Problems With Rental Property Next Door

[njamber8366]

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: NJ
I share a fence with a rented house. The tenants have a dog that has dug large holes under the fence into my yard, damaged my buried landscape lighting wiring and is knocking down a section of the fence (which they have rigged to leaning with twine) Who is responsible? Landlord or tenant?

[SChinFChin]

The short answer is, you can go after "both".

I'm a landlord, and I generally do not allow dogs. But I got tenant's sneaking dogs in without my knowledge, some just doing temporary "dog sitting" for vacationing relative or neighbors, or some just came by to ask if they can have one, some time after they moved in.

I've also followed real estate discussion groups, and this question's been debated for years.

Generally, landlord's liability policies may prohibit dog's of certain breeds, and to further reduce liability, as LL, I also require tenants to carry "renter's insurance", and in cases, where dogs are involved, dog coverage may be required to be extended as well.

Based on these discussions, I can conclude that a landlord is usually deeply involved with allowing in a tenant with dogs, setting the limits, and the issues are generally covered in both landlord and tenant liability policies.

If I were you, either you yourself, or get an attorney to write a letter requesting reimbursement for damages, to both the landlord and the tenant mentioning that they are both liable, as should both carry insurance for these things.

Some years back, I got a neighbor of one of my rentals who did not trim her rose bushes by my driveway, and the thorns injured my tenant and scratched up his car. I verbally confronted the neighbor, he blew me off twice, and we got into a shouting match the third time around.

I got my attorney to write a letter, outlining the damages. The neighbor didn't pay the damages, but quietly trimmed the bushes, and it was trimmed for over 20 years since. My tenant and I was not interested in collecting damages, we just want the bushes trimmed, so my tenant does not get injured getting and out of the car, which is the area where the bushes were.

You'll have to decide whether reimbursement is the issue, or stopping the dog from digging is the issue. Either way, a letter., preferably certified, will put them on notice. A letter from an attorney will get more attention.