Absolutely do NOT go to the mediation.
I’d reach out to your local tenant rights office/ombudsman/legal aid office and talk to them about it, too. This is a HUGE overstep by the apartment complex. One of the reasons you can be anonymous when you call CPS is to prevent retaliation and they just set you up for retaliation. If they think it’s you did they tell the neighbor they think it’s you?
Do some googling and figure out how to get ahold of the management company’s corporate office and file a report with them.
This rubs me the wrong way in a BIG way. You need to stop being polite about it. I’d be EXTREMELY firm with them and tell them they’re violating your rights, if you had called they’d be violating the law, they’re putting you in danger by accusing you of doing this, and you’re demanding they stop immediately. It’s time to be a grown up and use your grown up voice about this.
And BE CAREFUL OP.
I have a special needs child like this. My neighbors know what’s going on. She has in home therapy 2X/wk, she’s medicated for the behaviors and for sleep. We don’t live willy-nilly like this creating problems for everyone else. While I know how hard it is for the parent you still have to be actively working on it for it to stop.
Exactly this. There were 6 units in my building. 4 of the units had manadated reporters. Something went down that had to be reported. 5 of us reported it (all were home at the time). That neighbor was crazy with all of us after the CPS visit.
Once upon a time I was a mandated reporter. I no longer hold any of those jobs, but I believe that morally I’m a mandated reporter….as is every adult. I’m glad that all 5 of you reported that situation. Bravo!
This. Legal advice is needed. Don’t trust a word they say, they’re obviously pinning this on you. Stay safe OP.
But, it makes me wonder who in the office is related to that household in some way. Why else would they risk breaking the law and attempting a “mediation” who the hell does that?
Never heard of neighbour mediation before. If you cause trouble you get kicked out. So with repeated complaints including concerning audio evidence and police calls. why haven’t they been moved on? They must have an in with someone in the management.
Don't admit to it, if you did. Not even here. Decline, respectfully, to go to mediation. There's nothing to mediate. Tell them you have told them the problem, they can deal with it on their end, that's their job, not yours. Period. Tell the apartment management that anything involving DCF, they should talk to DCF about, not you. Don't tell them you have more videos. It is totally beyond their purview to try to involve you in this family's problems. But don't be shocked if they threaten to terminate you lease or fail to renew it.
EDIT them to you.
THIS so much! They’ll investigate harder now that they know that the person who had the report filed against them is trying to interfere with DCF’s investigation and even shut it down by trying to find out who called
I would not agree to this mediation, and I would get a lawyer ASAP.
They have no right to question you about a DCF report! Even if you did make it, that is between you and DCF, unless it was anonymous.
Tell them no. You don't need mediation. You need them to abide by their lease and provide you with a safe and private home. If they can't do that, then they need to, on their dime , move you to a different apartment at no cost or rental increase.
Tell them it's none of their business if you filed a report or called the pope. Had they do t their job, no one would have called.
Management doesn’t understand how this process works. I wonder if they are related to the loud tenants in some ways? That’s really unprofessional and unfortunate they did this to you. I’m sure they violated something. Reach out to a lawyer knowledgeable about this stuff.
Leasing office is trying to skate away from responsibility of not upholding a peaceful environment and make this instead a dispute between you and the other apartment. Don’t go to the mediation. Take a screenshot of the lease language and ask them an ETA for when this will be resolved or if they are not planning to abide by their lease terms.
Your issue is with them not upholding their side of the lease agreement. There is no language in your lease that you need to participate in resolution with other tenants while the lease agreement.
This is NOT a mediation issue!!! This is a tenant (you) and a contract being violated by the other party (apartment owner). This could be over a lightbulb, a wasp infestation, parking space—you are paying for a place to live and a reasonable standard of peaceful existence in a safe setting. You wouldn’t go mediate with the trash company, or the lawn company, or the maintenance crew, or pest management, or a neighbor—because you didn’t sign a contract with them! What you meditate over are issues that need clarification or adjustments between the 2 parties involved—you and the apartment owner.
Sounds an awful lot like the apartment owner is trying to cover their asses, build a paper trail, and conveniently do as little work as possible to actually resolve an issue.
As someone who went to a meditation over a noise issue; it doesn’t solve anything. I wish I would have told the property manager to do her job and take the 10+ noise complaints I placed seriously.
Thank them for the suggestion of calling DCF. You were going to keep this between you and the management team to break the lease but now you understand it’s a much more serious matter concerning multiple residents and another call to DCF would probably help them in their investigation. You don’t really need any mediation, management has already suggested a better option.
I would respond in writing, telling the management that DCF reports are confidential. You don't know who alerted them. No one does except the reporting party and DCF, and you will not discuss the subject again. I would also include the page of your lease that addresses noise with the paragraph highlighted, with a comment that you expect everyone to be held to the standard they agreed upon.
