Fined by my apartment complex
 

My apartment complex today gave me and my roommate a fine for their being trash in “public areas” around our apartment. Basically this means that there was trash in the parking lot or in the walk way or in the grilling area. We didn't put the trash there so we don't feel like we should have to pay. Can the apartment complex force us to pay this “fine”? I don't think they can but I don't want to send off an email to the manager just to be put in my place.

Here is the email I was planing on sending the MGMT of the complex:

Hi,

My roommate and I got a "fine" today for there being garbage in public places. I would like to make one thing clear. We pay to live here. [appt complex name] does not pay us to pick up other peoples trash. If [appt complex name] would like for one of us to pick up trash in public areas then [appt complex name] needs to either a) decrease our rent or b) give us a paycheck. As of now we do not plan on paying this fine.


help OOT!

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

bold strategy, how much was the fine, not that the sum matters
im just curious.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

I like the letter, but you probably shouldn't put 'fine' in quotes.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

i like the email, post the reply

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

"I would like to make one thing clear."

This is bad - be less abrasive

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

write a handwritten letter, it'll be taken more seriously.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

When I rented from the place that pretty much controlled all the property around my university they had clauses like this, if there was excessive trash, or damage, or cleaning needed, and no one would fess up they would warn and then they would fine everyone in the building to cover costs equally. Never once heard of anyone actually getting fined. Sounds like something you can easily get out of.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

your email is a great way to escalate the situation and make enemies.

first you need to make sure that it doesn't say anywhere in your lease that you are responsible for the area surrounding your walkway or whatever. if that's the case:

To Whom it May Concern,

We received a bill from your company today due to 'trash in public areas.' We did not place any trash in a public area, nor did any of our guests. Therefore we are surprised and confused by this bill, as we are not responsible for this problem and it is not covered in our lease. Please rescind this bill immediately and notify us in writing that you have done same.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

You need to talk directly with management about dropping this. A letter won't work. Have they issued multiple warnings prior to this fine?

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

There have not been any prior letters. Complex is mainly college students.

The whole complex is separated into like 20 buildings with 20 apartments in each building. All apartments lead outside where there are walkways. My apartment probably gets the most foot traffic of any in my building. It is near the stairs and is the first one off the street. This means there is alot of foot traffic and alot of opportunities for people to drop trash.

I decided to email rather then go meet in person or write a letter because if they don't respond to the email then I consider the issue dropped. I dont think the apartment complex will evict me over a $25 fine. Me and my roommate pay around $1110 a month for our place.

I am thinking about emailing the manager of the complex and asking for someone to be sent to pick up all the trash that other residents have left in my area.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

I wouldn't consider this issue dropped unless they specifically tell you so. It's important to resolve this quickly before they jack up your rent or send additional fines. If they don't comply when you go see them, just go speak with next higher entity until you get this resolved. This fine is absurd...

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
To Whom it May Concern,

We received a bill from your company today due to 'trash in public areas.' We did not place any trash in a public area, nor did any of our guests. Therefore we are surprised and confused by this bill, as we are not responsible for this problem and it is not covered in our lease. Please rescind this bill immediately and notify us in writing that you have done same.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is 180,934% better (yes, that precise)

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

i'd read through your lease, before you make any complaints. might be something in there about picking up excess trash in your apt area, or keeping it clean.

i had this happen in college, some douchebags were throwing bear bottles on the walkway. since they coudln't figure out who it was, they fined everyone.

then one night i was up late studying, and i could hear the douchebags below us were drinking and throwing bottles on the walkway.

i called the rental agency the next day. they came to their place, and what do you know their apt was filled with the bottles that were thrown all over the walkway.

we all got our fines back, and i assume they had to pay for them all.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

What happens if they say I still owe the money and I dont pay it?

Is there really anything they can do?

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
What happens if they say I still owe the money and I dont pay it?

Is there really anything they can do?

[/ QUOTE ]

As many people have already told you, it all depends on what is written on your lease.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

If it isn't in your lease there is nothing they can do, legally.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
What happens if they say I still owe the money and I dont pay it?

Is there really anything they can do?

[/ QUOTE ]

they can just take it out of your deposit.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

I would be willing to bet there is some provision about this in the lease. The lease is 20 pages.

There was no deposit though.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
There was no deposit though.

[/ QUOTE ]

wtf? Are you sure you aren't in a dorm?

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
There was no deposit though.

[/ QUOTE ]

wtf? Are you sure you aren't in a dorm?

