Landlords and Political Yard Signs

[AllieBaba]

I'm sure you'll come up with some wonderfully depraved and horrible reason for him to make that choice.

The landlords I know don't want their tenants putting up signs because #1, it clutters up the yards, and #2, it creates friction between the renters and their neighbors.

 

[AllieBaba]

They have paid for use of the yard and have the right to put up a sign of their choice.

Unfortunately, that's not the way it works. You can't clutter up your yard with any old crap you want just because you pay rent on it.

 

[Paulie]

They have paid for use of the yard and have the right to put up a sign of their choice.

Not necessarily though. There are many different ways you can pay to use someone else's property for whatever, but you are still confined to certain rules and regulations. I pay for a seat at a Phillies game, but I still have to follow the stadium rules.

I'm going to ask him if I can put up a McCain sign. I'll report back to this thread on how it goes.

 

[ReillyT]

Not necessarily though. There are many different ways you can pay to use someone else's property for whatever, but you are still confined to certain rules and regulations. I pay for a seat at a Phillies game, but I still have to follow the stadium rules.

I'm going to ask him if I can put up a McCain sign. I'll report back to this thread on how it goes.

I think if your neighbors were the only renters, then the yard would be part of the leased property and they could probably put up any sign they wanted (signs being temporary and non-injurious) absent any lease clause to the contrary. However, since you share the property with them, the yard would qualify as a common area, and they are probably not allowed to decorate common area without the landlord's approval. It would be the equivalent of the lobby area in an apartment building.

That is my best guess anyway.

 

[mattskramer]

They have paid for use of the yard and have the right to put up a sign of their choice.

Yes, but to what degree do you have use of the yard? Can you replace the grass with painted rocks or concrete? Can you dig ditches? Can you post signs that say “God Hates Fags” or “******* Are Evil”?

 

[Truthmatters]

When you rent a property you have paid for the use of the property.

A political yard sign is a perfectly legal thing to do with a rented property.

He will find his ass in big trouble if he tries to shut down their free speech.

 

[Paulie]

I think if your neighbors were the only renters, then the yard would be part of the leased property and they could probably put up any sign they wanted (signs being temporary and non-injurious) absent any lease clause to the contrary. However, since you share the property with them, the yard would qualify as a common area, and they are probably not allowed to decorate common area without the landlord's approval. It would be the equivalent of the lobby area in an apartment building.

That is my best guess anyway.

That makes sense, but the reason for taking the sign down has already been clearly given by the landlord. He expressly stated he wanted it taken down because he's a Republican and he doesn't want to have to look at it when he comes around.

The worst part about it, is that he actually had his property manager call US to ask the neighbors to take it down for that reason.

He didn't even have to balls to come here and ask them himself.

 

[Truthmatters]

Unfortunately, that's not the way it works. You can't clutter up your yard with any old crap you want just because you pay rent on it.

If this were some liberal landlord telling your family member they could not put up a McCain sign I bet you would be really pissed?

 

[AllieBaba]

No, because I understand that the landlord has the RIGHT to do that. Unlike lefties, I'm not concerned with the thoughts inside his head, if he's within the law, he's within the law. I'm not, as Paul is, the thought police. I don't claim to be able to read people's minds and motivations, and have no interest in doing so, so long as they don't violate my rights.

Telling me not to put a McCain sign on my (figurative) $475/month low-income housing unit balcony is not in any way restricting my freedom.

The only people that would see it are the crack heads on the other side of the playground anyway, and they probably don't even vote.

 

[Ravi]

I don't claim to be able to read people's minds and motivations,

Except on the thread about Jebus.

 

[Paulie]

No, because I understand that the landlord has the RIGHT to do that. Unlike lefties, I'm not concerned with the thoughts inside his head, if he's within the law, he's within the law. I'm not, as Paul is, the thought police. I don't claim to be able to read people's minds and motivations, and have no interest in doing so, so long as they don't violate my rights.

Telling me not to put a McCain sign on my (figurative) $475/month low-income housing unit balcony is not in any way restricting my freedom.

The only people that would see it are the crack heads on the other side of the playground anyway, and they probably don't even vote.

LOL, I'm the thought police now? The guy clearly gave his reason why he wanted it down. I didn't have to interpret it at all. The racism part is a moot point, really. I had made an assumption that he's probably racist, considering his buddies were throwing racial slurs around like they were going out of style. He wasn't even there, so I have no idea if he approved of it or not. But it doesn't matter. I don't suspect he wants the sign down because he's racist, I already KNOW he wants the sign down because he's a Republican. That's all that matters.

But regarding thought police, I didn't see you disapprove of the Thought Crime Bill when that was being discussed. I suppose you're ok with it though, because it protects your security, right?

