I have to vent ! About a Tenant

[roamerr]

I agree -- if you had the same tenant for 18 yrs and he paid all the rent due then he owed you nothing. You came out way ahead most likely. Keeping a tenant for that long is great.

 

[scoutcub]

Landlording is definitely a dice roll. I've got a few rentals, last tenants in one place talked a great game, but left the place in shambles. Very tough for me cause it's out of state. Actually lost new tenants cause it was so dirty. Finally lowered rent amount to another couple that agreed to clean it up and install some upgrades.

Latest renters in another rental, thought I had it made. He's a resident doctor, she owns a business. They've already bounced 2 checks in 5 months......and always late.

And yes, he should have communicated better, but as already said you have benefitted from 18 yrs of rent. Wish I could get that stability!

 

[brin]

I agree -- if you had the same tenant for 18 yrs and he paid all the rent due then he owed you nothing. You came out way ahead most likely. Keeping a tenant for that long is great.

No doubt about it ...I came out great...I mean how often do you get someone who will pay rent for 18 straight years..I realize how blessed I have been on this unit...I have others where I have not been so lucky..

He is now out, he never did call me to say he was out as I had asked him to do so I could shake his hand after 18 yrs. Remember he has been in my house doing plumbing work for me and I have helped him get jobs in the past..Oh well..

He just left the doors unlocked and keys on the fireplace mantel that my new tenant found - Remodeling costs will run about $3K with the new the new tenant furnishing the labor and me the materials which will be the $3K - so I am happy with that.

The sad thing is ...Human Nature...You would think after that many years he would have cleaned up better and not been ashamed to meet with me and shake my hand...I could never do that to someone that has been as good to me as I have been to him..but that's the way it goes, at least he did not trash the house.:thumbsup:

 

[brin]

After 18 years, you should have expected to clean, paint, recarpet, and maybe lay new vinyl. New appliances would not be unexpected. 18 years is a long time. I have been living in my house since 1994, have repainted twice, and it needs it again. All of the flooring has been replaced.

Your tenant could have communicated better, but you should have allowed two weeks to a month to refurbish the place before a new tenant moved in.

Sorry Larry , I did not give a full history from the beginning ...8 yrs. ago I had to force this tenant to allow me to remodel his house. Mind you, he did not ask me to..He had been there 10 yrs. and I could see things from the outside that needed to be done to protect my investment and give him proper living conditions...

He was such a private person he fought me tooth and nail before he finally agreed...I had all new insulated windows, doors installed , new paint throughout , refinished hardwood floors, new kitchen cabinets, sink, counters, stove , refrigerator, floor and then in the bath, new tub & shower unit, new vanity, tile, toilet etc. and then I had some structural issues taken care of ...He acted like it was an inconvenience the whole time and never even thanked me...I won't say anymore...except I am disappointed in this person..

 

[Car Doc]

I hear ya tenants can be the scourge of the earth we have one rental and its not by choice its a house that sits adjacent to my shop property.

I bought it to control the area the rent income is nice though when its rented and everything is going smooth its $625 a month & 1 yr well written contract - no pets/no smoking/no junk period and a big deposit plenty of incentive to follow the rules or else.

Also having a lawyer who is a friend helps also plus being friends with the local law enforcement is a plus also.

The biggest plus (I keep telling myself this to keep focused) is renters are paying for it and will put another 70 grand or so in my pocket when I sell out but in the mean time its a huge pita I don't recommend it to anyone.

 

[brin]

I hear ya tenants can be the scourge of the earth we have one rental and its not by choice its a house that sits adjacent to my shop property.

I bought it to control the area the rent income is nice though when its rented and everything is going smooth its $625 a month & 1 yr well written contract - no pets/no smoking/no junk period and a big deposit plenty of incentive to follow the rules or else.

Also having a lawyer who is a friend helps also plus being friends with the local law enforcement is a plus also.

The biggest plus (I keep telling myself this to keep focused) is renters are paying for it and will put another 70 grand or so in my pocket when I sell out but in the mean time its a huge pita I don't recommend it to anyone.

Car Doc....Imagine all the money the tenant has paid me in 18 yrs. I really have nothing to complain about except his character...I did not force him to stay..but you are exactly right..owning rental properties is not for the faint of heart...it can be disastrous..A good rule of thumb to keep in mind..If it looks bad on the outside it is 10X worse on the inside...LOL

 

[mmurphy]

Brin, my mom rented a house last winter that had a lot of money stuck in to before dad passed away. They had intended on selling it, market bad and in a small town area just was not moving. Renter came up with half deposit 1 month rent, and never paid rest of winter.... Had to take her to court, cause she had kids to boot her out in June. 6 doors were broke, if I did not pick up 200 used diapers scattered through the house, I did not pick up any. The floor was covered from debris and pet feces (she was not to have pets) you name it. I have pictures, but to gross to show. It took me rest of summer into fall to repair damage. Mom totaled up damage came out to aprox 3500 dollar damage, and that was with her getting work done for free by me. ..They have other rentals, and slowly trying to get rid of them.

Smile and say you was blessed for 18 years.