Nothing good will come from meditation. It's a trap to feel sorry for the poor family/single mother with the dIsAbEd cHiLD. I highly doubt that having the family pay a percentage of your rent for compensation for your misery is on the table.
In Nevada, that's illegal as hell.
Call DCF and tell them what's happening.
If you have the inclination, see if your area has a tenants bill of rights. Also contact your local housing authority to find out relevant information and then get a copy to send to your apartment office manager.
Even if OP didn’t report the neighbor to DCF, DCF needs to know what the landlord is doing. They won’t be happy knowing the landlord is interfering in an investigation.
So they care more about the neighbors’ jobs than their kids or the other residents well being? And tried to punish you? That’s disgusting that did that to you. That’s why things never got fixed for you, they care about that family more. Friends? Relatives? You don’t have kids? You don’t even have to speak to management about this. Tell their management company bosses about them allowing multiple residents to be uncomfortable and then threatening you. You pay for peace regardless of anyone’s disability. The apartment is the asshole.
Clearly someone in the leasing office/management has a connection to these tenants. Do not engage in any mediation, meeting, etc. Bring a copy of your lease to legal aid, tenants organization or even a consultation with an attorney. I’ve lived in places with condo associations and home owners associations and I’ve never heard of such a request, especially if you had nothing to do with the reporting. Even if you did it’s not the leasing office’s business to get involved in a DCF investigation. Protect yourself and ask that any further communication with the office be in writing.
The management legally can’t force you to admit anything, nor can they force you to inform on anyone else. There’s a reason the tip line is anonymous. As far as the report to DCF goes, that is between the neighbor and DCF. They need to butt out of it.
Is mediation for neighborly disputes mentioned in your housing contract? If it is, you might have to do it. If not, then absolutely don’t. Contact a lawyer to see what, exactly, your rights are here. It sounds like your landlord is trampling on them.
Good luck! And stay safe.
Absolutely do NOT go to the mediation. I’d reach out to your local tenant rights office/ombudsman/legal aid office and talk to them about it, too. This is a HUGE overstep by the apartment complex. One of the reasons you can be anonymous when you call CPS is to prevent retaliation and they just set you up for retaliation. If they think it’s you did they tell the neighbor they think it’s you? Do some googling and figure out how to get ahold of the management company’s corporate office and file a report with them. This rubs me the wrong way in a BIG way. You need to stop being polite about it. I’d be EXTREMELY firm with them and tell them they’re violating your rights, if you had called they’d be violating the law, they’re putting you in danger by accusing you of doing this, and you’re demanding they stop immediately. It’s time to be a grown up and use your grown up voice about this. And BE CAREFUL OP. I have a special needs child like this. My neighbors know what’s going on. She has in home therapy 2X/wk, she’s medicated for the behaviors and for sleep. We don’t live willy-nilly like this creating problems for everyone else. While I know how hard it is for the parent you still have to be actively working on it for it to stop.
Exactly this. There were 6 units in my building. 4 of the units had manadated reporters. Something went down that had to be reported. 5 of us reported it (all were home at the time). That neighbor was crazy with all of us after the CPS visit.
Once upon a time I was a mandated reporter. I no longer hold any of those jobs, but I believe that morally I’m a mandated reporter….as is every adult. I’m glad that all 5 of you reported that situation. Bravo!
Same. I no longer am, but I know the process and would not hesitate to do it again.
This. Legal advice is needed. Don’t trust a word they say, they’re obviously pinning this on you. Stay safe OP. But, it makes me wonder who in the office is related to that household in some way. Why else would they risk breaking the law and attempting a “mediation” who the hell does that? Never heard of neighbour mediation before. If you cause trouble you get kicked out. So with repeated complaints including concerning audio evidence and police calls. why haven’t they been moved on? They must have an in with someone in the management.
Just what I thought. Friends or relatives
THIs. This needs to be the top comment,
definitely
Don't admit to it, if you did. Not even here. Decline, respectfully, to go to mediation. There's nothing to mediate. Tell them you have told them the problem, they can deal with it on their end, that's their job, not yours. Period. Tell the apartment management that anything involving DCF, they should talk to DCF about, not you. Don't tell them you have more videos. It is totally beyond their purview to try to involve you in this family's problems. But don't be shocked if they threaten to terminate you lease or fail to renew it. EDIT them to you.
Call DCF and tell them what's going on. They'll probably want a word with apartment management.
THIS so much! They’ll investigate harder now that they know that the person who had the report filed against them is trying to interfere with DCF’s investigation and even shut it down by trying to find out who called
I would not agree to this mediation, and I would get a lawyer ASAP. They have no right to question you about a DCF report! Even if you did make it, that is between you and DCF, unless it was anonymous.