 

[Truthmatters]

No, because I understand that the landlord has the RIGHT to do that. Unlike lefties, I'm not concerned with the thoughts inside his head, if he's within the law, he's within the law. I'm not, as Paul is, the thought police. I don't claim to be able to read people's minds and motivations, and have no interest in doing so, so long as they don't violate my rights.

Telling me not to put a McCain sign on my (figurative) $475/month low-income housing unit balcony is not in any way restricting my freedom.

The only people that would see it are the crack heads on the other side of the playground anyway, and they probably don't even vote.

When you PAY for the use of the property you have purchased the right to use the property in a legal way.

A political yard sign is perfectly legal.

You are kinda slow huh?

 

[AllieBaba]

I wasn't involved in a thought crime bill discussion, didn't read it.

So we're done here...you admit that it isn't about the law itself, it's about what he's thinking. At the same time you state you know what he's thinking, but haven't ever actually heard him voice the thoughts and racial slurs which you imply he holds dear.

Like I said, just another excuse to get the word "******" out there and attribute it to some nameless conservative...who, upon reflection, never said it anyway. The point is, you malign the whole group with one fell swoop, and get to give vent to your own frustration at not being able to control the thoughts of others at the same time.

Well done.

 

[AllieBaba]

When you PAY for the use of the property you have purchased the right to use the property in a legal way.

A political yard sign is perfectly legal.

You are kinda slow huh?

No, I'm not. You need to look at some landlord/tenant law, genius.

 

[editec]

I think it's his property and he has the final say.

Me, too.

 

[Paulie]

When you PAY for the use of the property you have purchased the right to use the property in a legal way.

A political yard sign is perfectly legal.

You are kinda slow huh?

There are many perfectly legal things I could do on this property. It's perfectly legal for me to cut a tree down, but it doesn't mean I am allowed to do it on HIS property.

You are not allowed to have free reign to do whatever you want on the property just because you are renting it.

I think the only area where legality comes into play, is if it isn't addressed in the lease. If he doesn't say you can't do it in the lease, then you MAY have a legal leg to stand on. That's supposed to be the time where you air out the rules and regulations.

I don't know where the lease is, I have to wait until the misses comes home. I'll check the lease and see what it says regarding signs, if it says anything. I'll also be asking the landlord how he feels about a McCain sign.

 

[mattskramer]

When you PAY for the use of the property you have purchased the right to use the property in a legal way.

A political yard sign is perfectly legal.

You are kinda slow huh?

What is your position if your unsigned lease explicitly says: “No political yards signs allowed”? Would you file suit or find somewhere else to live?

 

[bornright]

This probably could have been put in Ethics as well, but whatever.

My neighbors have the same landlord as we do. They're Obama supporters, and they have an Obama yard sign put up in their section of the yard that we both actually share (the yard, not the sign). Apparently, the landlord wants them to take down the sign because he's a Republican, and he doesn't want to "have to keep looking at it" when he comes around.

Now, I realize that it's actually his property and they are just renting, but I'm wondering how much of a leg he has to stand on in this situation. This same landlord allowed me to repaint our entire unit with custom colors, he allowed me to replace the kitchen countertop when we moved in, and took it off the rent, and it was at our request, not something he was originally going to do. He also allowed me to till a big section of the backyard grass to plant a vegetable garden. There are a lot of things he allowed us to do, basically.

What I'm wondering is, how much of a right does he really have to tell them to take down the sign, in light of the fact that he's allowed so much alteration of the property otherwise. He doesn't have to look at the sign. He's letting his personal feelings come between fair use and, perhaps, tenant rights.

I'd have to read the lease again to see if it mentions political advertisements, but I really don't remember seeing it when we signed ours. Not that it would matter much I suppose, had they placed a McCain sign out instead.

What are your thoughts?

Who has the responsibility of maintaining the yard?

 

[Paulie]

I wasn't involved in a thought crime bill discussion, didn't read it.

So we're done here...you admit that it isn't about the law itself, it's about what he's thinking. At the same time you state you know what he's thinking, but haven't ever actually heard him voice the thoughts and racial slurs which you imply he holds dear.

Like I said, just another excuse to get the word "******" out there and attribute it to some nameless conservative...who, upon reflection, never said it anyway. The point is, you malign the whole group with one fell swoop, and get to give vent to your own frustration at not being able to control the thoughts of others at the same time.

Well done.

I never challenged legality, Baba. You HAVE to have realized that at this point. I'm agreeing with you the whole time about his legal stance, as well. I'll be doing a little baiting next time I talk to him, to see EXACTLY where he stands. I'm curious now. I'll report back, with HONESTY, whether I was right about him being racist.

Go read the thought crime bill, while you're at it. The House just officially became the thought police, Baba.

H.R. 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 (GovTrack.us)

 

[Paulie]

Who has the responsibility of maintaining the yard?

We (the tenants) do.