My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: Ohio
I'm at my wits end. I hope someone will have some advice (other than moving out) at the end of this novel, lol.
We moved here just over a year ago, and things weren't bad in the beginning. Now we have troubles on and off with the kids that live here. These kids range in age from 8-15 in age, and they are all from about 7-8 different trailers out here. The park owner has been notified several times for problems with these kids causing damage to homes and cars out here. All he ever says is I'll talk to them when I'm out there. The park manager is a relative of two problem families (and one or two of the other families are work buddies with the park managers son). Talking to him seems to do nothing either. I've resorted to keeping my kids in the yard or the house at all times due to the fact that if any of them are seen out in the trailer court they are attacked. The sheriff has been called 3 times by myself and several times by my sister-in-law and a friend who live out here. All of us have been told that without photo or video proof nothing can be done. I attempted to take pictures of some of the kids out in front of my house yelling at my kids in our yard, but I then had angry parents knocking on my door wanting to know why I was taking pictures of their kids and calling me a pervert. These kids will tell there parents anything and the parents beleive every word of it so talking with the parents gets nothing done. A friend of ours has started witholding rent from the park owner until something is done about things.
Just a couple of nights ago that same friend of ours came home to find that someone had broken into his home. Their were kid sized shoe prints from mud all over the place. Luckily the only thing missing was a couple of Playstation 3 controllers.
I guess my concern is do I have any options in this case? Since a security system seems to be a requirement to live here is it something I can deduct from rent? Or should I get my own attorney and put my rent into an escrow account?
I'm currently laid off and I'm going to school full time so moving really isn't in the cards right now (maybe in a year when I'm done with school but till then...). These kids have thrown snowballs, rocks, and even a part of a cinder block at my home, and the sheriff told me without proof I can't press charges.
I know when I was a kid if someone called the cops on you, your butt was in trouble, boy how things have changed.
Thanks for any and all advice!
Mike from Ohio

