I want to apologize up front if this is not the appropriate place for this post. I did some searching around and couldn't find an appropriate place for this. If you know where I should take this instead I can delete my post and repost it there
–
Today my downstairs neighbor in this two apartment duplex I'm in showed me texts of our landlord texting her that he was going to have my friends van towed. He wasn't staying the night nor has he ever stayed the night, he comes over to play mario kart with me and hang out. On the day I was signing the lease he told me that I wasn't allowed to have people stay the night without prior approval and consent otherwise he would call the police and have them towed, which I thought was absolutely ridiculous and made it very clear that I thought so. I am a 26/M and I look very young and It's clear when I am being treated as so. I don't want to make the assumptions but I can feel it in my gut when It's happening and this 60 year old veteran is not one to beat around the bush with his thoughts.
Now today is his first threat to do just that. Its completely unjustified as my friend has never stayed the night which makes me feel that my landlord is driving past here to check up on me which is nothing short of creepy. If this is a normal behavior for landlords I couldn't say cause I've never been treated like this before with previous landlords. I just talked to the police (I didn't know who to call to talk to about this) and they told me that it is his private property and that if it is on the lease that I signed I have to obey it. I could call again if this escalates and they would see what they can do.
Regardless of what my landlord has told me I know that the only thing that counts is what is written in the lease and this is what I need help with. This feels like some legalese fine print writing and it could be what saves me if it gets to the point he takes action and unjustly tows my friends vehicles. This is what is written in my lease,
“Use of Premises, Residence: …'Guest' in this lease refers to any person, guest, or invitee the Tenant allows on the Premises. No Guest may stay on the Premises without prior written approval of the Landlord. If approved, a Guest shall not stay more than 14 days total in a year. The Tenant is liable for any damage or neglect of the Premises by Tenants or Guests.”
–
I'm trying my best to not be petty however the amount of disrespect and malice I have been shown by my Landlord throughout my short 2 months so far at this apartment leaves me wanting to push this lease to the extents that it legally can. For instance, what does 'No Guest shall stay on the Premises' mean?? Stay an hour? There's no time reference at all and more importantly no reason I have to tell my landlord if people are at my apartment if they are not 'staying'. Also the next line doesn't make sense, 'If approved, a Guest shall not stay more than 14 days total in a year.' My landlord told me this applied to all guest however in the lease it says A Guest not Guests so that implies a unique Guest right? Not any or all Guests by a Guest may not stay more than 14 days total in a year.
Listen I am no lawyer and I just have my own ability to think and write to depend on. I don't know what is in my right or if I am even being mistreated at all. Any opinions and advice you have on this would be greatly appreciated and I appreciate you taking the time to read through this