Is your rental house an eyesore?

[Miss Piggy]

Just wondering...those of you who rent a house or rent to others...are your homes kept "on par" and maintained to a level that matches the others in the neighborhood?

The house next door to mine is a rental. Quite frankly, it looks like shit. I live in a decent, middle-class subdivision, and this house (next door) is not maintained well at all. (There are probably 5 or 6 other houses in the 220-house subdivision that also aren't maintained well, but this one bothers me because it's next door to mine.) The roof should have been replaced years ago (I'm surprised any insurance company will cover it), the wooden posts are rotting, the lawn is far more weeds than grass (and the weeds overflow into our lawn, no matter what we do).

What's the proper protocol/action for a concerned neighbor to take? Call the city? Call the landlord? (BTW, the house wasn't all that well maintained when the landlords were living in it.) 

Is is just normal for rental houses to look a lot shittier than those around them?

[onlykelsey]

BTW, the house wasn't all that well maintained when the landlords were living in it.

I think you found your answer there. It doesn't sound like it's a matter of it being a rental house or not, it sounds like it's an owner-specific thing.

Of course there may different regulations now that it's a rental house, I know there are in my jurisdiction.  I'd start with 311 and/or jurisdiction-specific legal blogs to get  the lay of the land before you do anything.

[PadAdventure]

Is is just normal for rental houses to a lot shittier than those around them?

In a word?  Yes.

Mine look like crap, but better than those around them if you can believe that. 

I would start with the landlord, at least give them the benefit of the doubt prior to escalating things further.

Plus you don't need any more bad blood between the two of you.

If they do nothing, start with code violation issues, check your municipal website.  They'll get the hint.

[ShoulderThingThatGoesUp]

I had one of these near me (started a thread about it in fact) and approached the landlord when he was looking at the property. I asked if he was looking to sell, because I was "looking for a rehab project". He got a guy in there who's fixing it up I assume in exchange for discounted rent and it looks much better. He still needs to re-roof the place, though.

[Miss Piggy]

I had one of these near me (started a thread about it in fact) and approached the landlord when he was looking at the property. I asked if he was looking to sell, because I was "looking for a rehab project". He got a guy in there who's fixing it up I assume in exchange for discounted rent and it looks much better. He still needs to re-roof the place, though.

I like that tactic!

Won't work for me because this landlord never comes to take a look at the property (haven't seen him in years), but I like the tactic nonetheless!  Hhhmmm...I do have his email address, though...