Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

[gennifer]

I have been renting a single family house since 08/15/13. My landlord lives next door. On May 4, 2013, my 8yo son was playing in the backyard and was bitten by her pit bull. (She does not leash or secure her dog when she lets him out) Animal control was notified and she got a ticket. (Two weeks earlier her dog had bitten my daughter and animal control given her a ticket) When the officer left, she entered the house I'm renting without knocking or permission and told me she would not be renewing my lease and she would appreciate it if I left as soon as possible. Since then she has been verbally harassing me and my children. She has cursed at them and told them it was their fault that the dog bit them at that they are costing her thousands of dollars. ( I have no idea what that meant) Yesterday she screamed at me and said "I'm going to F*** you up" She has called family and children services and told them I work night shift and leave my children home alone all night. I do not work the night shift and never leave them unattended. (She also reported I don't pay rent, I have all my receipts). Today my 15y daughter told me she saw her sitting at her window looking into our backyard with a pair of binoculars, and when we were outside she stood on the in the street of the rental property and videotaped me and my children for approx. 10 minutes with her cell phone while we chatted with my neighbor. Can she do that??

[AFFA]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

I wish to inform you that she may not video you in your private area. You can take a restraining order against your landlord so that she does not contact you again. As she has threaten or harassed you and your children thus restraining order may be taken by you. Further action for filing false complaint and breach of privacy may be taken.

AFF

[goddessoflubboc]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

As long as there was no audio, and she did not tape you while you or the children were indoors, it's legal.

If you have a written lease giving you until 08/31/13 then she cannot evict you just because she doesn't want you there.

Have your children play somewhere her dogs are not.

[Friend In Court]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

NEW JERSEY:
[SIZE=3]I have been renting a single family house since 08/15/13. My landlord lives next door. On May 4, 2013, my 8yo son was playing in the backyard and was bitten by her pit bull. (She does not leash or secure her dog when she lets him out) Animal control was notified and she got a ticket. (Two weeks earlier her dog had bitten my daughter and animal control given her a ticket) When the officer left, she entered the house I'm renting without knocking or permission and told me she would not be renewing my lease and she would appreciate it if I left as soon as possible. Since then she has been verbally harassing me and my children. She has cursed at them and told them it was their fault that the dog bit them at that they are costing her thousands of dollars. ( I have no idea what that meant) Yesterday she screamed at me and said "I'm going to F*** you up" She has called family and children services and told them I work night shift and leave my children home alone all night. I do not work the night shift and never leave them unattended. (She also reported I don't pay rent, I have all my receipts). Today my 15y daughter told me she saw her sitting at her window looking into our backyard with a pair of binoculars, and when we were outside she stood on the in the street of the rental property and videotaped me and my children for approx. 10 minutes with her cell phone while we chatted with my neighbor. Can she do that??[/SIZE]

If you were outside, yes she can video tape. You can retaliate, you know, and video tape her video taping you. And video her dogs whenever you see them running loose. EVERY time you see them running loose. And turn the evidence, hopefully date stamped by your camera, to Animal Control.

She is liable for any medical bills her dogs caused, you know.

If anyone has a right to end a lease, it would be you because of her conduct towards you and the dogs. Threats take a lot of quiet enjoyment of one's property away, too, making it obviously a hostile place to live.

A good real estate attorney might find not only grounds for you to leave earlier if you wish, but suit for damages against her that will make her threats seem like small change. If the woman is not entirely mental, it will give her pause to reflect before campaigning against another tenant again. And to keep her mutts under control and on her property!

[gennifer]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

Thanks for replying. I took your advice and bought a two video security camera's that can record. I also stopped by the County clerks office and found out she did not file a Certificate of Occupancy or a certificate of registration, that are required per NJ Dept. of Consumer affairs, but I don't know if this would make a difference if I break my lease.

