Renters - Why are some idiots!?!?!

First of all...tough. Second of all, there is nothing illegal in screening applicants for your rentals and choosing the most appropriate tenant and for my mostly one or two bedroom rentals children would usually be sleeping on the floor which I will not allow. I support the Fair Housing Act but if you think it precludes land lords from protecting their assets and liabilities your wrong. As a decades long rental property owner most of those issues dont come up in the first place because once you run a credit screening on them they are not going to be considered anyway.

I have allowed renters with children in the past and it worked out fine becuase it was a single mother and the kid had her own room but the demographic who seems to be interested in renting are mostly older retirees or working bachelors; thus the comment about "tend to rent to adults with no children". Again, is it fair I wont allow kids to share mom or dads bedroom? I am interested in my tenants being good neighbors, taking due care of the place and paying their rent on time. I care no a whit who they sleep with, what their religion, ethnicity, national origin or marital status is.

__________________
www.salmonslayer-simplelife.blogspot.com

Sure it is fair. There are many what are called Adult Communities. That will only rent to older adults and No Children either. If they can be around this country, so can you make up your own rules. Your House Your Rules. Period.

__________________
Oh my, dishes yet to wash and dry

See My Pictures at
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/0903/arabianknight/

My tenant moved in a sub tenant who smoked. Visible from the street. If my insurance company saw him, they would have cancelled my policy, and it would have cost me thousands of dollars more to get a new policy after being cancelled.

Our policy specifies "NO SMOKING"!

Previously, she had a guest who smoked out on her deck, and dropped her butts onto my patio below. She probably thought that was good etiquette, but I thought she was a pig. In the summer, when water restrictions are enacted and vegetation gets dry, she could have caught the place on fire.

That same guest brought a Pitt Bull, and nobody thought to ask me if I wanted a vicious dog on the property. I went into my own back yard to tend to my garden, and this dog was barking and snarling at me and trying to jump over the deck rail to get at me. My tenant thought she had the right to bring this dog to my house (despite my no pet rule) and put my life and my finances at risk. She had committed to watch the dog for two weeks. The dog could have attacked me in my own yard. It could have escaped the yard, and attacked someone else. They told me it was "the sweetest dog!!!", but the dog told me a different story.

I made her get rid of it that day. She got to go to her friends house several times a day to feed it, watch it, etc.

If you want to smoke, have whatever pets you want, buy your own house. That way you get to assume all the risk or live with the damage that is done. Why should your landlord assume any risk for your destructive habits?

Smokers often lose some of their sense of smell. They get used to the smell of smoke in their house. But when they leave, the next people or the landlord have to replace the drapes and carpets, repaint every inch to get rid of the stench and the yellowing. How much do you think that costs? Are you willing to pay a damage deposit of thousands of dollars to cover these costs? And for the down time necessary to replace everything, while the landlord can't rent the place out?

I used to be in the Air Force Reserves. When I went for my reserve weekend, they would put me up in billeting quarters. A few times the stench of stale cigarette smoke was so strong that I wound up sleeping in my car. I was getting sick in the room.

__________________
I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.

Popeye

Lawn care is negotiable but I dont want tenants touching my HVAC equipment and I certainly dont want them on ladders cleaning gutters on my property. Lawsuits can be expensive even if you have good insurance and you're right.

Don't forget that some (most) home owners insurance companies will not insure you if you own one of the "banned breeds" - typically Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Dobermans, Pit Bulls, etc. So if your tenant brings one of those breeds in, your insurance for the property could be terminated.

Even in cases like Common Tator's above, where the renter was pet-sitting, it doesn't matter . If the insurance company finds out about it, you're cancelled.

Heck, I had an AKC registered American Staffordshire Terrier for 12 years, and I rented during half of those years. He had natural ears and was blue, and my vet (who was good friends with me) had him listed in their computer as a "Boxer Mix" so if anyone ever called to see what breed he was he wouldn't have the dreaded "pit" label applied to him. Mind you my AmStaff was a sweetheart, helped me raise litters of orphaned kittens and wasn't a threat to anyone who wasn't a threat to me.

