Renter problems-rant

We had terrible renter trouble too, They would undo the septic and let it run in the neighbors yard. Flush awful stuff to back up pipes. They actually took a shower in 6 inches of sewer backup...They would not let us in the trailer to check on anything. It was a nightmare. We almost lost the whole lot and trailer before they left. Here you can't boot anyone with children out so they got to stay for several months rent free
We never rented again. After we hauled off the 6 truckloads of garbage off and replaced all the stuff they broke and just destroyed we sold the property.
Hope you have better luck.

I get the feeling that this renter is playing you. Good chance that I am wrong, but I think it is a definate possibility.

I know a guy that is a PRO when it comes to stiffing LL for rent. He is probably the best con-artist I have ever met. He plots and plans it all out. He pays great for the first 4 months or so, then will pay half a months rent...then goes back to paying perfectly again for 3 months, then does it again. In the long run, the LL never really forces the issue. Eventually this dead-beat scam artist will have stuck the LL for many months rent in week increments. The last month is never paid. He knows the law, and will play the eviction game to the last days, just to get over on the LL.

I suspect your renter is doing the same thing. Playing you for everything they can until the eviction. They have been there and done that!!!!!

Clove

I am sure that turning off her hot water is illegal. Now if the pilot light goes out mysteriously for 7-8 hours at a time.....

Do you have any good friends in the plumbing, HVAC or electrical business? What would happen if you contracted them to 'repair' something, but it took four or five days to fix, just waiting on the 'parts' to come in?

I will strongly suggest that you consider going to a week to week payment. This puts you in contact with the renter, and it makes it much, much harder for them to stick you with a full months rent. Even if you show up for the weekly rent, and they give a sob story, usually you will get at least half the amount owed. A little money is better than NO money.

A W2W payment system lets the renter know you are keeping up with them. They will be less likely to play games or damage stuff. I am stunned how many LL let a property go without them stopping by from time to time, just to check the gutters, sweep the street, check the hinges on the garage door, see if an imaginary contractor left an estimate for a new roof, etc.

You will make more money W2W than monthly. This might even solve your $500 yearly deficit.

You can always give a monthly discount for those that pay every week, on time, no exceptions.

W2W will improve the cash flow of your renter. It is alot easier for many renters to pull $200 out of their paycheck weekly than to come up with the astronomical amount of $800 a month.

W2W will improve your cash flow. It gives you the rent sooner. It also increases your cash amount because many months have 5 weeks.

Hope this helps...I still think the renter is playing you!

Clove

And then when the tenant has it "fixed", at your expense?

'cause that's what will happen.

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"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law." -- Winston Churchill

Good point.

When my MIL evicted my SIL, she filled out the paper, then served them with a friend along as a witness, And then informed her the sherrif would be notified if shw was not out in 3 days.

SIL did NOT want to meet the sheriff, so after 2 weeks and more insisting she did leave.

I feel your frustration, we have had the same types of things happening in our rental. Needless to say we have the place up for sale and I am willing to bring money to the closing table to get rid of it.

I feel your pain. My renters got a whole lot more diligent about paying when I re-wrote my lease to make it much, much harsher on non-payers. Then I offered a "discount" for people who pay a week early, and a large penalty for those who pay late.

I owned rent houses for a long time. In the worst cases, here's what the old-timers will tell you to do:

1) remove the front door from it's hinges and take it with you
2) throw a bunch of boxes inside

Of course, these days you'd probably get sued.

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Society has gotten to the point where everybody has a right, but nobody has a responsibility.

Of course you'd get sued. And you'd lose.

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"If you have ten thousand regulations you destroy all respect for the law." -- Winston Churchill

I have a renter that pays for a few months, then falls behind, I charge the $50 late fee, and then file eviction papers - the renter then pays up (including late fees and the legal fees) and the cycle starts again for a few more months. Last month, I popped for a new refrigerator for that unit (have to provide the basics) and was rewarded by the tenant not paying anything for the month. I am finally evicting for good - don't care if they offer to pay the legal expenses, etc.- I just want a renter that pays on time - the cost in aggravation alone is too much. I suspect the place will be trashed and I will be out big expenses once I finally get this one out. I have the place up for sale, but no takers yet in this economy. Fingers crossed that someone will want to buy it soon.

Rose,
I did this when one of my rental applicants didn't seem to me to be on the up-and-up.

2 years ago, I decided to offer my house on a lease-to-own. So far it has worked out well for me. The renters take better care of the place because of the money they had to put down up front.

Besides 1st month rent, I get 3% down of purchase price that is set aside in an account collecting interest for me. This is their 'escrow amount'. Each month a specific amount from their payment goes into this account. I give 5 days leniency. If they pay past that 5 days, I charge an additional $50 and that months amount does not go into their escrow account.

It is written in the contract specific things they can & can not do to the propery. Any alterations or improvements must have a written consent by me (and become my property until the lease has been fulfilled.) The maintenance & repairs are spelled out.

Any violation of anything in the contract results in termination of the contract with me keeping all the money.

Paul has a soft heart and will listen to sob stories but he leaves the final decision to me since it was my house before we married. I give them a set of rules and what will happen if they break the rules.

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