 

[Mousefield]

Brin, my mom rented a house last winter that had a lot of money stuck in to before dad passed away. They had intended on selling it, market bad and in a small town area just was not moving. Renter came up with half deposit 1 month rent, and never paid rest of winter.... Had to take her to court, cause she had kids to boot her out in June. 6 doors were broke, if I did not pick up 200 used diapers scattered through the house, I did not pick up any. The floor was covered from debris and pet feces (she was not to have pets) you name it. I have pictures, but to gross to show. It took me rest of summer into fall to repair damage. Mom totaled up damage came out to aprox 3500 dollar damage, and that was with her getting work done for free by me. ..They have other rentals, and slowly trying to get rid of them.

Smile and say you was blessed for 18 years.

I can relate to the diapers. Back in the mid 80's we purchased two duplexes that were priced cheap as the real estate market had really tanked. This was going to be for our retirement. Well after two years one of the tenants moved out after not paying the rent and my wife and I went in to look around. They had been there 6 months and had a baby while they were there. They were hoarders; every diaper was nicely place into garbage bags that filled the closets. Can you say maggots? We had a couple of the other tenants do midnight moves and not pay the rent, others trashed their place, left stripped down cars and so on, so the wife, she is smart, said to sell them before I had a heart attack, good move as I'm still alive. :thumbsup:

 

[brin]

Mousefield and all you fellas,,,,,I hear ya ! I indeed was blessed to have this guy for 18 yrs. and I have nothing to really complain about except maybe my own naivety..I had thought that since I had helped him get work over the years and he had worked on my other properties as well as my own home and we had known each other for that long that he would have exited the property in a more considerate and upstanding way...so I guess my rant is more about the human condition of some folks..I am an old guy..66 in 18 more days so I am old enough to remember when folks acted a whole lot better and had some pride..I hope some are still around...:laughing:typo

 

[deepNdirt]

yeah rental properties can certainly become a PITA, Here is my story and it is in the making as I write about this now, I've got a 1400 sq ft rental house sets on a nice size lot with a work shop out back, There was this family I knew being evicted from their home at that time 4 years ago, they had 4 small children and had no place to go, My house was empty and in need of some work, I/we agree to move this family in with no up front cost and even let them use our utility services until they could get some money together to have them changed over, the agreement we had was I would rent to them for 1 year while they save their money to get into a more permanent home meanwhile the Man was to do the repairs needed on the house, painting replacing some bad wood, etc,etc, enough work would have kept him busy on weekends and after work for the year, I went ahead and had a new roof installed costing 2800 bucks, and had the heater replaced to all electric because the gas system was old and no one these days can seem to keep the gas bill paid, the new heat system was another 1800 bucks, By this time they were 2 months into the house and only could make partial rent payments, how ever they said would get caught up when tax money comes in, well they did the next month get rent caught up, and then bought another used car, basically blow the money and soon fell behind on rent again, I told them that I would work with them any way I could and if it was easier for them to pay every other week or even every week that would help prevent them from getting further behind,
although after about 10 months he lost his job, So she went to work and now he stays at home watching kids, so I suggest it was time for him to start on all the repairs we agree on that he never finish doing,
and actually by this time was more to do now than ever with having 4 kids dirty carpet crayon walls etc,etc, OK well now a couple months more went by and they now get another income income tax check and pay up the rent, I ask them have they got enough money to make there move, They said no that they had gotten so far behind on everything that it took what they got back to pay all the bills,
well now this has been about 15 months and looks like they got a good foot in the door and weren't going anywhere, and as long as the rent was paid up I could not evict them, I knew what was coming and the cycle started all over again, little pay here and there until got complete 3 months behind, I sent them a letter to pay up or vacate, so they sold one of there cars and paid up, so! Now I'm the bad Guy landlord causing them to have to sell their car, now that they knew I meant business they kept the rent current for about 4 months then she lost her job and was out of work for 6 weeks, nothing was paid and once again got behind in rent, so next tax refund goes to catching up rent again and buying their children expensive toys like a mini bike for they 12 year old and a trampoline for the others,.... I ask them when driving up one day looks like they on top of their bills now! how much longer would it be before they can get them another house? she said Oh! we like it here their kids like the school and wonder if we can sign on a Lease, I told them No I wasn't doing any lease but as long as they pay the rent on time they can stay for a while longer, and then I ask that they needed to get a renters Insurance policy because now they have just made my property a liability with the trampoline and all neighbors kids over playing on it, they agree to get the insurance at my request but didn't really want to and didn't understand why I was making such a big deal over the trampoline?
and this would make it even more difficult for them to pay their bills,
I told them they could always move well again 3 months went buy and did not pay rent, in fact they sold the trampoline and mini bike to pay some bills,
but not pay up on rent, and right now currently they are 5 months behind I served them with eviction 1 month ago and was supposed to be out today, and I don't think its going to happen..... to them now I am a mean-IL-sunb
and they hate me.... its sure is funny how people suddenly forget what all I've done in the beginning to help to make this thing work for them,
my heart goes out to people that is having a hard time but I learn to harden my heart when I see people not trying to save and better them self, and stay stuck in that same old rutt spinning their wheels,
I found out that the last 3 previous landlords had to spend mega bucks on their property to get it back in shape to rent again.... so I guess I have this to look forward to as well,

sorry for the long rant