Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Washington

Neighbor problems.....let me count the ways

my main problem and question is this:

how do i go about getting some action taken against my neighbors for their spitting all over the stairway and in front of our door in some cases? they spit nasty, colored sputum and it's clearly a health hazard that i don't need, especially with 2 kids running in and out.

i've already made 2 complaints to the landlord but nothing has changed and the landlord said that no one has complained before? i said that's because the people below them are their buddies and i don't know who lived here before but we do now and we're complaining.

the landlord is not taking it serious, so what's my next step? people can get assault 4 charges for spitting on someone. surely i can get some sort of case against them for this health hazard. they're druggies so who knows what they have?

thanks,

Andreas


Asked on 2/04/05, 6:09 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Elizabeth Powell ELizabeth Powell PS Inc

Re: Neighbor problems.....let me count the ways

Well, the first and most obvious solution is to move.

Barring that, you can present your landlord with proof of your neighbor's drug habits.

Proof is photographs or a videotape of your neighbor engaging in drug conduct or buy/sell transactions.

It is NOT your word. There has to be more.

The landlord-tenant laws have a chapter that authorizes a landlord to institute eviction proceedings against a tenant who is engaging in drug conduct or drug buy/sell conduct.

The spitting is nasty but again, how are you going to prove it?

The other way to go is to ask the District Court to issue an anti-harassment order which will keep your neighbors away from you and your children. The downside is then you are living next to angry, resentful spitting drug people.

Honestly, it would be simpler to move.

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Answered on 2/04/05, 7:46 pm


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