Hi,
I've had a townhouse in the Canterbury Bankstown area of Sydney for about 4 years. My tenants have been in there for about 18 months. They are lovely people, and I always get paid my rent on time and they always pay the water usage charges on time, they let me know of any issues and are helpful and very cooperative. They have 2 young sons, approx 2 years and 4 years.
The husband fixes cars for money (I don't think it's his primary occupation). Therefore he has cars which are not necessarily registered sometimes either parked in the carspace or somewhere near the complex (he tells me he doesn't park them in the visitor spots).
Now, the executive committee chairperson lives next door. He is constantly watching what the neighbours are doing. While he can be nice, he can be overstepping his boundary. For example, for the person I bought the place from, I feel she sold up partly because of him. He helped erect a shelter in her back yard and apparently in return she was supposed to cut a tree (Palm type tree) down in her back courtyard (would drop large fronds which was a noise or possibly very unlikely OHS issue) but she didn't follow through. Therefore he had it in for her. When she sold I said have nothing to do with that problem.
So anyway, apparently this neighbour who heads the executive committee would always take pictures of my tenant and his kids while they are doing things. Photo evidence of the cars, the kids playing on the driveway (I said to my tenant they shouldn't play there).
But also, when my tenant had his mother over for two days, she parked her car in a visitor space for two days! He said she wasn't allowed to park there! I think it was a misunderstanding of the visit. Anyway, the tenant tells me the neighbour keeps sneakily taking photos of my tenant and his family (apparently even over the back fence), when he thinks they don't see him.
My neighbour is feeling harassed so he called me and told me everything the neighbour is doing. He asked if he could call the police. I said that's fine and he can give the police my details. Anyway, he comes back and apparently the police said to tell the landlord to sort this out.
Anyway, from these phone conversations, I told my tenant that I didn't want to approach the neighbour just yet.
1. About the cars being unregistered on or near the lot, I need to understand if it breaches any bylaws.
2. The neighbour taking pictures of my tenants? Can anybody give advice on the legalities of that?
It becomes tricky because this man is the executive committee chairperson. Anyway, I need to approach my strata manager, but thoughts and input please?
I'd hate to lose these tenants due to the behaviour of the neighbour (and the neighbour been there a long time, feels like he owns the complex and can bully people....)
Linda