Tenants

[Gerhardt]

Sometimes you can't help but laugh at how stoopid some people can be. I just got this text from a recent evictee.


The funny part is that this picture isn't even close to showing the worst of what they left in the apartment.

 

[N747JB]

This is why I am no longer a landlord! Except one commercial property that is a triple net lease to a major cellphone seller.

 

[Zeldman]

Yuck...!!!!

As a teenager I used to clean apartments after tenants left. Unbelievable how nasty some people really live.

 

[steingar]

I lucked out, I had really good tenants that left my property in wonderful shape and even made some nice repairs. Only damage I can recall was the giant dog drooled some paint off his favorite windowsill.

 

[MikeS]

I've had great luck as well, although I had a sudden, steep learning curve in the beginning. It was good I got my lesson learned early. The young fellow's relatives accompanied him to see my newly remodeled cottage and all seemed well. He seemed healthy and fit and rode a bike everywhere and was proud of having ridden one from Oregon to San Diego. That impressed me. I don't now remember what the income was but I was taken in by the apparent solid upright citizen act, particularly of his apparent relatives there vouching for him and filling in any blanks, so there he was, my first tenant in my first rental property. I wondered, a week or two later, why there were blankets covering the inside of all my newly framed windows - makeshift curtains? Made two or three attempts to talk with the fellow but when I did try and talk with him in person he couldn't look me in the eyes and couldn't sensibly communicate for some reason. I've never been around one of these people, other than the ones we see shouting at cars at intersections or passing by on the sidewalk talking animatedly . . . to no one. Turned out to be an actual schizophrenic, on his meds at time of interview, completely off thereafter. I won't put in print how I handled the situation once I realized what he'd done to my nice little place - did his best to destroy it within two weeks and once I got my eyes on the inside and saw the wine & other alcohol bottles and boxes of soap and various things dumped over everything . . . plus the supreme crime of smoking cigarettes in the place, my number #1 rule that follows paying the rent on time . . . . Sheer insanity had found a very temporary refuge in my first rental. He was removed immediately and I re-did the place and learned from then on - talk to previous landlords/landladys, visit their current abode if possible, and above all make sure they have a very, very good income - sufficient that rent is a small part of their monthly financial capacity. I've had the most wonderful renters in that cottage and other properties ever since. Very lucky. Part of that luck is following those rules. With the internet and stolidly following my simple rules I've found it isn't hard to find really good renters but again, luck always plays a part.

 

[Maxmosbey]

I have a condo in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and we are about to leave and go up to our place in Iowa. We usually come down several times a year, but my daughter is pregnant, my wife wants to go to a business conference, and it is looking more and more like the condo will be sitting until the end of December. This is a nice place, in a gated condominium, in an upscale neighborhood, in one of the most historic areas in America. I mean, I live on the street that starts from Ponce De Leon's home, and runs to his offices at the other end. I would like to find someone to rent it this summer and fall, but I am so afraid of someone coming in and trashing it. I wouldn't be just a long distance land lord, I would be a really really long distance land lord. Anyway, our next door neighbors rent, they are great people, but the condo that they live in is for sale, and someone is looking pretty close at it. If they have to move, I would be happy to have them in my place for a while, but otherwise, I don't know how I find someone I could trust in here.

 

[hindsight2020]

Condo in old San Juan? You should have no problem renting that out. The economy is in shambles in my hometown of SJU and all of PR by proxy (people keep emigrating\depopulating the island for the states at a record pace), but affluent folks in a highly housing restricted part of the city, perhaps the most desirable part of the entire municipality, won't be hard to find. I understand the trust aspect, an inner circle of fellow residents should be able to provide contacts for the "right" kind of tenant pool to pull from. Exclusive to high hell, but that's the luxury one has when you own in El Viejo San Juan.

 

[weilke]

While it costs a percentage of the rent, you may be best off with a management company. Find references. Consider moving any furniture you actually like into an ACd storage unit and replace it with off the shelf stuff. That's what my neighbor does with his beachhouse. He doesn't care to be there in the summer, so in may a local '2 guys and a van' outfit moves his stuff to storage and puts the 'summer furniture' in. Come fall, the process reverses. Of course, it eats into the rental income but reduces the aggravation.

 

[Anymouse]

As a landlord, I've had pretty good luck with my tenants taking care of my houses.

As a renter, back in the day, I never bothered with a clean up when I left. I didn't leave the place a bio hazard, but I didn't bother with all the requirements that needed to be met to get my deposit back either. Doing some quick math showed the amount spent to meet those requirements would be a wash at best. Normally it would have cost more.

