Accused by apartment manager...In need of advice.

[I_heart_Fraggles]

OK I have seen before post about bunnies and apartment managers so I decided to post this here. So a couple of weeks ago I got a strange notice on my door. I live in a in closed apartment building. Well the notice read "The staff found evidence that you allowed your rabbit to roam the hallways on your floor. This is a official warning, if it happens again you will be evicted" Well I was shocked, I NEVER allowed her into the hallways. She never escaped and she never "roamed" the halls. I took the notice and talked to the assistant manager who said the "evidence" was STRAW found in the hall. This is a bunch of B.S, straw is not evidence that Fraggles was loose in the hallways. Even if she had gotten out she would not have taken her hay. The "straw" did not come from her. So the assistant manager had me write a statement that the accusation was false which I did and submitted. Since then the manager has become very frosty towards me. On top of that we are supposed to be moving to a one bedroom from our studio. We were at the top of the list and now two people have "magically" been put ahead of us on the list. Plus they have not withdrawn there warning. So if you were me how would you handle this? I am not worried about being evicted a piece of straw is not grounds for a legal eviction. But my apartment manager is treating me very unfairly over something so stupid.

 

[TinysMom]

I really wish I could help but we live in our own home and don't have experience with stuff like this.

I'm going to ask something and please - I don't know you - and I'm not basing this on any of your posts or anything like that - its just....me thinking here..ok?

When you got the notice and you talked to them....were you defensive and at all abrasive? How did you handle it?

If it were me (I tend to be a peacemaker and hate any sort of arguments) - I'd be going to the manager and apologizing that maybe a piece of straw fell on the floor as I was coming in with it and say I'd try to never have it happen again and then ask if there was any update on the situation.

But I mean...I'd be sweet (not sugary sweet) - and make it sound as if I'm trying to help them out.

I've found over the years that a lot of things can be diffused if I am nice vs. being defensive or angry. Its sorta like the saying, "You can catch more flies with sugar than vinegar".

The other topic about this was in the "Let Your Hare Down" section - but I'll leave this one here for now unless another mod wants to move it.

Good luck! I really do hope you can work this out and get your 1 bedroom apt.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Thanks for the reply. I was very nice about it because I considered it to be a "honest mistake". I even suggested that maybe the straw feel on the floor somehow. That's when I was told that the straw was not found anywhere near my actual apartment. That is how they cam to the conclusion that my rabbit was roaming the halls. So I am convinced that the straw did not come from my apartment at all.

 

[cindyrads]

Honestly I find it VERY odd that finding a piece of straw on the floor should even have resulted in a notice being put on your door. Anyone could have dragged it in. Someone could have been bringing in Easter stuff, maybe someone was at a petting zoo or a farm and had some on their shoe, it could be anything.

Maybe the manager is upset with you about something else. I would not let this drop though. If you were moved from the top of the list that needs to be addressed and they need to revoke their warning. Whatever the procedures are make sure you do them so that it is all in writing. Sometimes these things escalate and it's good to be able to show that you were being treated unfairly from such and such a point.

This whole thing is really rather dumb and it concerns me that someone would really take the time to try and figure out where a piece of straw came from. And then to actually put a warning on your door without even talking to you?

Is this kind of behavior normal for this person? I would go down to the office and ask if you did something to offend or upset the manager in some way. Bring up the weird eviction notice, the fact that you got bumped and that she is being cold to you.

If something did upset her then there is an opportunity for it to be cleared up and it will also bring attention to her unprofessional behavior.

 

[LindyS]

I would completly move into another apartment or rent a house for that fact because staying with the same apartment complex, they will keep screwing with you. run away! They are anti bunny.

 

[BaileysMom]

Wow, that is a hard one and kind of strange, I would agree that there must be some kind of underlying problem that they just aren't telling you about.

Sorry I can't help, I am sooo glad that we own our house, we knew that we couldn't manage living constantly under someone else's rules especially when they like to change them at the drop of a hat.

