone while at work and informed her that they will be turning off all the utilities on Tuesday (today is Monday).. I contacted the police department and they firmly stated that they will not get into a civil dispuit in this matter. I asked them if we could have the utilities turned on in our name and they stated that "Your Mother-In-Law stated that your living on the premisis against her will and you are illegal tenants of the property" and the conversation ended there.
Under our rental agreement, which the police told us to throw away, we paid for the utilities under her name along with the insurance for the property.
Does anyone know where I can turn for more help? I have tried to contact a local attourney but have been put on a "wait list" and was told it could be up to 2 weeks for a call back. I have also tried to contact the local DA's office but have not had any of my calls returned as of yet.
Thanks,
-jfritts
