Pacific Heights is a film that demonstrates what literally happens when tenancy laws are not followed. It is a thriller film about a couple who own an apartment in San Francisco. They initially buy an old large Victorian house in an exclusive neighborhood with all their savings. Later, they refurbish it and split it up into various apartments in order to cover the cost. They rent two apartments on the first floor and occupy the rest of it. They then find a tenant who seems prosperous but turns out not to be as ideal as they thought. The tenant appears not to fit as per their expectations as he hardly pays rent and as a result, ruins the lives of the landlords. Consequently, his irresponsibility drives the other tenant away and this again is a major loss to the landlords. Seemingly, this event is a clear demonstration of what literally happens in real life when tenancy laws are not adhered to accordingly (Ross 32).
Arguably, it is a real life demonstration of how a tenant can completely infringe the rights of a landlord. California laws spell out all the rules and regulations that should be followed by both tenants and landlords. Carter Hayes the tenant a sinister man is more of a nightmare to them, he moves in without authorization. He does unacceptable things in the rented apartment like using a jigsaw at midnight and also breeds roaches to other sections of the building which drives out the other Japanese-American tenant. Initially, the landlords had peaceful and decent lives but were later ruined by the frustrating and annoying tenant. Typically, all the events in the movie happen in real life. Though there are well spelt out laws, the tenant is more aware of the tenant laws but literally defaults them by failing to pay rent as per the expectations and agreement with the landlord. In addition to that, he also changes the lock, boards up the windows, hammers and drills at all hours to the dismay of other tenants who eventually move out of the apartment. To a large extent, this is infringing the rights of the other tenant and also the landlord.
In order to evict the defaulting tenant the landlord closes all the utilities. This eventually ends up in court where the landlord is found to have violated the tenant eviction law. On the contrary, the court then comes up with an order that the landlord should lower the rent for violating his rights.
The other tenant is forced to move out of the apartment because of a plague of roaches that spills over from Carter’s apartment. Out of frustration the landlord attacks the defaulting tenant. A restraining order is given to the landlord that bars him from his own house. Another lawsuit intended to force the landlord to give up his house is filed. The landlord's wife learns the tenants trick and she is determined to beat him at his own game. (Brent 12).
At this point it is coherent to posit that it is of much importance to study the law vividly for both the tenant and the landlord. For instance, from the movie there are some critical things to note: one needs to comprehensively know the law and its loopholes to avoid exploitation by others who are more aware of the law which is intended to create a good relationship between the tenant and the landlord. It is a clear illustration of the many disappointments landlords have on their tenants which at some extent result in misunderstanding of the two parties (Boaz 18).
It is every landlords wish to live in harmony with their tenants who ought to abide by the rules of the houses they live in. Similarly, it is every tenant’s wish to live happily in the rented houses. This film to some degree is a study about the law and it is important to note some critical aspects: tenants should follow the law as well as the regulations of the premise. Infringing the rights of the landlord is very humiliating. Moreover there are some irritating behaviors of some tenants who fail to pay rent in good time. These habits cause a lot of mistrust to the tenants and may even lead to detestation and appalling relations with the landlords. In regards to tenants and landlord laws, infringing each other’s rights is wrong and against the law.
Works Cited
Ross, Harold W, E B. White, and Katharine S. A. White. The New Yorker. New York: F-R Pub. Corp, 1925. Print.
Brent, Elizabeth S. Domestic Horrors: "family Values" and the Intruder Film, 1987-1997. , 1998. Print.
Boaz, David. "Liberty at the Movies." (2012).
