My parents have lived in this trailer (a double-wide on an end lot) for 14 years. This entire time, they have had a large backyard. We’ve put in a manmade pond, a huge herb garden, a rock garden, a new shed, a screen house, a patio - thousands of dollars worth of improvements. It’s nicely landscaped.
Last summer, the landlord put in a new septic system in our backyard, but he didn’t bury the tank, the neighbor kid gets in it, and now there’s a lake of leaked-out sewage in our yard.
Dad complained two months ago.
Mom complained a week ago that she was going to call the county health department.
Today the landlord came over and told us that the backyard is NOT our yard, we CAN’T complain to county health about the sewage because of that, he’s putting up a fence today to keep us out of the backyard because it’s NOT our yard. Dad told him that we have kids in the house who can’t play because of the sewage, and the landlord said that since they are foster children, and we get paid for them, they count as running a business out of the home, which is against the terms of the lease, and he’ll evict us if he has to.
I am not a lawyer, but if being reimbursed by New York State for taking care of foster children counts as RUNNING A FUCKING BUSINESS I will scream.
I am so upset right now that I am crying. That fucking asshole.
It sounds like your parents’ landlord is trying to frighten them into shutting up so that he doesn’t have to pay to have the septic system taken care of. I’d recommend that they talk to a lawyer ASAP. Sorry this has to happen to you, and I hope it all works out. Or that the landlord falls into the sewage.
What a total durf-wad!!! I agree, though, that it sounds like scare-tactics to keep him from getting into trouble. Call a lawyer, call the Health & Sanitation Board/Department (or whatever you have in NY), call the local newspaper, get everybody involved!
What’s the term I’m looking for here…um, slumlord? Maybe, but not quite right.
Man! This guy has brought the whole landlord reputation thing to an alltime new low. I’d bust his ass. Call the health department and the city/village and a lawyer.
Mom puts it as a matter of keep the kids inside for now, keep them living with us - we’re the only fucking family they’ve known since they were born - they’re both between 12 and 18 months old - and move as soon as possible, versus keep the kids inside for now, call county health and have them taken away, and move anyway.
The guy is full of shit and trying to scare you. I agree with calling the health department and a lawyer. Please update us later and tell us that your parents have done those things.
IANAL and could be mistaken, but isn’t leaking sewage a freaking health problem whether it’s legally your property or not.
Maybe a letter from a lawyer “suggesting” that the tank getting fixed and the exclusive rights to the yard go back to your parents will forestall a call to the health department would help.
Good luck dealing with this asshat.
It is legally wrong. Sewage can make a dwelling uninhabitable, and that’s illegal under the terms of the lease. Racin’s parents can move out with no notice or penalty under what’s called a “constructive eviction”, meaning that the property is no longer in livable condition. If the asshole decides to take it to court, the judge would probably rule in racin’s parents’ favor on that basis. That he refused after repeated communications to remedy the problem won’t sit well with the judge.
To racin: Aside from the obvious advice to see a lawyer, I’d also document everything from the dates the tank was put in to every conversation your parents have had with this yutz. Take lots of pictures, and get soil samples from the areas where there is sewage. If the kids have had health problems because of the sewage, get the medical records from that, as well.
Also, if they have receipts (or can get duplicates) for the improvements they made to the property, that’d be helpful, too.
First of all, having foster children is not a “business” in any sense of the word. Second, if it’s not your property, then there shouldn’t be a reason to remove them. Thirdly, the septic tank is illegal. It doesn’t matter if it’s on your property, the neighbors property, of across the street. If it’s leeching it’s contaminating the ground water. Also, have your drinking water checked for coliforms. It should be ok if you’re on a city water line, but if you’re on a well, than I wouldn’t be drinking it until you have it cleared by a lab.
Your landlord is a prick, and he’s extorting you. Talk to legal aid, or child protective services. They should take this out of your hands, and deal with this guy on their own.
Mom refuses to call a lawyer. Or the county. Or anybody.
The landlord sent a guy. One guy. With a shovel. A standard shovel. The guy put his foot on the shovel, lifted out one load of dirt, and released a horrible river of maggots and stench and water that is now pooling around our swingset.
I took pictures. The guy left for reinforcements.
The drinking water issue is an important one. I’ll raise this with my mother, but don’t hold your breath for her to do anything about it. My parents are annoyingly passive. It pisses the shit out of me.
Then you should go consult a lawyer, and find out what will happen! After that, go anonymously report the landlord, or have your lawyer do it on behalf of un-named clients. It would be worse, if your neighbors reported this. Then your parents really would lose the children. Better to take action, and be pro-active, than to be passive in this case. It seems to me that you have a lot more to lose by being passive. You need to jump up and defend yourself here, or else you will be seen as part of the problem.
I also would not ever eat anything from that garden again. retch
How about YOU do something about it? Make the call (to the Helath Department) yourself, or have a friend do it for you. Let your parents know that they’re going to HAVE to contact a lawyer to help them keep the foster children.
Better to take action, and be pro-active, than to be passive in this case. It seems to me that you have a lot more to lose by being passive. You need to jump up and defend yourself here, or else you will be seen as part of the problem.