 

[luvthempigs]

I know it's easier said than done but my first reaction was to move. I'm lucky to own my own house so I don't have to put up with that kind of bs. What a nightmare to have to live under rules like that and never know what kind of note you *may* find on your front door :rollseyes:X

 

[Nancy McClelland]

As I see it, you have two choices. Be nice, explain in detail that it wasn't you or your rabbit and get an acknowledgement from them--make sure you write it out and have proof that they got it, and question them about your move from first to third on the list. There is always legal recourse but it tends to get messy even when you prevail. The second is to go fang and claw--mention that you will take legal recourse if the bogus complaint isn't withdrawn and you are to be re-instated on the waiting list, and that you will register a complaint about the manager to the owners that you have been singled out for unknown reasons with absolutely no wrong doing on your part. Good luck. There is a third and fourth--do nothing and hope for the best, or start looking for another locale.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

My husband and I would love to move but we are still in our lease for a few more months. We are saving for a down payment on our own home and my husband just finished college. So moving is not an option. I don't understand it, the manager has never been "anti bunny" before. Thanks for all the great advice. I am going to do everything possible to get them to withdraw the complaint. The straw did not come from Fraggles. I would like to point out also that if it was a piece of actual straw then it had to have come from elsewhere because we don't use straw.

 

[LindyS]

Hahhahaha tell them you use timothy hay blocks that compressed and the pellet litter so they have no case.

 

[Acacia-Berry]

Hmm, this seems unfair. I feel your pain though. At least you're allowed to keep Fraggles though!I know this is the only place I've lived that didn't mind bunnies. The guy who bought the house and rented us the room likes animals! My other place I would have been shot had they found out what Akina was doing when she was getting sick.
I hope this matter is addressed with tenant's rights in mind.

 

[slavetoabunny]

Hmmmm.....so they can evict you for a piece of straw in the hallway (and no one actually witnessed your bunny running rampant), yet you can't leave because they have you locked into a lease. What's wrong with this picture?

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Yes great point. I asked if they had one single person who say her running a muck threw the halls and they said NO. I told them that if they went door to door not one person would say they saw her in the halls because she was never there. I would never turn her loose in our building. She could be injured.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Sounds like someone with an ax to grind. Keep on saving as now is a great time to be a home buyer. Interest is low and prices are in the basement. The only hard part right now is getting qualified on a loan.

 

[woahlookitsme]

When you signed the lease or got the rabbit were you paying for the rabbit to be there? Or on the lease does it say you have a rabbit. I guess Im just wondering how open were the landlords towards the rabbit when they knew fraggles was coming?

 

[Marrie]

Do they have security in the hallways? A lot of apartments i've been in that have hallways have cameras... you could ask them to check the recordings if so and see your bunny is NOT out running loose!

Sounds like either the manager or a neighbor have an issue with you. A piece of straw should in no way get you a warning.

 

[Acacia-Berry]

Exactly. So, if you see a kid's ball laying in the hallway you can blame the single parent in #3 (hypothetical, I don't know you or your living place) and ask to have them warned or evicted?
Or if someone has a cat, which you only see from the window outside, you can accuse the owner of leaving litter around bc, you know, anyone who neglects their pets OBVIOUSLY tracks their litter around. . This is my sarcasm at work here folks.

 

[Bassetluv]

Nancy McClelland wrote:

As I see it, you have two choices. Be nice, explain in detail that it wasn't you or your rabbit and get an acknowledgement from them--make sure you write it out and have proof that they got it, and question them about your move from first to third on the list. There is always legal recourse but it tends to get messy even when you prevail. The second is to go fang and claw--mention that you will take legal recourse if the bogus complaint isn't withdrawn and you are to be re-instated on the waiting list, and that you will register a complaint about the manager to the owners that you have been singled out for unknown reasons with absolutely no wrong doing on your part. Good luck. There is a third and fourth--do nothing and hope for the best, or start looking for another locale.

:yeahthat:

Unfortunately these kinds of situations do come up with pet owners living in rentals. Many years ago my (then) husband and I took over as building managers for two apartment complexes, as the fellow who used to have the job was retiring. The owners did allow pets on the premises, but it turns out that the old building manager hated having animals around, so he used to go to apartments where the owners had dogs, and, when the owners were at work, he would pound on their door in an effort to get the dog to start barking...then would file a complaint stating that the dog was being disruptive and would tell them they had to get rid of their pet. :X

I suspect that the reported straw in the hallway in your building might have been nothing more than grass that was dragged in by another tenant. Or it could have been placed there by someone (building manager, another tenant) who doesn't like the idea of another tenant having rabbits in the building. Who knows. But I think Nancy McClelland's advice was pretty spot on.

It wouldn't hurt to be on the lookout for another place to live as a *just in case*; but hopefully this will subside without any more problems and all will work out for you.