Someone threatened tenant, stabbed holes in overhead garage door!

Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes

Hi All,

I received a text from one of my tenants last night stating "some guy started threatening my boyfriend for some reason and came to our house while we weren't there and stabbed holes in the garage door... I just called 911 to make a police report"

Any ideas on how to proceed? Is it their responsibility to pay for the repairs even though they did not do the damage themselves? Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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Darwin Crawford

Rental Property Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2016 · 296 posts · 243 votes

So in college, I worked nights as an EMT to help pay the bills. I learned, from the emergency room staff, and cops, that there are, in any given city, 3 brothers that perpetrate all crimes.

"This dude"

"some dude"

"a dude"

We never did catch any of the Dude Brothers, but they are a real force to be reckoned with. Saw a lot of spilled blood and property damage.

Boot the tenants and call your agent. The end.

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Justin Fox
Software Developer · Vidor, TX · Member since 2015 · 922 posts · 639 votes
9y
I would think if it's someone they knew and were in a dispute with, yes they are liable. I would think they'd need to pay and then they can file charges on and take the perp to court.
1 Reply
David Dachtera
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
9y
@Steve R.,
Have you called your insurance agent yet? (Please tell me you have insurance!)
You should also consider filing your own police report so you can claim damages against the assailant.
My $0.02 ...
4 Reply
Kurt K.
Rental Property Investor · Phoenix AZ / Kendallville, IN · Member since 2016 · 293 posts · 149 votes
9y
As a property owner, I would agree with @David Dachtera File your own police report.
1 Reply
JD MartinBusiness Member
Moderator
Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 17k+ votes
9y
Guests are the tenant's responsibility, just as if they had done the damage themselves. Intruders or trespassers are not, but that should be accompanied by a police report. If the tenant didn't file a police report, they are responsible for the damages. Even at that, if they have not filed one, you should file one for vandalism to your property, and then the police can question the tenants from there.
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4 Reply
Matthew Koch
Investor · Downingtown, PA · Member since 2016 · 17 posts · 3 votes
9y
I have a similar situation, I bought a property and the tenants had a "guest" living with them. The tenant and "guest" are now at odds. My tenant is telling me I need to do something with the police, restraining order, but they are not on the lease. I found out today that the "guest" has a key to the property. Any advice?
1 Reply
Jassem A.
Investor · PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 602 votes
9y
Might be able to go over the garage door with some caulk, bondo, or sheet metal/vinyl rather then replace the whole thing
1 Reply
Steve R.
OP
Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes
9y
@David Dachtera I have insurance but I doubt it would be over my $1000 deductible.
@David Dachtera @Kurt K. @JD Martin Thanks for the advice about filing a police report myself. I wasn't sure on that.
@Jassem A. I haven't seen the damage yet but I'll keep that in mind. It's probably best to not replace it until I have new tenants. These are inherited.
2 Reply
Danny Grey
Investor · La Jolla, CA · Member since 2016 · 66 posts · 169 votes
9y
Originally posted by @Steve R.:

