Legal Question in Landlord & Tenant Law in Virginia

Unruly tenants in a family neighborhood

I live in a family neighborhood -- my family and many of my neighbors have been here for 30 or more years. One house amongst us is now a rental, and the tenants constantly throw parties which involve underage drinking, fighting, trash (broken bottles, beer cans, used condoms) strewn in ours and our neighbors' lawns. The tenants make no effort to clean up after their guests. The police got involved last night and broke up a party (and interrupted an adult having sex with a minor in her car), but then had to return when a few of the party-goers threw something against our house and ran through our back yard. We have spoken to the landlord on numerous occasions to complain about their unruly tenants and each time the response has been ''I can rent to whomever I please'' and ''it's your problem...call the police.'' Is there any sort of action that can be taken, other than continually calling the police? The best solution is to see the tenants removed from the property, but I have no idea if that is possible, or where to start if it is. I can't see how we should have to continue to endure this. Thank you for your assistance.


Asked on 9/14/03, 3:33 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Michael Hendrickson Law Office Michael E. Hendrickson

Re: Unruly tenants in a family neighborhood

There is no easy or simple remedy for the problem which you've described. If some of these tenants and/or their "guests" are running through your property and/or throwing things at your house, obviously, those who are responsible for these actions can be prosecuted as a result of your criminal complaint. If they're making excessive noise or engaging (or permitting others to engage) in underage drinking, these are , also, matters which are reportable to the police (which, apparently, you've been doing).

You do not, however, have the power or authority, to initiate any action either by yourself or conjoined with your neighbors to have

either these (or other) unruly tenants removed from the property of another who has lawfully leased the premises to them.

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Answered on 9/14/03, 2:43 pm


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