Tenants causing MY family drama!

General Landlording & Rental Properties
10yFollow

Tenants causing MY family drama!

Sadye S.
Property Manager · Grovetown, GA · Member since 2015 · 19 posts · 5 votes

This is going to be long and complicated, and I hope I can go into depth without causing confusion.

My dad passed away last April and left me his home. I rented it to an older couple that I've known since I was in elementary school-- I'm 25 now. They knew my dad, we all went on vacations together, I grew up with their kids.. it sounded like a great fit. They've been in there since September 1st, 2015. It was going good until the husband starting working with my grandfather. My grandfather owns a construction company and needed help. My tenants are constantly asking for rides, small loans, money, food. This has my grandmother super upset, and when she brings it up to my grandfather, he actually started to yell at her! My grandparents are in their late 80's, and never have I witnessed them upset with each other. My grandma is done with it all and I'm afraid that all of this stress is going to hurt her. My tenants have a few lease violations since January (making cosmetic changes without permission; pets), is it too late to use these to evict them? I just learned of the fights between my grandparents today. Also, I have asked my tenants to no longer communicate/work with my grandfather any more. My entire family has had enough with them taking advantage of my grandfather and the stress that it's putting on my grandma. My tenants shouldn't be causing anyone stress except me. What can I do? My home is located in South Carolina and I have a standard SC residential lease. 

0Reply
108 views

Most Popular Reply

Jeff B.
Buy & Hold Owner · Redlands, CA · Member since 2015 · 5k+ posts · 2k+ votes
10y

As a policy;

  • never rent to close friends
  • nor employees

It WILL become divisive and you will injure the relationship

6Reply
See this reply in the discussion

32 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Zach KiddPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Clearwater, FL · Member since 2015 · 176 posts · 148 votes
    10y

    Good! Any action will beat no action. 

    Please keep us in the loop as the situation progresses. 

    0Reply
  • Sadye S.
    OP
    Property Manager · Grovetown, GA · Member since 2015 · 19 posts · 5 votes
    10y

    Definitely. Thank you for your help!

    0Reply
  • Luc Boiron
    Specialist · Toronto, Ontario · Member since 2016 · 564 posts · 425 votes
    10y

    @Zach Kidd @Sadye S.

    Be careful with the cash for keys. 

    If they don't accept, and you try to evict the tenant on different grounds, they may argue that the grounds you are evicting them on are false and you really want them out for others reasons, evidenced by you offering them cash for keys.

    Keep the offer of cash for keys verbal only. If they agree, don't give them the cash until they have moved out.

    1Reply
  • Zach KiddPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Clearwater, FL · Member since 2015 · 176 posts · 148 votes
    10y

    @Luc Boiron, I did mention in an earlier post on this thread that the C4K should be the hold-back strategy. 

    The tenants are obviously manipulative and money-focused, which makes C4K both attractive and dangerous.

    1Reply
  • Gail K.
    Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    10y

    Howdy Sadye S. (from next door to you in Augusta GA).   I suspect your evicting these tenants or terminating their lease at the end will have little effect on changing their behavior; as long as grandpa continues to be available this behavior of them of asking for rides, food, money, small loans, etc. will continue.  In other words, if they rent from someone else they'll be asking grandpa for money to pay that rent.

    Hopefully they will abide by your request not to work with grandpa any further but I suspect that since grandpa and grandma are in South Carolina and you're in Georgia, these tenants might continue to hit up grandpa for these things same as before.

    One has to bring up the issue with aging relatives....is grandpa able to continue handling his finances or is he at risk (as my partners mother was from Bills brother) of being taken advantage financially due to changes secondary to elderly dementia issues?

    2Reply
  • Sadye S.
    OP
    Property Manager · Grovetown, GA · Member since 2015 · 19 posts · 5 votes
    10y

    Hey Gail!

    My tenants moved about an hour away from their families to be in my home, just because of the super cheap rent I offered them. They really have no reason to stick around once gone. There's a lot more to the situation that I have not disclosed, but these people are nothing but freeloaders. I should've known not to rent to anyone I personally knew, but I really wanted someone I knew (or my dad knew) closely-- just because it was the house that I grew up in with my dad. I figured they would treat it better than a complete stranger. Just one example: My tenants have a van. Van broke down. My Grandpa paid to have it fixed ($300+). It's fixed now, but now they are too cheap to put insurance on it (yet they still drive it, just not to work, of course ;)) So my grandpa picks him up when he needs something done, or when they're asking for rides. Grandpa doesn't manage the finances, my grandmother does which is why I think he is unaware of all the money that is going out the window! But, after confronting my grandpa about it, my grandma is too scared to bring it up again so that's why I feel as if this is all on me to fix.

    All of this is happening weeks before I am preparing to take a PM class for SC. I know my Georgia laws very well, but SC is a bit different. Actually, this is all a bit different since it's my own family and house and not a client that I'm representing. I've learned my lesson.. definitely!

    0Reply
  • Maricela Chavez
    Real Estate Agent · Tucker, GA · Member since 2016 · 90 posts · 144 votes
    10y
    Wow. This sounds like a nightmare. If they are ever late, do not accept any further rent and make them move out. Furthermore. I would just go ahead and take them to court. You know you can pretty much sue anyone for anything! So you go to court and simply petition the court to make them move. You explain that this tenant has a legal lease, that however due to the employment situation things have just gotten way out of hand. That there is huge conflict of interest. Furthermore you can state that due to these folks living in the property and also working together you are seriously afraid that something horrible could happen to your grandfather. That he's old and that you are afraid that these dealings/ interactions could cause your grandfather to fall ill, or have undue stress. It's the truth. I guarantee that if you go in there and prove that they have not made timely payments, are causing too many issues, a judge will not look at this in a positive light. We are all emotional creatures. In Georgia the court does not Mess around with matters like this. Worst case scenario you pay for these folks to move the hell out of the house and you wash your hands of this. Believe me! It will be so worth the money!
    1Reply
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.
Log InJoin for Free