I've seen people spend $2-300 in order to get their $75 deposit back. Not for me.

 

[Jay Honeck]

If that sort of stuff shocks you, you don't ever want to own a hotel.

The good news? As a hotelier I have much more control and leeway than I had as a landlord. If I don't like you, I don't rent to you -- period. This makes it much easier to prevent and/or remove problems.

The bad news? Too many people treat hotel rooms -- even lovely, new, aviation themed ones -- like crap. I'm always amazed when I go into a room and see the floor absolutely covered with trash, and not a single piece of it in the trash receptacle.

Last night we had some jerks at the pool "celebrating" Easter by popping off Easter eggs filled with confetti. Cute, right? It took an hour to clean up, and we had to close and drain the spa after the filter became clogged with confetti. Our nearly full house is not happy about losing the hot tub, but it will be a full 24 hours before it's back on line.

Just another day.

 

[ktup-flyer]

I have a condo in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and we are about to leave and go up to our place in Iowa. We usually come down several times a year, but my daughter is pregnant, my wife wants to go to a business conference, and it is looking more and more like the condo will be sitting until the end of December. This is a nice place, in a gated condominium, in an upscale neighborhood, in one of the most historic areas in America. I mean, I live on the street that starts from Ponce De Leon's home, and runs to his offices at the other end. I would like to find someone to rent it this summer and fall, but I am so afraid of someone coming in and trashing it. I wouldn't be just a long distance land lord, I would be a really really long distance land lord. Anyway, our next door neighbors rent, they are great people, but the condo that they live in is for sale, and someone is looking pretty close at it. If they have to move, I would be happy to have them in my place for a while, but otherwise, I don't know how I find someone I could trust in here.

I'll hold down the fort lol

 

[Matthew]

I have a condo in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico and we are about to leave and go up to our place in Iowa. We usually come down several times a year, but my daughter is pregnant, my wife wants to go to a business conference, and it is looking more and more like the condo will be sitting until the end of December. This is a nice place, in a gated condominium, in an upscale neighborhood, in one of the most historic areas in America. I mean, I live on the street that starts from Ponce De Leon's home, and runs to his offices at the other end. I would like to find someone to rent it this summer and fall, but I am so afraid of someone coming in and trashing it. I wouldn't be just a long distance land lord, I would be a really really long distance land lord. Anyway, our next door neighbors rent, they are great people, but the condo that they live in is for sale, and someone is looking pretty close at it. If they have to move, I would be happy to have them in my place for a while, but otherwise, I don't know how I find someone I could trust in here.

There should be SOMEbody on this board that could help out!

I really wish I could, sounds like a great place.

 

[Shawn]

I pay a property manager 10% for my rental house and they do EVERYTHING and send me a check every month. Have not dealt with a tenant in 10 years.

Best 10% I have spent in my life!

 

[wilkersk]

The worst tenant I've ever had was an older couple who lived in a California house I couldn't sell right away. The husband died suddenly and the wife just went completely sideways in emotional and health stability. One night she forgot a pan of grease on the stove and the resulting fire did a lot of damage. Her son came and moved her out. ANd, I was left with the mess. Insurance covered most of the repairs. But, it was still a nightmare to deal with as an absentee landlord.

Other than that one case, I've been pretty lucky. As the residential resale market begins to peak here in the current "cycle", my wife and I are thinking about selling everything and paying off our personal mortgage. It'll be so good not to have to worry about being a landlord, I'm thinking I may be out of the rental realestate business for good!

 

[wilkersk]

As a landlord, I've had pretty good luck with my tenants taking care of my houses.

As a renter, back in the day, I never bothered with a clean up when I left. I didn't leave the place a bio hazard, but I didn't bother with all the requirements that needed to be met to get my deposit back either. Doing some quick math showed the amount spent to meet those requirements would be a wash at best. Normally it would have cost more.

I've seen people spend $2-300 in order to get their $75 deposit back. Not for me.

I tell my tenants that even if they clean to the best of their personal standards, chances are its still gonna cost me $100, at least, to clean it to as good as it was when they moved in. And, then I demonstrate what I mean. I remind them with pictures and demos when they move out. So far no one has argued with me keeping some of their deposit for carpets and deep cleaning. And, more than one tenant has thanked me for showing them what to look for.

 

[weilke]

So far I have always gotten my full deposit back. Lots of photos and a walk-through with the manager when i moved out.

