San Antonio, TX · Member since 2015 · 8 posts · 5 votes
my tenant completely trashed my place, deposit will not even cover the junk removal service
I called my insurance (USAA) the adjuster showed up and was very helpful : turns out Trashing the place is not covered BUT (blessing in disguise) I have water damage under the kitchen sink and the laminated floors/tiles walls , countertop Etc needs replacing and I'm expecting a seizable payout
My challenge :
Does contracting with a property management company will help me avoid this scenario in the future ? (Previous tenant was a coworker :( )
Where can I look for good help to repair the place ? As I am already spending good amount to just remove the junk and fight a terrible roach infestation (I could use some advice on this too)
Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
11y
Start by making sure you follow local landlord tenant law as to return of the security deposit. Even if you recognize that you will be keeping the entire amount, you must send the tenant an accounting of the expenses you incurred to which you applied the security deposit, and you must do so within a specific timeline or you could find yourself having to pay the tenant maybe double or triple the deposit as penalty for failing to comply with the law. If the dumpster and haul away fees are documented on an invoice, and that exceeds the deposit, then you don't have to go much further than that to account for where the deposit went.
Now, with all that stuff left behind - was this an eviction, a midnight move out on the sly, or done with a notice to you in advance? Because the tenant might claim that they left "valuables" behind, and that you took them ...
Ottawa, Ontario · Member since 2015 · 2 posts · 0 votes
11y
I had this problem a few years back. We had these tenants who would put their junk out open in the balcony every time and we had to call upon junk removal service to get them cleared.
I think you can team up with a waste management company such as Junk It ( http://www.junkit.ca/ ) to avoid this situation in future. Also you need to warn your tenants about the issue and its consequences.
@Ben Meddeb I am so sorry to hear this, but rule number one, real estate investing is not for the light hearted. Another reason why BP forums always tell you to not invest, rent or borrow money people you know, it can turn a relationship sour.
I think Sandy's first paragraph is worth repeating. I have no interest in renting to friends, relatives, or coworkers. One of my coworkers just found his home trashed after another coworker/tenant recently moved out. He thought he'd help the guy out when he needed a place to stay after a divorce, and rented him a place at probably 1/3 of market value (while still making cash). Anyway, when the guy moved out he left a trail of damage in his wake, and it has been very expensive for my coworker to remedy this situation.
To make matters worse, they still work together, which is awkward (granted, it's a 2,000 person office).
For me, I think I'll keep my future rental transactions as business deals, and not rent to friends, family, or coworkers.