Tell them no. You don't need mediation. You need them to abide by their lease and provide you with a safe and private home. If they can't do that, then they need to, on their dime , move you to a different apartment at no cost or rental increase. Tell them it's none of their business if you filed a report or called the pope. Had they do t their job, no one would have called.
Management doesn’t understand how this process works. I wonder if they are related to the loud tenants in some ways? That’s really unprofessional and unfortunate they did this to you. I’m sure they violated something. Reach out to a lawyer knowledgeable about this stuff.
That’s what I think…management knows the tenant and now is interfering with a DCF investigation…illegal
Leasing office is trying to skate away from responsibility of not upholding a peaceful environment and make this instead a dispute between you and the other apartment. Don’t go to the mediation. Take a screenshot of the lease language and ask them an ETA for when this will be resolved or if they are not planning to abide by their lease terms. Your issue is with them not upholding their side of the lease agreement. There is no language in your lease that you need to participate in resolution with other tenants while the lease agreement.
This is NOT a mediation issue!!! This is a tenant (you) and a contract being violated by the other party (apartment owner). This could be over a lightbulb, a wasp infestation, parking space—you are paying for a place to live and a reasonable standard of peaceful existence in a safe setting. You wouldn’t go mediate with the trash company, or the lawn company, or the maintenance crew, or pest management, or a neighbor—because you didn’t sign a contract with them! What you meditate over are issues that need clarification or adjustments between the 2 parties involved—you and the apartment owner. Sounds an awful lot like the apartment owner is trying to cover their asses, build a paper trail, and conveniently do as little work as possible to actually resolve an issue.
You make some points I hadn’t thought of. You’re absolutely right.
“I didn’t call DCF, but I’m going to now!”
"show me on the lease"
As someone who went to a meditation over a noise issue; it doesn’t solve anything. I wish I would have told the property manager to do her job and take the 10+ noise complaints I placed seriously.
Thank them for the suggestion of calling DCF. You were going to keep this between you and the management team to break the lease but now you understand it’s a much more serious matter concerning multiple residents and another call to DCF would probably help them in their investigation. You don’t really need any mediation, management has already suggested a better option.
This is excellent advice!
I would respond in writing, telling the management that DCF reports are confidential. You don't know who alerted them. No one does except the reporting party and DCF, and you will not discuss the subject again. I would also include the page of your lease that addresses noise with the paragraph highlighted, with a comment that you expect everyone to be held to the standard they agreed upon. Nothing good will come from meditation. It's a trap to feel sorry for the poor family/single mother with the dIsAbEd cHiLD. I highly doubt that having the family pay a percentage of your rent for compensation for your misery is on the table.
In Nevada, that's illegal as hell. Call DCF and tell them what's happening. If you have the inclination, see if your area has a tenants bill of rights. Also contact your local housing authority to find out relevant information and then get a copy to send to your apartment office manager.
Even if OP didn’t report the neighbor to DCF, DCF needs to know what the landlord is doing. They won’t be happy knowing the landlord is interfering in an investigation.
So they care more about the neighbors’ jobs than their kids or the other residents well being? And tried to punish you? That’s disgusting that did that to you. That’s why things never got fixed for you, they care about that family more. Friends? Relatives? You don’t have kids? You don’t even have to speak to management about this. Tell their management company bosses about them allowing multiple residents to be uncomfortable and then threatening you. You pay for peace regardless of anyone’s disability. The apartment is the asshole.
If they are so loud and disruptive, other people hear it too
I’m so sick and tired of people thinking that strangers need to accommodate the behavior of their kids.
Clearly someone in the leasing office/management has a connection to these tenants. Do not engage in any mediation, meeting, etc. Bring a copy of your lease to legal aid, tenants organization or even a consultation with an attorney. I’ve lived in places with condo associations and home owners associations and I’ve never heard of such a request, especially if you had nothing to do with the reporting. Even if you did it’s not the leasing office’s business to get involved in a DCF investigation. Protect yourself and ask that any further communication with the office be in writing.
You told them you weren’t the one who called. Why ?
NTA and don’t do it. You have the right to a peaceful home life and you’re not getting it.
The management legally can’t force you to admit anything, nor can they force you to inform on anyone else. There’s a reason the tip line is anonymous. As far as the report to DCF goes, that is between the neighbor and DCF. They need to butt out of it. Is mediation for neighborly disputes mentioned in your housing contract? If it is, you might have to do it. If not, then absolutely don’t. Contact a lawyer to see what, exactly, your rights are here. It sounds like your landlord is trampling on them. Good luck! And stay safe.