"some guy started threatening my boyfriend for some reason..."
Lol. Just lol. She knows more about what happened then she's letting on and this sounds shady. You need new tenants ASAP.
1 Reply
Al Williamson
Rental Property Investor · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2011 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
@Matthew Koch - change locks at tenant's expense. Collect a service fee as well.
@Steve R. - you probably already know this, but in addition to the spot on advice you recieved about filing a report, be sure to document all conversations and ... you'll never regret using certified mail and email to formally correspond to tenant.
Be in a position to prove that you made a timely response to tenant's safety concern.
4 Reply
Matthew McQuaid
Real Estate Agent · Beverly, MA · Member since 2016 · 6 posts · 2 votes
9y
@Steve R. said, Try to keep everything documented. You always want to cover yourself as if you had to defend yourself in court.
0 Reply
Matthew Paul
Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
9y
The guy stabbed the door when we werent there ? How the hell did she know who did it if nobody was there . Bullcrap story tenant is responsible for damage
1 Reply
Darwin Crawford
Rental Property Investor · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2016 · 296 posts · 243 votes
9y
So in college, I worked nights as an EMT to help pay the bills. I learned, from the emergency room staff, and cops, that there are, in any given city, 3 brothers that perpetrate all crimes.
"This dude"
"some dude"
"a dude"
We never did catch any of the Dude Brothers, but they are a real force to be reckoned with. Saw a lot of spilled blood and property damage.
Boot the tenants and call your agent. The end.
6 Reply
Steve R.
OP
Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes
9y
@Matthew Paul @Darwin Crawford @Danny Grey
I found out a little more of the story today. Apparently the boyfriend was trying to pay some money back to "some dude" and the guy started threatening him. Later, "the dude" texted my tenant and told him to look at his garage door. I guess he was was trying to send some sort of message.
Gotta love the high these high maintenance tenants:)
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Curtis BidwellPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Olympia, WA · Member since 2014 · 781 posts · 744 votes
9y
I have had 2 different doors kicked in over the years by "associates" of the tenant. In both cases my insurance rep said I was responsible to replace the door (they would pay for damages subject to deductibles). It is about maintaining a safe and habitable home. One was due to a hate crime attack, the other was drug related. Perpetrators went to jail and I could have sued them for the doors, (but $300 isn't worth the court hassle). If the tenant did the damage they would be liable, if it was someone else you may be legally out of luck.
Podcast Guest on Show #95
1 Reply
Steve R.
OP
Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes
9y
@Curtis Bidwell Thanks for that insight! It looks like it's on me to fix or replace it.
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David Dachtera
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
9y
Gotta be one hell of a knife - and someone jacked up on crack - to pierce a garage door, unless it's a cheap, paper-thin door.
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Joe SplitrockPro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
9y
Originally posted by @Steve R.:

@Matthew Paul @Darwin Crawford @Danny Grey
I found out a little more of the story today. Apparently the boyfriend was trying to pay some money back to "some dude" and the guy started threatening him. Later, "the dude" texted my tenant and told him to look at his garage door. I guess he was was trying to send some sort of message.
Gotta love the high these high maintenance tenants:)
It seems more likely he wasn't paying money back or still owes a fair amount. Why would someone damage the property if they were being paid what they were owed? This sounds like it is gambling or drug related. I would ask the tenants to leave. This kind of trouble will only continue once started. Don't get drug into the drama and that means don't take sides with your tenant. Just let them know it is unacceptable to have this happening at your property. No respectable lender will stab your garage door, so your tenant brought this on themselves by who they associate with.
2 Reply
Steve R.
OP
Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes
9y
@Joe Splitrock I wholeheartedly agree. Something very shady is going on. Their lease is up at the end of April and I have already talked to them about finding another place. After I bought the place and inherited them as tenants I looked up their facebook pages and knew right away I was in for some fun:)
1 Reply
Steve R.
OP
Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes
9y
Originally posted by @David Dachtera:

Gotta be one hell of a knife - and someone jacked up on crack - to pierce a garage door, unless it's a cheap, paper-thin door.
Ha Ha! It must have been! This was a fairly new insulated garage door that the previous owner had installed right before I bought the place. The knife stabs were about 3" long and went all the way through. I told my tenant to be careful. The guy he owes money to is clearly nuts or high!
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Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
9y
@Steve R. , the advice to document everything is good advice. Check your state laws regarding legal methods of notification. In my state of Colorado, text is not a legally recognized method of notice.
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1 Reply
Steve R.
OP
Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes
9y
@Mindy Jensen I will need to check into that. Thanks for that insight!
0 Reply
Brian Pleshek
Investor · Hamilton, OH · Member since 2016 · 272 posts · 77 votes
9y
All I can say is, wow. I know that this kind of thing can happen in any neighborhood, but I am a bit glad my rentals are in slightly better areas.
0 Reply
Steve R.
OP
Investor · MN · Member since 2015 · 72 posts · 37 votes
9y
@Brian Pleshek
It's really not a bad neighborhood. It's more of a tenant problem. I bought the place from a tired landlord and inherited the tenants. There has definitely been more drama than I care for:)
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Franklin Romine
Visalia-Fresno, CA · Member since 2009 · 1k+ posts · 863 votes
9y
@Steve R.
Put some bondo on the holes, sand, paint and then raise the rent.

Franklin
1 Reply
Thomas S.
Member since 2016 · 13k+ posts · 12k+ votes
9y
If someone a tenant deals with in their personal life, in any capacity, damages your property the tenant is responsible.
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