Anyone ever rented out...

[Wolf mom]

a 2nd house on the property where they were living?

I have a park model travel trailer that I was using as a "guest" house for my married children when they visited.

There was a "want" ad in the local paper from an out of stater who needs a place to live for about 6 months. He just got a job here, wants to build his own home & move his family here. We talked last night.

He wants to have reduced rent for "work around the property". He was thinking of renting a room in someone's house, but I don't want that. He is just what I need. Mainly to feed my critters when I go to see family overnight.

He's comng into town on Dec. 2nd with his wife & we'll go from there.

I think I'm pretty trusting and have recently found out I'm not as good of a judge of character as I thought.

Sooooo, any cautions, pro's and con's, what I should ask, etc. you can think of will sure help in my decision.

[lgslgs]

If he works for a reasonable sized company that is handling his relocation, and is a new hire, call the company and ask the HR director if it is normally company policy to do employment background checks and what they normally entail.

The HR director won't be able to give you specifics about a person, but if the company has a solid background check policy it is likely that they've been screened for criminal records or other major stuff.

Lynda

[MichelleB]

I've got experience renting rooms in my own home, and the other unit in a duplex in which I lived/owned.

In addition to the excellent advice previously posted:

Make sure you write up an agreement that includes your expectations for work, cash payments, deposits, etc. Also, encourage them to get renter's insurance--it's inexpensive, and your own policy may require it.

[thedonkeyman]

Do not only think of the extra money or work that this person "says they might do"? Been there done that. This could be someone who is just ??? well the possiblities are many, these days. Running from the law could be just one of several. How do you know that will be his wife ? Check her out also. If this NOT work out you might have to give (according to your, state law) 30 days to move. Will he have access to your house ? I had my back injured needed help,we had a couple with two children live in our trailer ,we had nothing but problems and when I kicked them out they took us to court. They were going all over the country scamming every one they could. IF you have insurance they might claim they injured them selves. I don't know the solution for extra help, as we could use some here, and I don't speak Spanish (if that would work). BE very CAUTIOUS. OH, did you ever check that screen at the top of your smoke stack ?

[Fire-Man]

Get references from them----And check them out. Have a note pad and jot down EVERYTHING you discuss and agree on and put it into writting, then signed with a witness for Both Sides------If he agree's to do this or that for rent---Then----Do like I do----I have a renter that lives in a set-up camper----------I tell him his rent is $50 per week----He wants to do side jobs for me for help on the rent---I keep a calender and post any work he does and take it off his rent, but We have a agreement ""before"" he does the work/each job. If I need him to do this or that----I ask him how long he thinks it will take, he tells me---I say well I will give you this much to do it/ he agree's---when he is finished he tells me---If I need to check it I do---If It looks good----I jot down that price we agreed on, on the calender----most of the time he see's me writting it down-----If its a big/all day job----We have a price agreed on Per hour----At the end of the job--I jot it down----if he does more than his rent one week--it is applied to next week------I Tell him--I Am not a Bank and I don't do loans, but if he gets in a bind---I do Pawn---bring me something "I" am interested in thats worth Alot more than the money you need--Works out good for him and me. I furnish his water and electric, but he furnishes his LP gas, Gas heat, gas stove, gas water heater, I tell him NO electric heater allowed unless he wants to pay more each week---he can only wash his vehicle once a week and no-one else's. Be straight up, meaning tell him/them this is what You expect-----No hunting or only at certain times, Can't have Junk vehicles in the yard, Got to have the rent by a certain day or a late fee(I charge $5 per day and its wrote in the agreement) will start adding daily till he pays it. He has boundrys---meaning I show him his yard/corners and tell him---he has to get permission to go into other area's--Be Tough on that. I tell him----"So we don't have problems, I want touch your things with out permission, please don't bother mine without permission". He has been here for almost a year----We get along Good. I have other rental property, but they have there own yard etc----this guy is using part of mine and only what I showed him he could use.
NEVER say well if you help do this or that I will let you stay for this much---------That leaves the door OPEN to problems, do As I stated above---Renting is a Business------Treat it as So. Randy

[bare]

Don't do it. At least, not the way you are proposing to do it.

Folks around here are going to get tired of my saying, hire a property manager.

Let the manager do the required screening and background checks and collect reasonable rent from the tenant.

Then you can hire him for cash to do any work you want.

I am a property manager and can predict the future too! Your phone or worse yet, your doorbell will start ringing as soon as the tenant moves in. "My lightbulb is burned out". "My toilet backed up". "I saw an ANT! This place is infested!!"

Work agreed to won't get done because life intrudes. When their new house construction is set back by the contractor, the tenant will be reluctant to move and your adult children that want to use your place will have to get a motel room instead.

[Evan Fryman]

Call your local and there's , Local Annex County Office and ask if they can Check peoples Back grounds or if they have a FREE Computer for Public
Use to check the public records !!!!
We have one HERE !
You need as much Info on them as possable,Full Name,Date Of Birth,S.S.Number,ID and Or Drivers L. Number, Last Known Address,
Employer, ????? !!!!

You can also find out the closest Main News Paper near them for Publications
of Info, Some News Papers may also be on the WWW. !

........ Evan .......

[Wolf mom]

Thabks for your helpful hints. You all brought up things for me to concern myself wilh.

Fire man: I think I'm going to do what you said. Sounds like the transactions are a lot cleaner. Rent deduction for each job done. I also like the advice on no heaters, he pays for the propane. That was one of my concerns - Huge electric bills.

thedonkeyman: - insurance check - great! Will call my agent Monday

MichelleB - I will get everything in writing, and put it on a month-to month basis. I think, hopefully, there's less chance of legal problems that way.

bare: if he pays for the first $25.00/$50.00 of any "service' call, that should resolve that! For the small amount of rent I'm asking, I'm sorry your services aren't needed at 10% off the top. No offence.

[Wolf mom]

Thanks for your helpful hints. You all brought up inportant things for me to concern myself with

Fire man: I think I'm going to do mostly what you said. Sounds like the transactions are a lot cleaner. Rent deduction for each job done. I also like the advice on no heaters, he pays for the propane. That was one of my concerns - Huge electric bills.

thedonkeyman: - insurance check - great! Will call my agent Monday

MichelleB - I will get everything in writing, and put it on a month-to month basis. I think, hopefully, there's less chance of legal problems that way.

bare: if he pays for the first $25.00/$50.00 of any "service' call, that should resolve that! For the small amount of rent I'm asking, I'm sorry your services aren't needed at 10% off the top. No offence.

[bare]

You'll be sooorrryyy, but I hope you come back to this post later to tell us how sorry you are.

To clarify, I wasn't offering my services as a property manager because you can't be a property manager at a distance. Every state has it's own quagmire of rental property regulations and getting afowl of them can be an expensive lesson.

That 10% or so that you might expect to pay often looks cheap in hindsight.

I wish you every success.

[Sparkey]

,,