My point is, when you take your dog to a vet clinic they ASK you "What breed is your dog?" so even if a landlord asks to see vet records to "verify" the breed, that isn't 100%. I easily passed my AmStaff off as a Boxer x Weimaraner mix for YEARS - he really looked like one , so even if you asked to meet him in person you could be fooled. And heck, the media thinks every dog that bites someone is a pit bull or pit mix, so if things went south ANY breed could be called into question and your homeowners insurance cancelled.

__________________

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Miniature Bull Terriers
www.PatronusMiniBulls.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I would never ever dream of asking my landlord to Mow The Lawn? Are you kidding. Snowblow the driveway out? No Way.
I have not once but twice coated the roof of this mobile home with sealant. Heck I even built a 10 X 14 foot shed to house my critters in besides the one that I bought and had delivered. Cut down some small trees that were in my way so I could run a nice fence line. I had 5 miniature horses at one time.
Now I raise a steer every two years, and may get a mini again for a pet.
I did ask once if I could cut one down that was interfering with my satellite TV reception sure he said go ahead. I did ask him once at the very start if I could have a dog. His answer: "You live in the country and you should have a dog". LOL Nice answer.

__________________
Oh my, dishes yet to wash and dry

See My Pictures at
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/0903/arabianknight/

As she said, its illegal.

__________________
Recognize the beauty in things, in creation, even when thats difficult to do.
Be loving, show compassion. Create while we're here.
Enjoy this life, be in this life but not be of it.

First of all, its none of your business whether the kids share mom or dads bedroom. Second, a two bedroom house is plenty big enough for a couple with two children, kids share rooms and have forever.

You can try to smooth it over all you want, but it is illegal.

__________________
Recognize the beauty in things, in creation, even when thats difficult to do.
Be loving, show compassion. Create while we're here.
Enjoy this life, be in this life but not be of it.

As Salmon Slayer said, you have to consider the property you are renting out. Mine is a one bedroom apartment. I won't be renting to a family with kids, because it simply isn't big enough to accommodate children. One or two people max.

When I owned a three bedroom rental house, I rented to families, because that place was set up for it. Three bedrooms, two baths, and a big back yard.

I do get to decide how many people I am willing to have inhabit my place. And the law is on my side there.

__________________
I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.

Popeye

Thats why if they want to pay it with their credit card, you have them go to the bank and get a cash advance. That way, it negates the chargeback factor.

__________________
Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons...for you are crunchy and good with ketchup!

Not illegal at all. Lots of people claim illegal when they dont like something but they really have little understanding of the law. For instance, did you know that you can refuse to rent to single people but not married people (in most states)? Did you know you can refuse to rent to students (in most states)? That you can refuse to rent to persons who are gay (unless your state or municipal law prohibits it)? That you can refuse to rent to anyone for no reason at all as long as they arent in a protected class?

Here are a couple of things most people dont understand:

"What property is exempt from the federal Fair Housing Acts?
The Fair Housing Acts do not apply to every rental property. Exempt property includes:

• Senior housing: Housing qualifies for this exemption if 1) HUD has made a determination that the dwelling is designed and occupied by elderly residents under a local, state, or federal program; or 2) all residents are 62 or older; or 3) at least one person who is 55 years old or older resides in 80 percent of the occupied units and the public is made aware that the housing unit intends to provide senior housing to people 55 or older
• Owner-occupied housing: An owner lives in a building with four or fewer units
• Some owners of single family homes: A single family home is owned by a private person and rented without the use of a real estate broker or discriminatory advertising
• Some housing owned by religious organizations and private clubs: Housing that limits occupancy to its members

What are the legal reasons that a landlord can reject a prospective tenant?
A landlord must base the selection of tenants on pre-established and objective criteria. A landlord may reject prospective tenants based on a fair screening process that requires all tenants to undergo the same application process. A landlord may consider the following when screening a tenant:

• Credit history
• Income
• History of nonpayment of rent
• Prior bankruptcies
• References
• Some types of criminal convictions
• Pets"

Attribution: http://civilrights.findlaw.com/discr...tion-faqs.html


Most single people or single parents do not score well in the above screening criteria. Its just a fact.

