Landlord/Tenant question

[norealityhere]

Too funny! I'm envisioning your cat doing jumping jacks and running around just to cause trouble!

Seriously, though, years ago I had several neighbors who were fighting all the time (couples). They are the worst. Call the police and when they kiss and make up you are the bad guy. I put up with it a lot before I was able to move.

Home owners have problems, too. Friends of mine bought a great house in a very nice neighborhood a few years ago. They soon found out their neighbors were motorcycle enthusiasts and not very nice people. They said the noise has been terrible. People congregating late at night and early in the morning. Ugh.

I've been lucky for the last few years. My neighbors are quiet and we don't bother each other - actually don't see each other much.

I think that was part of the inspiration behind my kitty avatar.

I had a neighbor across the hall whose boyfriend used to beat her up. The cops and the abused women's people would always come. Problem was she kept taking him back. One day, I guess she just got sick of it and kicked him out. Prior to that, it was like being in a soap opera.

[hutchlover]

OMG, my troubles have gotten even worse now!

After saying they would buy our house, now they've moving out a month before the lease ends, refuse to pay the last month's rent (the deposit is different amount from the rent), say they won't let our representative & a real estate agent in (even with the required 24 hours notice). And on top of that, they've removed the carpeting from one bedroom, stripped the captain's rail off the wall, repainted the kitchen, and ripped out all our borders. All without our knowledge or permission.

When I finally blew up at her today, she said it was no big deal and I was being picky. IT'S MY F*G HOUSE!!!!! I hung up on her and promptly emailed her a notice that they will be sued and their bosses notified. I also know their new address, so I'm going to find out the owner of that property and inform them.

I sent copies of the lease agreement and the notification (that has a date & time stamp on it) I sent them about the real estate agent & our rep coming in, just in case they decide to call the police.

If not for the fact that I'm two states away and I have plans this weekend, I'd be there in a heartbeat. I probably will go next weekend to make sure they do not take anything with them that belongs with the house.

[MRD]

Just about every place I've ever rented has chared first and last months rent AND a security deposit.

I wish you luck. You can take them to court to sue for the damages. Take photos and document EVERYTHING. Keep a log of phone calls and copies of all letters, etc.
Keep receipts of everything you have to buy or pay for for the repairs.

We know someone that went to small claims court with something similar and they got a $900 judgement on the ex-renters. They never saw a penny of the money until 2 years later when the couple went to buy a house and one of the requirements for purchase was they had to satisfy the judgement against them before they could get a mortgage.

[J.D.]

One think to keep in mind during all of this - from a landlord's point of view, is the courts are much more harsh on property owners than the tenants. Just be careful you follow the law to the letter - one mistake or oversight may cost you.

As with most things - keep a paper trail of everything, no matter how well you get along in the beginning!

[hutchlover]

I have. Including receipts of everything, copies of e-mails w/time stamps, pictures from before (my step-dad took pictures yesterday), etc etc

I found out from my step-dad yesterday that they broke the original toilet seat (which was practically new), repolaced it and now have broken that one. How do you break two toilet seats in one year?!

[just1paul]

I have. Including receipts of everything, copies of e-mails w/time stamps, pictures from before (my step-dad took pictures yesterday), etc etc

I found out from my step-dad yesterday that they broke the original toilet seat (which was practically new), repolaced it and now have broken that one. How do you break two toilet seats in one year?!

cheap materials... I did it one year until I decided to spend more than 10.00 on a seat.

[J.D.]

I have. Including receipts of everything, copies of e-mails w/time stamps, pictures from before (my step-dad took pictures yesterday), etc etc

I found out from my step-dad yesterday that they broke the original toilet seat (which was practically new), repolaced it and now have broken that one. How do you break two toilet seats in one year?!

Good for you and your record-keeping habits. And of course that applies to all matters of the law/contracts, etc. Especially divorces, but that's another thread. I know that sounds cynical, but I've spent many years negotiating what each party thought they agreed on in the beginning.

Two broken toilet seats in one year? I'm not sure I'd even want to ask what happened there!

This thread has definitely helped convince me that I don't want to rent out my home.

[prhoshay]

I don't think that renting property is worth the effort, most of the time.

[J.D.]

I don't think that renting property is worth the effort, most of the time.

My mom was a realtor for several years - and she was also a property manager for rentals on the market. The trouble she went through just about drove her bananas. She was always chasing down tenants for their monthly rent, then cleaning up the messes left behind when the tenants bailed in the middle of the night.

[hutchlover]

Yeah, but is it worth it to lose all the $ you've put into a home when you sell because you had to move? That's the kicker for me. We've put in $30-$40K in our home. It was exactly how we wanted it. I hope the real estate agent gives me some good news.