[Unregistered]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

you know i have been through some crap with landlords ...they just do not care ...soo just beat his/her ass ...an people will tell you it will not make you feel better ..BUT BELIEVE ME it makes you feel gggooooooooooooooooooooddd....I had to deal with a bad landlord with my kids ,locking up our stuff before we got it all out and would not let us get our property ,,but he took it to his house and burnt it ,before we could get the court involved, he had to reimburse us for our property but even all that money DID NOT feel as good as when my fist busted his lil' lying mouth...
so hopefully the next guy/gal will get a lil better treatment from his B&#*H A$$
My fathers words=
"I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP YOU FROM DOING IT ,BUT I WILL SURELY BREAK YOU OF THE HABIT ".

[sandyclaus]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

you know i have been through some crap with landlords ...they just do not care ...soo just beat his/her ass ...an people will tell you it will not make you feel better ..BUT BELIEVE ME it makes you feel gggooooooooooooooooooooddd....I had to deal with a bad landlord with my kids ,locking up our stuff before we got it all out and would not let us get our property ,,but he took it to his house and burnt it ,before we could get the court involved, he had to reimburse us for our property but even all that money DID NOT feel as good as when my fist busted his lil' lying mouth...
so hopefully the next guy/gal will get a lil better treatment from his B&#*H A$$
My fathers words=
"I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP YOU FROM DOING IT ,BUT I WILL SURELY BREAK YOU OF THE HABIT ".

Congratulations! Your awesome advice is likely to put you in jail for assault and battery, or WORSE. Your children will have to have somewhere else to live - either with their other parent, a family member, or in foster care, while you await trial and serve your time for the crimes you committed.

While you are thinking about your own personal pleasure, you NEED to be thinking about how your actions will affect the others in your life. When your children get taken away from you, how GOOOOOD will that feel? And you'll have no one else to blame but yourself.

[goddessoflubboc]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

My experience is people who talk like that are "keyboard heroes". When face to face they turn tail and run.

[Friend In Court]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

NEW JERSEY:
[SIZE=3]I have been renting a single family house since 08/15/13. My landlord lives next door. On May 4, 2013, my 8yo son was playing in the backyard and was bitten by her pit bull. (She does not leash or secure her dog when she lets him out) Animal control was notified and she got a ticket. (Two weeks earlier her dog had bitten my daughter and animal control given her a ticket) When the officer left, she entered the house I'm renting without knocking or permission and told me she would not be renewing my lease and she would appreciate it if I left as soon as possible. Since then she has been verbally harassing me and my children. She has cursed at them and told them it was their fault that the dog bit them at that they are costing her thousands of dollars. ( I have no idea what that meant) Yesterday she screamed at me and said "I'm going to F*** you up" She has called family and children services and told them I work night shift and leave my children home alone all night. I do not work the night shift and never leave them unattended. (She also reported I don't pay rent, I have all my receipts). Today my 15y daughter told me she saw her sitting at her window looking into our backyard with a pair of binoculars, and when we were outside she stood on the in the street of the rental property and videotaped me and my children for approx. 10 minutes with her cell phone while we chatted with my neighbor. Can she do that??[/SIZE]

In what state is this happening? Your remedies will be based upon the laws of your state.

[DylanForegger]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

The following apartment complex did this to me. They installed audio surveillance equipment in my apartment and then tried to bully me with it by exposing my privacy to the public.

Emerald Bay Apartments
2500 Soquel Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95065

I want to go public with this all the way.

[maywest]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

"audio surveillance equipment in my apartment"



That is certainly normally not legal, and may even be a crime that the police would further investigate.

[Wenton]

Re: Landlord is spying and videotaping my family

The following apartment complex did this to me. They installed audio surveillance equipment in my apartment and then tried to bully me with it by exposing my privacy to the public.

Emerald Bay Apartments
2500 Soquel Drive
Santa Cruz, CA 95065

I want to go public with this all the way.

Did you file a police report? It does seem that you could.

Is there some other issue here possibly? It seems odd and risky that they would do that?