Is Landlord Permitted To Do This??

By frustratedinflorida

I’ve lived in the same 4-Plex apartment complex for approx. 12 years.  During this time, almost every other tenant has been a relative, or good friend to the landlord or his wife.  Guess you could say I’m an ‘outcast’…:)

Currently, the other 3 apartments are rented by:

1)   2 Young men (approx. 20 yrs old -brothers/twins).  These boys have been friends with the landlords wife since they were knee-high to a grasshopper.

2)  My landlord’s wife’s daughter & her boyfriend (landlords step-daughter)

3)  A couple (male/female) approx. 35 yrs old, whom happen to be:  The female is the sister of the boyfriend that lives with the landlords step-daughter)

The situation is such:  Anytime I have said anything (I mean ANYTHING) to the landlord, rather it be about my personal life, my water-heater stopped working, the neighbors above me were partying at wee hours of the night/morning (still partying at 4:00 AM, and the walls and ceiling are paper thin – which, by the way, those neighbors are out of here) – the list goes on and on – my landlord repeats everything I say/do to the other tentants in the complex.

Now mind you – I dearly love my landlord.  He is an exceptionally sweet, kind-hearted man. That I cannot complain about.   What I do not like is the fact he ‘runs his mouth’ to the other tenants anytime I say/do anything.

I’ll give a few examples:  (and this is just a few!):

1)  When I was having the problem with the ‘partiers’ above me til wee hours of the morning, he told them they had to move out due to ‘me’ complaining – i.e., he could of said he’d had complaints from the neighborhood they were too noisy; or he could of told him he broke the lease due to:  He was the only one on the lease, then approx. 2 months after he moved in, he moved his wife and 5 kids in with him;  he could of told him he would drive by on his way home and could see and hear the partying (he’s a fireman that works odd hours and lives close by).  Of course, he did not kick them out until their lease was up, therefore he did not have to return their deposit.  By telling the renter he had to leave due to me, it caused major problems.  i.e., keyed my car, made MORE noise just to ‘pay me back’, flattened 2 tires on my car, etc. (I am sure of these due to having a camera outside watching his every move).

2)  I was 6 days late paying my rent (1 time out of approx. 12 years), and he repeated it to the twins and his step-daughter. (which in-turn, they told everyone else).

3)  My kitchen floor was linoleum and I was so tired of it.  I asked the landlord if it would be O.K. if I put wood/laminate flooring over it. (at my expense) (which would only increase the ‘value’ of the apartment).  He said ‘sure’.  Next thing I know, one of my neighbors tells me he ‘hears I’m re-doing my floor’.

4)  I was employed at the same place for 35+ years, and was laid off due to the end of a certain program.  My landlord told my neighbors about this too.

5) I have had some ‘personal’ health problems – my landlord told my neighbors about that too.

There are so many more, but I’m hoping you get the gist of it all.

Just an FYI – I am ‘The Perfect Renter’.  I do not bother any of the other renters, keep to myself, do not complain about any of them (other than the partiers above me – that was my ‘limit’).  I do not bug/bother my landlord; i.e., never call him, harass him, complain about others, etc.).  The complex is in need of repairs; i.e., back fence is falling apart, I have serious electrical problems in my apartment (which he ‘is shocked about’ when I mention them to him;  the roof is approx. 3/4 completed after he himself re-did the roof after one of the hurricanes blew the roof off (approx. 4-5 yrs ago).  There is many more, but I’ll stop here.

The parking places for each unit – which he has assigned 2 parking places per unit, are un-detectable.  i.e., the lines for the parking places have ‘disappeared’, no longer visible.  Has been this way for a min. of 3-4 years.  Being on up there in age, I have a bigger problem detecting the lines that were there than the rest of the renters.  So – I went out and bought a can of bright-orange paint and sprayed just the very ends of the lines that were there so I could detect my parking spots.

I know my landlord has had to see the lines I put there, but lo-n-behold, he’s not bothered to take care of the problem.  Instead, it has created a problem with the other renters.  Out of ‘spite’ (trying to impress their ‘buddies’ living in the complex), they are constantly parking over into my parking areas, etc.  Parking is a major problem – not enough parking places in the area.  There is soooo much more, but I’ll stop here, give you guys a break….:)

QUESTION:  Is my landlord permitted, by law, to repeat to the other renters my personal information, or any information about/from me?  Do I not have a right-to-privacy in this area?

Related posts:

Holy Cow, we couldn't find any other related post. Sorry. :(