Chattanooga landlord upset about litter violation

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — A Chattanooga property owner is upset she received a litter violation, after her tenants left trash outside.

Nancy Mercer looked over as one of her houses was being fixed up. She owns 17 properties.

“We have good properties. Not all houses in East Lake or the city of Chattanooga could you say that. But we have a good property and we have owned this house for about 15 years,” Mercer said.

Two weeks ago, she evicted a tenant from this house on 7th Avenue and they left a mess behind.

“I asked her to call 311 and so that they could pick it up from the curb and they told me, when I followed up on it, that she had not called 311 since May to pick up a chair. And I said ‘Well can you come pick it up?’ and they said ‘no, she has to be living in the house and call herself.’ I said, ‘What?'”

Mercer pays $1,300 a year in taxes and feels that should include bulk trash pickup.

“I have never asked you to pick anything up at the house that I recall. But nope, they told me emphatically they would not be picking it up,” Mercer said.

Mercer is thankful neighbors have been stopping by and taking anything they want.

She received a letter saying she has ten days to clean it all up. If she doesn’t comply she could be cited to court and fined.

“I want to see what the judge’s take is on this because it is definitely not right,” she said.

City officials say the curbside bulk trash collection only applies to owner occupied residences. They say the service is not available to businesses, apartment complexes or landlords.

“I hope that they would go back and look at their codes and see what they are doing because it is insane to think that I pay these taxes, and I don’t live in Chattanooga, I have a house that we keep up. But why would I ever want to buy another property in Chattanooga,” Mercer said.

For the full policy on curbside bulk trash collection in Chattanooga, click here.