Let me address these points:

"That sounds really antagonistic to the landlord.  What is the advantage of requiring his demands in writing, versus trying to maintain a friendly relationship with him?"

One of the major problems we've had with George is communication. His interactions usually involve him speaking under his breath about "flies" "needed to clean up" "bottles" "something about the elevator" and then giving some kind of threat afterward. It's a really unpleasant experience especially for anyone who hasn't dealt with him before. For example one day he came in to Sudo Room and demanded that all the furniture be "cleared out" of the common area to me because I was the only person there at the time. upon further discussion with Matt it turns out that all he wanted was for the common area to look clear for some people who where coming by to look at renting it out.

bottom line is that up until now we have been playing catch up with this poor communication skills and, honestly, shady business practices. Getting things in writing allows for clarity and accountability.