__________________
www.salmonslayer-simplelife.blogspot.com

My husband and I have gotten all our bonds back. We've made sure of it. I've seen the way to get one back is to spend more than you get. Carpets cleaned, receipts. Walls touched up, receipts. Septic changed, receipts. [Even though we only lived there eight months COME ON] Lawn cared, receipts. Sadly, this is not a time for DIY because DIY doesn't prove payment and you can't blame a 3rd party for not doing it if the rental company decides it never happened. [The first and only bond I ever lost I lost because I DIYed the whole clean-up to "save money"] In the end though it worked in our favour. One renter got really upset with us leaving quickly [I got chickens with permission but one day he said 'chickens or leave' so I left] so tried to blacklist us saying we destroyed the property. That's hilarious because we got the full bond back, see? How can I have destroyed a house I left in perfect condition? So even though we have a black mark on our record [the only way to remove it is court] we also have papers stating we got the bond back on the same place so we explain ourselves and sometimes renters get worried, but we show them our complete history [except that one from when I was 19] of returned bonds and they calm down. They KNOW we will at least have the house back the way it was or better....and it only cost me an arm and a leg every time. *grumble*

__________________
Hockey puck, rattle snake, monkey monkey underpants.

I own a rental house which my daughter manages for me.
She does the maintenance. I am not able to do a lot of physical work. It was my parents house, I do have a loan on an almost complete remodeling and fix up, so I have a date with the banker every month.

The previous tenant "left" in September and we had to do a lot of work. I had a long talk with my banker and got some good tips, we are really going to ratchet down this time.

After the previous renters moved, I was in the house several times. The next time I was wearing white slacks. That is when I noticed the tiny fleas jumping on me.

Originally Posted by salmonslayer
I have found there are things you can do to reduce problems though, we have a high deposit requirement, I tend to only rent to older people with no kids, and I have a deal with the renter that if they pay rent on time 12 months in a row they get the next month rent free.

Is the no smoking, no pets, only renting to adults with no kids fair? Its fair to me and no one forces people to rent from me so if they dont like it they are free to rent elsewhere.

Originally Posted by salmonslayer
I have found there are things you can do to reduce problems though, we have a high deposit requirement, I tend to only rent to older people with no kids, and I have a deal with the renter that if they pay rent on time 12 months in a row they get the next month rent free.

Is the no smoking, no pets, only renting to adults with no kids fair? Its fair to me and no one forces people to rent from me so if they dont like it they are free to rent elsewhere.

Not only is not fair, it illegal.
http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?...sing_equal_opp

There are exceptions.
Property Exempt from Federal Antidiscrimination Laws

Unfortunately, not every rental is covered by the federal fair housing laws. The following types of property are exempt:


• owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer rental units


Okay, here's my two cents on this one... I am a renter with pets. I have always had pets, and I will always have pets. I looked for a place that allowed pets, because I'm a fan of not breaking rules set by my landlord. But it seems like almost all of my neighbors have dogs or cats, and NONE of them are allowed animals where they live. So to my way of thinking... You can accept animals, and charge a nice deposit or monthly fee for them, or you can let someone move in, who NEEDS a place that will allow Fluffy, but can't seem to find one, and you will get $0 for deposits, and the dog or cat will be living there anyway.

I work VERY hard to keep a good name with my landlord. She loves my dogs, and thinks the world of me. I paid pet deposits on this place. Even though she had a TERRIBLE experience with previous tenants who had a dog, she herself has dogs, and wanted to give others with pets a chance. My dogs are quiet and very well-behaved. I clean up their messes, and I plan to buy a carpet shampooer soon, just to keep things looking as good as possible. You cannot judge one pet owner by another. Asking for references is a good place to start. (References on the ANIMAL, I mean - not the owner, although you'd obviously be doing that too!)

