Military Tenants -all trouble? - Facing 1st eviction in 12 yrs
I'm far from an expert landlord/investor - but I think I moved on from newbie a few years ago as well.
I've had a handful of rentals since 2006 - never more than 10 doors while holding down a full time job - until last fall I've handled all my leasing, showings, etc. Have been trying to expand my thinking and outsource so for the first time I gave up leasing and let someone else handle it for me when my wife and I purchased our business and were needing to relocate 2 hours away. So we decided in lieu of selling our house we'd rent it.
It was kind of a hybrid situation with the PM - we'd spent some time developing a relationship - she managed a large 200-300 unit apartment complex and was the head PM there - she was familiar with the tenant as he'd rented at her apt complex for 2-3 years with no problems. I think he's a Sgt E5 - has a tech type job in logistics or for all I know he flys a drone and blows people up all day as we have some sort of tech center where they do that on the local Airbase. I met him - he seemed like a good guy - I end up leasing to him.
He has a good reference from the person I'm going to partner with on property management and since I was moving out of town agreed to lease to him, he's older military - so despite the fact I've been screwed over by 3 other military families years before I go against my better judgement and decide to rent to him. I never meet the rest of his family but he has a young 5-6 yr old or so son with him when he looks at the house and they seem good - I'm told his 19yo daughter will live with him until she gets on her feet and gets on her own (was led to believe it would be short term) - then another young 10yr old or so boy and his tenants newlywed wife (he was getting remarried in his 40's).
So fast foward to now - I had good relationships with my neighbors - asked them to look out for me and they knew I took good care of my house. About a month ago I start getting calls and texts asking me if I know whats going on at my house. They say people are constantly coming and going and people are moving things in and out a lot.
Tell about a couple minor disturbances etc. So in the past 2 weeks I find out the 19 yo supposed daughter of the tenants is not his daughter but I'm guessing a step daughter and she has 2 children 2 yrs and younger. Her boyfriend appears by all appearances to be living at the house and moved in. 2 other men are there at least 4 days a week, and none of the neighbors have hardly seen the guy I leased to and they've only seen his wife once or twice in 4 months. They dont even know if they live there.
2 days ago I get video of a makeshift pen with a pitbull of some sort penned up in the back yard and then today photos of trash strewn all over the back yard.
I've leased many times so know what to say to tenants - the pet discussion was thorough and often - we even delayed signing the lease as i was told by Mr tenant that his wife may want to buy a yorki-poo - (I was ok with it at the beginning but my policy is a higher deposit and I meet the dog) he finally tells me during our leasing process he does not want a dog and is deadly afraid of them and they will NOT have a dog in the house.
The PM i'm partnering with in my business goes over today to do a property inspection - they hid the pitbull but the Yorkie-poo was found in the downstairs bathroom with a kennel and pee pads (meaning it's not potty trained) - I despise these little dogs as they will piss all over the carpet and since they're so little the tenants wont care or find the mess and clean it up. I do not prefer them in the house - the pit bull in any rental is a not only a NO but a HELL NO.
I text the tenant and ask him to call me tonight - he does - I ask him about the extra tenant (step daughters boyfriend) amongst other family living in the house above 18 that is not on the lease - (I'm thinking in this smaller 3/2 house there may be 5-6 adults and up to 4-6 kids living there) - Tenant lies about boyfriend living there. Neighbors have not seen him leave since they moved in - he's been there since day 1 per what I've been told - I can find lots of Facebook photos of him in the house.
Ask mr tenant about dog - he cant even keep his story straight about yorki - first says a friend is in jail and they're keeping it for a couple weeks until he gets out, then says it's a fellow military member away at training - and he'll be getting dog back in two weeks, then says he likes the dog so he may wanna buy it and asks about adding the dog to the lease. Dude we had this discussion and beat this topic into the ground before the lease was signed.
Then ask about a pit bull - he thought he was safe on that one as it wasnt there for inspection but he doesnt know I have video of it there. (My neighbors liked me and I got along with them well so many thanks to them) - He admits it's there now but that it will be gone tomorrow. Brings up that he's scared of dogs and it's not in the house. BS
Needless to say we are posting a 14/30 tomorrow - I'm done with military people - I will likely never rent to one again - rented to 4 over the years and all of them have screwed me one way or another. I've never had to evict anyone and this guy will likely be my first eviction - sad a 40 plus year old man is a bold faced liar. I dont know if he married into a crazy family or what - what I was told of him at the apt community he lived at when he was single was that he was an angel and a clean freak and played by the rules.
I dont know if he felt I was a sucker as I was a private landlord and moving out of town or what. I really hate being lied to. I asked him to tell me man to man all the details tonight and that I'm about open and honest communication - he still wouldnt come clean.
Do I need to calm down? I'm sure I do - please help me get some more creative solutions to get to a peaceful resolution or get him and his carny family to leave. We spent around $30-40k just in the last year and a half alone as my wife and I were planning on making this our long term house (we didnt anticipate buying a business and moving out of town) and also making this a show piece with upgrades, nice carpentry etc to show people the work Im capable of in the RE world. With this many people and animals in the house it may cost me loads of money.
Sorry Im venting a little bit - people like this make me lose more faith in society - I've always been the type to do things on a handshake and a mans/womans word means something - I've treated people with respect and gotten it back - it doesnt appear to be a 2 way street with this guy. I've had one tenant owe me $2k+ - I was polite to her when she moved out and treated her with dignity and respect and she paid me every dime 4-5mos later when she got her tax return - have another similar incident when someone else fell on a hard time. I dont think due to the lies I can let this guy keep going. I was told the inside of the house looked good but I know that house will not hold up to that many adults and little kids living in it for long. It's not worth the rent Im charging him.
