And I find this information online....where exactly? And my "local tax office?" Huh? Sorry to sound so friggin' dumb....but I'm clueless!

Angry,

Google Xxxx (fill in your county) County.

For example:
I live in Travis County. When I google that, I get both the main county govt web site and the Travis Central Appraisal District web site. Both have ways to search by property address.

It sounds like the manager is trying to hide the fact that she's not really doing her job. Perhaps she's afraid of the people in question.

Good luck!

EXACTLY! I think she's afraid to get the Owner involved because she doesn't wanna get busted for not doing her job.

also, you've been there 10 months; how long is your lease?

Do you really want to stay living in a place where the manager is such a pain in the neck, and folks who are out of control are never called on it?

You may think you have no other options; but my experience is that *most* people who say that haven't REALLY looked. Seriously think about researching other places to live.

If the owner won't respond, or pressures her not to get in touch w/ him, he may not give a flying leap about whether the tenants are well-behaved. She may be DOING HER JOB the way HE wants her to--getting the money, and leaving him alone.

If you get through to him, he may consider that SHE has not done her job by NOT SHIELDING him from you.

Just something to consider. If the owner doesn't want you to know how to get ahold of him, then he doesn't want contact--he just wants his money.

Don't count on your getting in touch w/ him having ANY effect, except maybe him deciding not to renew your lease.

Start looking.

Our lease is up on April 1st and we're about to start looking for a new place to live anyway. I just wanted to vent and let this guy know how poorly his Building is being run! I'm not really expecting him to compensate us in any way or rectify the situation at this point. 9 months ago; when this all started...I wanted him to step in and fix it. But now...I just want him to hear me out and realize how crappy his so called "Manager" is operating his Building! It'd be nice if he stepped in and talked to the jerks upstairs...but I highly doubt that's going to happen at this point.

I had exactly the same problem. my ex upstairs neighbor stayed in odd hours (2am-6am) making unbearable noises. our house rules required 80% of his floor should be covered with carpets, but he didnt have a single piece of rug in his rooms... I talked to him a couple of times at 4AM, he was very rude then became more noisy! So I wrote to him a letter, telling him that he has violated not only our "House Rules" but also our Local Noise Law, My Quiet of Enjoyment of My Property is diminished, the constant noise and disturbance he made has impaired my quality of life, I have suffered from headache, memory and hair loss due to lack of sleep, I couldnt focus on my work... my coworkers and friends noticed I was in bad shape, I also invited another neighbor to experience the thunders my upstairs made... so I had eye-witnesses and I was ready to get legal help and take him to small claim court...
I also wrote to the building manager: it is your obligation to properly manage the property, including securing the peace and quiet enjoyment and safety of the residents... I asked him to evict the lessee/tenants who have broken our house rules, violate local Noise Laws and continue to be noisy, nuisances... blah blah..
After that, the jerk was as quiet as a dead fish. then, he moved away in a couple of weeks!

Now, a new guy moved in, he makes noises in early morning, too, but he is not often home... and if I talk to him, he'd promise "I am sorry, I promise this is the last time"... he seems like a nice person with right attitude, not as rude as the previous one, that makes a huge difference.

Angry,

After you move out and get whatever deposit back, it might bring you closure to write a letter to the owner explaining why you moved. Keep it businesslike, of course.

At this point in your lease, I agree it would be better just to move rather than renew it.

Who do you make the rent checks out to? The manager or the owner? If you live in a small town, try going to the courthouse in your county, and go to the prothonatary's office or the tax accessment office. Tell them you are looking for the owner of the building that you live in. It is sometimes easier to find information while talking to a person, and not on line. They will generally look up the information for you, or at least show you the book where you will find it. I would think that the owners name would be somewhere on your lease. I find this situation very shady, but I don't know if it is the manager or the owner who is at fault. Do you have a maintenance man that does repairs on your unit? Try asking him for some information. I'm very intersted to see how this all works out. I hope you keep us posted.

Really doubt the owner will care. The owner also has the right of privacy and asking the manager to leave him/ her out. You can find the address the tax statements are being mailed to but many lanlords, myself included,, do not have the property in our names. Mine are placed in a LLC and the statements go to a PO box. Many owners who have management have the mail go to the manager, which would include your complaint. I used to manage over 100 units. Some owners bought their property without ever seeing it. One owner lived 5 states away, drove by the building once after owning it 10 months (it was a 6 plex). Do you really think she would have cared about a noise complaint?

You best bet is to leave, if you stay talk to the upstairs tenant. Good LUCK!

I live in a student apartment complex under an LLC name and I was also trying to contact the owner as the management is extremely unprofessional (college students run the office) and unresponsive. Is it useless to try and contact the owner?

Thanks

You usually cannot find out who the owner of an LLC is. You can find out who the registered agent is. Go to the website of the secretary of state (your state) for an LLC search or a company search. Sometimes the owner will put themselves down as the registered agent. The registered agent needs to be listed with the state as an official agent in case the company is sued; the state needs to have a contact. However, if they are using a third party agent you will not be able to get the owner's name.

I also pay rent to an LLC with a P.O. Box.

I've discovered the most effective route to an owner is through the wallet. If I want to reach an actual owner, when I pay rent, first I compose a BUSINESS letter (no nastiness, no namecalling) stating my problem and include the statement that Check # so and so, in the amount of my rent for apartment # so and so is STAPLED to the letter and that it cannot be cashed unless he or his legal agent, detaches the check and that if it is cashed, I will know that the owner or his agent has received my letter.

I make a copy of the letter including the check stapled to the front for my records before sealing the original into an envelope addressed to the LLC.

It isn't quick but it has never failed to get a response. I've had certified letters ignored a couple of times but not this.

A visit to City Hall, Business License Department, will reveal the owner or management company that is handling the property, along with their address as apartments have to have a business license in municipalities, at least in California. If the address is a post office, it probably is not professionally managed as many owners do not want contact with tenants. Be aware that each state has different civil codes and real estate laws, so that any information given on this forum is usually applicable to the state in which the person posting lives. If it is an LLC that owns the building, there will be a property management firm, perhaps owned by the LLC that you should be able to talk to.

A word to the wise: When you are looking to rent an apartment, find out who you will have to deal with and do a little detective work about either a property management company or an owner. This will really make a difference for you as a tenant. If the owner is involved and you meet them personally at the property, chances are they are a good owner who cares about the property. If it is a property management company, investigate to see if you can get through the front door to the supervisor for that property so that you can address problems, if necessary.

There are many, many bad owners and bad property management companies. I have had to work with a number of them. Slumlords are the worst. There are also many property management companies who are not responsive to needs of the tenant because they work for the owner of the building. What this type of management firm doesn't realize is that when a building runs smoothly, the job is easier and there is more money in their pockets in the long run. I had an open door policy and a tenant in any building that my company managed could always come to me to express their concerns. Didn't mean the outcome ended in their favor, but they knew they were being treated fairly and respectfully.

If you meet a manager, look around the property, and their office or apartment. If it is clean with no papers, gum, cigarette butts around the grounds, clean laundry rooms, then probably the manager is a good one. If there is trash in the street gutters in front of the building, dirty trash areas, dirty laundry rooms, trash cans overflowing, run as fast as you can.

Just be alert, with your eyes open to the entire property.