 

[cowman]

I guess everyone's definition of clean varies. To me if everything has been emptied out, scrubbed down, vacuumed, and there's no damage due to carelessness/negligence/malice one ought to expect their full deposit back. Normal wear & tear should be the landlord's responsibility.

Then again I can also see from the landlords perspective how frustrating it must be to put together a perfect apartment, then come in to a couple year's worth of typical wear and tear and see things differently. I also suppose normal wear and tear from a little old lady, a 20-something single guy, and a family with young kids are gonna be different.

I'm also well aware of the horror stories, my in-laws rented a trailer that was on the new property they bought. Tenants claimed to be falling on hard times for months until it was ridiculous, finally had to be evicted. They ripped anything of value they could get out of the trailer, trashed it, left a bunch of their stuff there. MIL repeatedly tried to get them to come take it then they had the nerve to start telling everyone on FB that their mean old landlord booted them out on a day's notice and wouldn't even let them pick up their kid's toys(please donate money). Fortunately someone clued her in and she was able to set the record straight. Trailer was trashed to the point they had to call someone to take it for scrap.

Glad I own my own home and don't rent out apartments.

 

[Anymouse]

I pay a property manager 10% for my rental house and they do EVERYTHING and send me a check every month. Have not dealt with a tenant in 10 years.

Best 10% I have spent in my life!

Same here!!

 

[wilkersk]

I guess everyone's definition of clean varies. To me if everything has been emptied out, scrubbed down, vacuumed, and there's no damage due to carelessness/negligence/malice one ought to expect their full deposit back. Normal wear & tear should be the landlord's responsibility.

Then again I can also see from the landlords perspective how frustrating it must be to put together a perfect apartment, then come in to a couple year's worth of typical wear and tear and see things differently. I also suppose normal wear and tear from a little old lady, a 20-something single guy, and a family with young kids are gonna be different.

......

I'm not talking about "normal wear and tear." I've had tenants tell me, "we've cleaned this place top to bottom". And, then I pull the fridge out and a years worth of Cherios and sticky stuff are hiding behind it. Or, the fingernail over the outside of the range hood reveals a years worth of bacon grease built up. My least favorites are shower doors and ovens.

When I do the move-in inspection, I go right down the list with the tenant to show them what I look for in a clean apartment. When they move out, we do the same.

And, prospective tenants are looking at that stuff. Even the burned out light bulbs and range top drip pans must be replaced for many of the tenants I've rented to. I just want the same when they move out.

 

[Gerhardt]

I pay a property manager 10% for my rental house and they do EVERYTHING and send me a check every month. Have not dealt with a tenant in 10 years.

Best 10% I have spent in my life!

I hear more property management nightmare stories than I do tenant stories. Around here the PM companies rake off the cream before giving the owner any scraps that may be left.

* They keep 10%-15% whether the unit is rented or not, so there's not much incentive.
* Tenant calls about any small thing going wrong, they'll hire someone to fix it, at your expense. Something I can fix for $5 in two minutes might cost $100 after the service call fee. Plus the PM company's fee to call someone.
* Because my apts aren't the best in town the PM company will rent to the same people I would, so there's no advantage w/ any screening they'd do.

I'll deal with the dregs of society on my own. It's a PITA, but at least it's profitable.

 

[Anymouse]

I hear more property management nightmare stories than I do tenant stories. Around here the PM companies rake off the cream before giving the owner any scraps that may be left.

* They keep 10%-15% whether the unit is rented or not, so there's not much incentive.
* Tenant calls about any small thing going wrong, they'll hire someone to fix it, at your expense. Something I can fix for $5 in two minutes might cost $100 after the service call fee. Plus the PM company's fee to call someone.
* Because my apts aren't the best in town the PM company will rent to the same people I would, so there's no advantage w/ any screening they'd do.

I'll deal with the dregs of society on my own. It's a PITA, but at least it's profitable.

Not the experience I've had at all. If the unit isn't rented, they don't get their cut. If the rent doesn't get paid, they don't get their cut. I have the option designating who will do repairs. Never been charged a fee just to have them make a phone call. In fact, other than the 10% off the top, and the 50% first month's rent, I've never been charged a fee. That's what the 10% is for. I also have the option to say yea or nay on any tenant. In addition to collecting rent, they will also take care of all the eviction BS. It really is in their best interest to get good tenants so they don't have to go through the eviction process while not getting paid.

All that being said, thanks for the heads up on what to look out for with property managers.