Cleaning off a patio

[Callie]

We had a beautiful day today, so I decided to go clean off my patio. It was covered in leaves that blow in from the wind, or the gardeners blow in.
I was amazed at the amount of garage that was mixed in. Cups from places I've never dined at, and lots of plant containers from the store. I brushed it all out under the fence, and stuck up cardboard to stop it form blowing back in.

Then I noticed something really gross. It appears my neighbors upstairs must be dumping what appears to be cat litter onto my patio. There was so much of it all over. It couldn't have blown in as it was also on my patio table. I know get the noises I hear of falling stuff at times.

How would I go about mentioning this to management? I would like to enjoy my patio, and not have falling cat litter over all of my furniture.

 

[TipsyTraveler]

Tell them what you said here. I've noticed cat litter on my patio and table, I don't know if my upstairs neighbors are dumping it, but could you look into it?

It seems odd they would dump it onto your patio, and I think it'd be obvious if it was a full box. Do they maybe have a litterbox on their balcony and wind is blowing some out? Or the cat is kicking it out? Or someone put down kitty litter because of snow/ice?

 

[usnuzuloose]

I would try approaching them first and let them know you have an issue with it all over your patio. I would say something like , I don't know if you realize that when you dump the litter it is coming on my patio. Just be pleasant about it, and hopefully it will resolve the issue. Then if it keeps happening I would mention it to the manager and see what they suggest.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Tell them what you said here. I've noticed cat litter on my patio and table, I don't know if my upstairs neighbors are dumping it, but could you look into it?

It seems odd they would dump it onto your patio, and I think it'd be obvious if it was a full box. Do they maybe have a litterbox on their balcony and wind is blowing some out? Or the cat is kicking it out? Or someone put down kitty litter because of snow/ice?

The kitty litter because of snow and ice makes sense. I would almost think if it was dumped from a litter box, she would be finding other tell-tale signs of a cat along with the litter.

 

[marlynnp]

Did you say you actually just swept the trash into the yard/street rather than actually picking it up and disposing of it properly???

 

[Topper]

 

[phorsenuf]

We had a beautiful day today, so I decided to go clean off my patio. It was covered in leaves that blow in from the wind, or the gardeners blow in.
I was amazed at the amount of garage that was mixed in. Cups from places I've never dined at, and lots of plant containers from the store. I brushed it all out under the fence, and stuck up cardboard to stop it form blowing back in.

Then I noticed something really gross. It appears my neighbors upstairs must be dumping what appears to be cat litter onto my patio. There was so much of it all over. It couldn't have blown in as it was also on my patio table. I know get the noises I hear of falling stuff at times.

How would I go about mentioning this to management? I would like to enjoy my patio, and not have falling cat litter over all of my furniture.

Really?

 

[Callie]

I didn't think of the ice part. Its a wood balcony, so I've never seen any ice on them. We haven't had any ice or snow in the last 2 weeks and a few nights ago I heard them pouring something below.

As far as the trash, I picked up the cups and things I could get out. But most of it was mixed up with the leaves which I was sweeping under the fence. They were in pieces.

 

[Uncle Remus]

http://www.amazon.com/Impact-Black-...=sr_1_11?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1456096476&sr=1-11

 

[DisneyChula]

As a property manager, I would address the issue of the cat litter directly with your neighbors and say that I noticed it while walking the property. It won't blow back on the resident with the complaint and it takes care of an issue that needs to be addressed anyway. Then I would address the issue of you sweeping trash under your fence for someone else to deal with. I get that it was blown in, but why didn't you just sweep it up and dispose of it? Essentially, you just put it back in place to blow right back into your patio area.

 

[roseaster]

Did you say you actually just swept the trash into the yard/street rather than actually picking it up and disposing of it properly???

This. The O actually did the exact same thing she complained about. She just took the trash that she complained about other people putting in her yard and put it on someone else's property.

Not really "cleaning."

 

[IndyRnRfan]

I don't get the cat litter for snow or ice. Use salt if it is ice so it melts or just brush or shovel the snow off. Then there is the fence. Does this separate the units or the property line? And, if you have gardeners for landscaping, why not let them clean it up as that would be part of their job? I'm just a little confused

 

[roseaster]

I don't get the cat litter for snow or ice. Use salt if it is ice so it melts or just brush or shovel the snow off. Then there is the fence. Does this separate the units or the property line? And, if you have gardeners for landscaping, why not let them clean it up as that would be part of their job? I'm just a little confused

Cat litter, I think, is supposed to make it less slippery. Also, a lot of ice melt or rock salt is not pet safe, or may be damaging to certain surfaces so people use litter, not to melt, but make it less slippery. We use an ice melt product that is labeled "pet safe," but a lot of people don't like them because they are caustic to surfaces and car paint.

I'm more confused at just pushing the trash onto someone else's property.

 

[msjprincess]

Cat litter, I think, is supposed to make it less slippery. Also, a lot of ice melt or rock salt is not pet safe, or may be damaging to certain surfaces so people use litter, not to melt, but make it less slippery.

Exactly, it's the same idea as using sand.

 

[pfalcioni]

I didn't think of the ice part. Its a wood balcony, so I've never seen any ice on them. We haven't had any ice or snow in the last 2 weeks and a few nights ago I heard them pouring something below.

As far as the trash, I picked up the cups and things I could get out. But most of it was mixed up with the leaves which I was sweeping under the fence. They were in pieces.

You didn't clean it, you just turned it into someone else's problem.

We use cat litter as traction at our shop on our wood stairs when it gets icy. Wood can really get slick and most of the official ice melt products damage and stain it.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

It sounds to me that you were pushing all the trash somewhere else for someone else to clean up instead of cleaning off your patio.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

 

[Julie's Haircut]

http://www.amazon.com/Impact-Black-...=sr_1_11?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1456096476&sr=1-11

Even better

 

[NHdisneylover]

My guess would be that the litter box is on the balcony and the cats kick a lot out and/or rack it out. If you do not have cats you would be amazed at how much some can get out of a box with normal use. The neighbors probably do not realize how much is coming out and then slipping between the wood slats to fall on your patio. Personally, I would assume they truly have no idea (because they probably do not), and nicely tell them it is happening and ask if they can move the litter box indoors or else put a large plastic tray under it-one that spreads out well past the borders of the box.

On the other hand, you were well aware there was trash mixed in with the leaves and yet you swept them under the fence with the trash still all mingled in? Add me to the list of people who find this unacceptable and unlike the litter there is no possible excuse of not realizing what you were doing.

 

[msjprincess]

I didn't think of the ice part. Its a wood balcony, so I've never seen any ice on them. We haven't had any ice or snow in the last 2 weeks and a few nights ago I heard them pouring something below.

As far as the trash, I picked up the cups and things I could get out. But most of it was mixed up with the leaves which I was sweeping under the fence. They were in pieces.

Couldn't you have also thrown out the leaves?