THIS! When I was looking at places, there were a whole bunch that said "NO CATS". I thought that was interesting, because it seems to me like a dog can do more damage... HAHA! Then I had cats move in with me. After I move out of here, I won't be living with cats again for a long time. Cats simply do not care what your rules are. When you aren't there, they do as they please. You can train a dog, but a cat is its own master. My roommate's cats are MORE than a handful. I have to discipline them EVERY SINGLE DAY because I find them doing things they should not be doing. I have a couch that I want to get rid of, but I've left it in the living room JUST so that they'll continue to use it as a scratching post (yes, you read that right - his cats are clawing the crap out of my couch!) because I don't want them to switch to using SOMETHING ELSE of mine as a scratching post! So right now the couch is an offering of sorts. :S The cats are on and in everything they should not be. They claw things, they shred things, they pee on things... UGH.

You can put a dog in its crate when you leave the house. I can't imagine putting a cat in a crate when you leave the house... The neighbors would probably call the cops from the indignant yowling.

Nor should it be, My House My Rules. Enough Said.

__________________
Oh my, dishes yet to wash and dry

See My Pictures at
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/0903/arabianknight/

Or as a landlord you can drive by the house frequently and look for signs of pets, and inspect the house once a month to look for signs of pets.

I subleased a room one summer for a few months in between regular rentals, and when I signed the paperwork with the property manager I told them about my dog. They got his shot records and called the vet to verify he had no "bad" notes in his chart, and I got the okay. A few days after I moved in, the property manager dropped by to give me my official copy of the paperwork (I forget why I hadn't gotten it at signing) and all of a sudden the roommate who lived there full time was GONE. She had been in the living room with her little lap dog when the doorbell rang, and when she heard the PM's voice she bolted upstairs.

After the PM left I asked her what the heck that was all about, and she told me that had never told the PM about her 2nd dog, and that there was a 2 dog limit on the property and since her regular roommate had one and she had one, she wasn't supposed to have dog #2 . I was soooo glad that it was only a 2-month summer sublease, because if that had been my regular rental I would have turned her into the PM in a heartbeat. No way was I going to risk being thrown out on the street due to a dishonest roommate

Found out after I moved into my regular place that one of the neighbors had turned her in, the PM sat outside the place in her car and got photos of her walking the 2nd dog (who wasn't on the lease), and she got kicked out for violating their lease.... rightfully so, IMO. And from what I hear, her roommate was VERY unhappy with her, since she had told the roommate that she had gotten it approved with the PM as a special exemption .

__________________

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Miniature Bull Terriers
www.PatronusMiniBulls.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So, any updates?

__________________
I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.

Popeye

You sure don't give us much information. How long has he rented from you? Has he ever been late before and if so why and how quick did he come up with the rent? Is this normal for him? Has he been sick? Does he still owe rent from past months?

Times are tough and getting tougher for many people. Yes many renters are irresponsible and dishonest but just being a renter doesn't make him an idiot. Just being late with the rent doesn't make him an idiot. You sound a bit like the person a week or so ago who accused all people from the city of being idiots because they are from the city.

I rent a business office. This month I am late with the rent because...well work is slow. I let my landlord know the situation and that I was working on it as best as I could. He didn't get angry, call me an idiot and go on a internet forum to complain about me. I've rented from him for some years now. Sometimes I am a bit late because times are tough and work is sometimes slow but I've always paid him. He knows I will pay him because I always have.

I sure am glad he is my landlord and not you. I live without many things that most people would consider necessities because I have to pay the rent. I sure wouldn't want an idiot landlord who can't understand how tough it is some months to come up with the rent.

That is terrible.My friend rented and she often was late. Do you tack on a late fee?

The way the laws are set up it seems like the renters have more protection than the homeowner.Plus,the minute you start the eviction process the renter gets are bent out of shap and starts messing up the house!

30,60 90 days to move out? I think 2 weeks is enough of a notice.It only takes one day to move.If they did not pay the rent they have THAT money to get a new place!!!!

I hope things work out.That you get paid,and that your next renter is better. Dh wants to rent out my moms place when the time comes,and I don't want too.Even if you rent to a friend the friend thinks it is OK to be late.