Landlords and Political Yard Signs

[Ravi]

If those students or other renters sign a lease that bans election signs, they have in effect waived some of their constitutional rights… Bottom line: Read that lease or homeowners association contract carefully before signing it, Willis said.

I have a hard time seeing how anyone has a constitutional right to post a sign on someone else's property.

 

[CA95380]

Slightly but still good for a laugh.

The unexplained disappearance of those proliferating campaign signs. As the unofficial collection site of all things political, I’ve heard scattered reports of campaign signs disappearing, mysteriously, in some parts of the county.

Rich Campbell: The 'Top Five Signs It?s Campaign Season' in Martin County : Columns : TCPalm

News Flash!!! "There is a campaign sign bandit loose in California!"

 

[Care4all]

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?

he has no right to make the neighbor take the sign down.

your neighbor and you lease this property from this man, you pay him rent to do such with specific agreements in the lease that meets your landlord's requests....

IF IT IS NOT IN YOUR NEIGHBOR'S LEASE, that he can not put up any kind of sign in his yard supporting a candidate then your neighbor can keep up the sign....unless there are neighborhood rules that there should be no signs in a yard then he should be ok.

I say keep it up, let the landlord sue if he wants it taken down!

(and i am not even an Obama supporter )

care

 

[AllieBaba]

Myself, I've never been that keen on incurring the wrath of a landlord.

 

[Care4all]

Myself, I've never been that keen on incurring the wrath of a landlord.

myself, i don't do well with people telling me what to do, when they have no ''right'' to do such!

 

[AllieBaba]

I don't have a problem with people determining how their own land is used, however. In fact, I'm a big proponent of the rights of land owners, when it comes to that.

 

[Truthmatters]

It just amazes me how people dont realize that the renter paid good money for the lease of the property.

 

[AllieBaba]

It's still owned by someone else, and ultimately, that person can dictate how it's used. If the renter doesn't like it, he can move to another rental where they'll let him clutter up the yard.

 

[Truthmatters]

It would have to be stipulated in the lease before hand or the landlord is overstepping their legal control of a property they had recieved money for the use of.


Why do you refuse to realize the facts of freedom of speach.

I own rental property my little silly friend.

Can this person put out a yard sale sign?


Political signs are perfectly legal. It is within the fair use of the property for the person who paid good money to use the property.

 

[AllieBaba]

Allowing renters to use land you own to make political commentary or to advertise for whatever is not "freedom of speech". Individuals are not required to allow freedom of speech on their property.

Freedom of speech is something that is afforded by the government to its people.

It is not a violation of your freedom of speech to refuse to allow you to scream "God Save the Queen" from the top of a house that I own. It is not a violation of your right to freedom of speech to say, "I own this property, I don't want stupid campaign signs strung all over it; they're an eyesore and other property owners complain." Because you can always stand in the street and hold your stupid sign. I'm not stopping you from saying what you want or even printing what you want. I'm just stopping you from using my property to advertise.

Which is not a violation of your right to freedom of speech.

 

[Ravi]

Can this person put out a yard sale sign?

I guess that depends. Wouldn't there be a clause in the lease that was a general statement on the owner has the right to refuse any modifications or structures on the land? Or must one list out every single thing that isn't okay to do...phallic statues, "I love Satan" signs, temporary statues of birdies?

And how exactly does someone have freedom of speech on someone else's private property?

 

[Truthmatters]

Because they paid for it

 

[Truthmatters]

A political candidate sign is a perfectly legal use of the property on which you live. Renters have the right to use the land they pay for in a resonable manner.

 

[Care4all]

A political candidate sign is a perfectly legal use of the property on which you live. Renters have the right to use the land they pay for in a resonable manner.

you are absolutely correct TM!

 

[Care4all]

I guess that depends. Wouldn't there be a clause in the lease that was a general statement on the owner has the right to refuse any modifications or structures on the land? Or must one list out every single thing that isn't okay to do...phallic statues, "I love Satan" signs, temporary statues of birdies?

And how exactly does someone have freedom of speech on someone else's private property?

if it is not permanent, doesn't damage the property, there are no community guidelines against it, it isn't against the law, and nothing specifically stating such in the lease they have with the owner.....then the leasee can put a swingset for their kids, a kitty pool for their toddler, a bicycle stand for their bikes, a sign to sell koolaid or a sign for a garage/yard sale....

the leasee rents the home and the yard, he pays for it.

 

[Care4all]

in fact, it takes nearly an act of God in some states to even evict your tenant, massachusetts comes to mind.....

 

[Angel Heart]

I would look up the landlord tenant laws for your state:

Tenant Rights - HUD

Then find a tenants rights lawyer if you find he's acting in a discriminatory way.

 

[Angel Heart]

Originally Posted by bornright View Post
Who has the responsibility of maintaining the yard?

That might be illegal

Nah, needs to be written into the rental agreement.

 

[Truthmatters]

You got it

 

[bornright]

We (the tenants) do.

I would think that if your landlord maintained the yard it would give him more right as to what you put into the yard. Is this a yard that you share with your neighbor? If so that might stop him from putting a political sign in the yard. I am sure each state is different in this.