Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in California

Noisy Garage Storage/Rental Tenant

I am renting an apartment in an older 1920�s building with 4 units. There are 4 garages on an alley (beach area) that are not included with the apartment rental. The garages are often rented to 'outsiders' for storage use. A new garage tenant is making a very grand disturbance on weekends and I want to end this problem ASAP. The men are storing very loud *unknown items*. I have seen tires, axels, fans, & machinery but the true extent is not known. The alley and tenant also park illegally for more than one hour (this occurs on Sunday�s) and several men work in the garage moving heavy equipment in & out, sometimes even tossing items into a steel trailer parked under my window. These large heavy items are constantly hit and banged onto the garage ceiling which is my floor (wood structure) and it is UNbelievably disturbing!! The noise is truly extreme and continuous. I rarely complain about anything in this building & have lived here for 25 years but I am so disturbed by this problem. I want to know where or who to contact in regard to pressuring my management company. i.e. Housing Authority? Fire Dept? What are my rights? Can I, should I, call the Police? I have called the apt. management & complained (left a message), also delivered my concern in writing but they very complacent in attending to complaints. Do I have a right to know what is being stored under my apartment? (possible fire hazard) Are their laws regarding 'commercial storage' in a residential building? Any guidance would be, ever so, appreciated. I need to know how to pressure my management company. This situation is completely unfair to �us� tenants that are paying pricey rent, that we have to put up with rude �garage rental noise. HELP! Thank you so much, in advance.


Asked on 5/10/11, 5:33 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
David Gibbs The Gibbs Law Firm, APC

Contact the local code enforcement and housing agency. The garages cannot be generally used for commercial enterprises. You do not have a right to know what is being stored under your unit, but a call to code enforcement will force the owner to deal with the situation. Be very, very specific in your complaint to code enforcement. Also, be prepared that the owner of the building may retaliate against you. They are not allowed to do so legally, but it happens all the time.

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Answered on 7/13/11, 3:05 pm


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