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL. Yes I am positive I am not in a dorm.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

I wouldn't assume that all of this is taken care of because you sent an email and haven't gotten a response. Also, do not underestimate how far the apartment complex will go to collect money you owe them. I would NOT brush it off - I got screwed by a complex for something that I thought was "taken care of" and that they "wouldn't do anything about." Also, typically anything they fine you for is covered in your lease, which you signed and that they will hold you to for every nickel and dime.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

When you rent an apartment, your new landlord will often want to talk to your old landlord (particularly if you're young and don't have a strong credit history, etc.). Therefore, pissing off your landlord over $25, particularly if you owe it according to the terms of your lease, is probably not a good idea.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

If you pay the fine do you still have to pick up the trash? Does this fine pay one of their employees to do it?

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

After speaking to Obie for about fourty-five minutes on the telephone we
finally arrived at the truth of the matter and said that we had to go down
and pick up the garbage, and also had to go down and speak to him at the
police officer's station. So we got in the red VW microbus with the
shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed on toward the
police officer's station.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

Dump what you feel like is your $25 worth of smelly trash in the management office LDO

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

The manager responded with this:

Ryan,

We actually look through the trash to see who it belongs to you would not have gotten a fine unless we found your items in there. Yes you pay rent and you also signed a trash addendum stating where to put your trash not the BBQ areas.

If you would like to speak to me you may come by in the morning I am in a budget meeting all day.

Thanks,
Sandi

Which is compete [censored]. More importantly none of our trash was in the BBQ area.

What should I do OOT?

i like the idea about dumping trash in the office. Prob wont do it though.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

Sounds like you should stop leaving trash around.

Eddy F,

This sounds a lot like my complex (frankly there's a greater than 30% chance it's owned by the same people, as it's likely some national company) and I didn't have to pay a depo either.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
After speaking to Obie for about fourty-five minutes on the telephone we
finally arrived at the truth of the matter and said that we had to go down
and pick up the garbage, and also had to go down and speak to him at the
police officer's station. So we got in the red VW microbus with the
shovels and rakes and implements of destruction and headed on toward the
police officer's station.

[/ QUOTE ]

Did they show you 8x10 glossy photos with red circles and arrows on them?

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
We actually look through the trash to see who it belongs to...
If you would like to speak to me you may come by in the morning I am in a budget meeting all day.


Thanks,
Sandi




What should I do OOT?

[/ QUOTE ]

At this point you really have no choice. Go for it, she wants you, dude...

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

the trash thing reminds me of one of my rental agencies in college. they were notoriously lame, and each week someone would throw a brick through their big front window. none of my roommates or i did this, but we took great pleasure in seeing the window boarded up, repaired each week, only to be broken again then next week.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
Apologize, pay the fine, then Dump what you feel like is your $25 worth of smelly trash in the management office LDO

[/ QUOTE ]

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

Talk to them face-to-face.
Do NOT pay the fine because this would be considered an admission of guilt.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
The manager responded with this:

Ryan,

We actually look through the trash to see who it belongs to you would not have gotten a fine unless we found your items in there. Yes you pay rent and you also signed a trash addendum stating where to put your trash not the BBQ areas.

If you would like to speak to me you may come by in the morning I am in a budget meeting all day.

Thanks,
Sandi

Which is compete [censored]. More importantly none of our trash was in the BBQ area.

What should I do OOT?

i like the idea about dumping trash in the office. Prob wont do it though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Go over your lease with a fine toothed comb. They can not arbitrarily fine you. It has to state somewhere that you will be fined if you leave trash somewhere. If you cant find it make them show it to you.

Make them prove it. What the heck could they have that pins this on you? Some junk mail addressed to your apt. ?

If its on the lease or in the rules and they got something that IDs you as a litter bug, tell them you are 100% sure you did not do it and you will make sure it never happens again and ask for a warning.

If they say no...Pay the fine and ask for a job picking up trash because someone is getting rich.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

NT is right and 4aces is a complete a-hole.

fyc

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

I don't think he was intentionally trying to be rude in the letter.... He just doesn't know how to write.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

doesnt change the fact that aces is a pure a-hole, and not just for this letter... also a huge fish at 25/50.

fyc

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
some douchebags were throwing bear bottles on the walkway.

[/ QUOTE ]

Those must have been big [censored] bottles. I'm not surprised this pissed you off.

Re: Fined by my apartment complex
 

[ QUOTE ]
We actually look through the trash to see who it belongs to you

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL, this is believable. CSI: Sandi. I guess she got your DNA from the lip of a beer bottle or something.

SpaceAce