It is a rather unpleasant experience to be summoned by code enforcements authority, especially when you are innocent or ignorantly guilty of whatever offense is being charged against you. It gets rather upsetting to not be in the know of who placed such implicating call.
This article sheds more light on circumstances that may prompt such calls and how you may know who called the code enforcement authority on you and how you could manage such situations.
To find out who called the code enforcement on you, kindly call the code enforcement and politely request who made the call. Depending on how your response is, they may or may not tell you. However, ensure to be warm and hospitable when you are contacted by the code officers and answer all the questions very calmly.
Table of Contents
Are Code Enforcement Complaints Anonymous?
When code enforcement complaints are placed, basic information from the caller is collected but kept confidential by the authorities for the safety of the caller and about reactive situations from whoever such calls are implicated.
It is no longer legal for anonymous complaints to be made against anyone. Whoever wants to lay a complaint must provide details such as name, address, and some basic contacts details before any investigation are initiated.
The only exception, though, that comes with this law is that code inspectors can investigate whether they believe the breach poses an imminent threat to public health, safety, welfare, or the destruction of habitats or sensitive resources.
Are Code Enforcement Complaints Public Record?
Nothing in the Public Records Act or the exceptions to that Act makes this information confidential. Any records created with the complainant’s name will be public and accessible.
This could be another reason to allow anonymous complaints, as it can have a chilling effect on claims if the complainant cannot be assured that they can remain anonymous.
The only situation in which a record can be kept confidential is if it is part of an active criminal investigation record of the police department.
Portions of active police criminal investigation records that could not be discovered in criminal proceedings are confidential and not made public. State witnesses’ statements are confidential and inaccessible.
What Will Make Someone Call Code Enforcement on Me?
For all intents and purposes, there are many reasons why someone will call the code enforcement officers on you.
The main reason for anyone to call the code enforcement to ‘deal’ with you means that you – or any of your frequent activities – have probably been causing some discomfort to them.
For example, always having your music so loud and your unwillingness to consider your neighbors; when your pets are always left unguarded, etc.
This is why it is very important to have a cordial relationship with those around and about you such that you can totally eradicate any chances of having a case with the code enforcement agents.
How to Find Out Who Called Code Enforcement on Me?
Although calls can not be placed anonymously, it may be impossible for you to know who called the code enforcement on you especially if there could be the possibility of a negative reaction from you.
The most basic way to know can be by making a polite request to know who you must have erred. It may sound hard to do, but very simple to go about.
First, be sure to be warm and hospitable when you are contacted by the code officers. Being unnecessarily defensive will not help you especially if it’s a first or second time.
You have the liberty to start being stiff if your lawyer has confirmed that it is now more of harassment than a service to the community.
Secondly, answer all the questions very calmly. It is normal to feel worked up but let it not get the better of you.
If it happens that you had been wrongly accused, your calmness will make that more convincing – probably convincing enough for you to have the honor of knowing who placed such a call on you.
Thirdly, you could derive some assumptions of who it may be after listening to the nature of the complaint laid against you.
It could be too risky permutating your guesses but it may help to know how to adjust yourself to avoid further recurrences.
Can My Neighbor Call Code Enforcement on Me?
It is not unusual for neighbors to call code enforcement on each other for many reasons – honest reasons and otherwise.
You have the exact power also to call code enforcement on any neighbor whose activities seem to put you at discomfort without any willingness from such person to seek peace-making actions and activities.
Oh yes, anyone could call the code enforcement agents on you – including your neighbors. Check out: Who Do I Call To Check My House For Carbon Monoxide?
Should I Forgive My Neighbor for Calling Code Enforcement on Me?
For some neighbors, code enforcement is just a tool for them to get on your nerves or to get very naughty. It may come in the form of harassment or violation but this can only be ascertained if you are sure that you have been law-abiding all the way.
The choice to forgive your neighbor is yours, but understanding their intentions is important.
As said earlier, if their intentions are honest and you have been at fault, then there is no reason for you to not long for peace via forgiving one another.
But if such neighbor is doing it intentionally to put you off, you can contact your lawyer to know what best actions to take.
Can Code Enforcement Enter Property Without Permission?
If a warrant is issued – under a very serious circumstance – the code enforcement officers may be forced to enter your property without permission, but if this becomes too frequent, you may want to talk to your lawyer about pressing charges for harassment or violation of rights to privacy.
Conclusion
The process of collecting identification information creates a sense of accountability to the complainant. Those who know that they need to provide their name and contact information when making a call to file a complaint will change their experience. The petitioner is forced to consider whether he wants to be held liable for the complaint.
In order to testify about the problem if you escalate to a court hearing, you need to consider whether they are fully concerned about the complaint. As a result, the inherent accountability created by identification naturally subdues frivolous complaints. If a legitimate complaint is filed, this will be processed.
