Share your WORST tenant requests?

General Landlording & Rental Properties
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Share your WORST tenant requests?

Mark UpdegraffBusiness Member
Real Estate Broker · Rochester, NY · Member since 2010 · 1k+ posts · 715 votes

Relative newbie to Landlording 101 (just over 2 years)

What is the WORST (stupid, funny, challenged etc) request a tenant has made to you? It can be written or verbal

I'll go first, I expect you more experienced landlords to have some excellent ones :D

"Will you sign this document that says my boyfriend has lived here for the last 6 months so he can collect taxpayer dollars for degenerates?" (OK, I'm taking creative liberty on this quote)

me: "No, he isn't on the lease and no one told me he was living here, by the way, have him fill out this application."
fast forward 2 weeks, I get a letter from DSS saying that he lives there and I need to do this and that so he can get taxpayer dollars. I say, he isn't on any lease of mine. DSS: Well, we have it right here in front of us... that's right they forged a new lease and sent the sucker in!

"I know the rent was due on the 5th, and it is now the 18th, would you mind waiting until next week to cash that check?"

"Our hallway window is broken, can you come fix it"
A new Double hung vinyl window looked like a brick was thrown through it. After I got there to "fix" it I reply "Fix it? Why didn't you say REPLACE it on the phone? I'll have to schedule this with my contractor"

OK OK, that is all for me.
Give it a go, it feels GOOD :D

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Jon Klaus
Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
16y

"Hey, you cashed my rent check it made a bunch of other checks I wrote bounce. You need to pay all my bank fees."

Ummh, No.

"Well you deposited it on the first and you usually deposit it on the 6th or 7th, so you need to pay"

Ummh, No.

Email less than one hour later."We have mold in our house and we are going to sue you."

12Reply
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  • Chad Kes
    Jacksonville, FL · Member since 2011 · 10 posts · 2 votes
    15y
    Originally posted by Brian Stone:
    Had this one the other night at 10:30pm. There's a cockroach in our apartment. I literally told them to call the cops if they were scared and to clean up there place! I think I was justified (and a good rental market)...

    Haha. Yes this was justified!

    0Reply
  • Jason Miller
    Investor · Aurora, CO · Member since 2009 · 200 posts · 74 votes
    15y

    "can you wait to collect rent until my boyfriend is out of jail?"

    Tenant "Can you replace the dryer, its not drying"
    Me "Have you cleaned out the lint trap?"
    Tenant "huh?"

    0Reply
  • Jeffrey K.
    Real Estate Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 671 votes
    15y

    Finance,
    I dont think it is good to scew windows shut for fire reasons. They might need to exit from those windows.

    1Reply
  • Bill Gulley
    Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    15y
    Originally posted by Jeffrey K.:
    Finance,
    I dont think it is good to scew windows shut for fire reasons. They might need to exit from those windows.

    Good point, don't block an exit. They could be busted out if necessary and I put in a fire escape with access to all the upper units on the side of the building where the fire department would see it when they pulled up to the building. That wall really didn't need windows as there were others, just for the view and ventilation.

    Good point though that's being astute!

    0Reply
  • Thomas Heffner
    OH · Member since 2011 · 3 posts · 10 votes
    15y

    Happened to a friend's rental property.

    Friend, "Called, to inform tenant was 5 days past due."
    Tenant, "Replied, Sorry have a new job and haven't got paid yet."
    Friend, "Where do you work now? When will you get paid? Are you going to cover your rent first?".
    Tenant, "I got a job as a dancer. Just don't have enough money to pay right now. Maybe Friday night. Can you come by the club and pick it up?"
    Friend, "It is not my responsibility to come collect your rent. You need to have full amount to me by EOD Monday."
    Tenant, "Ok thank you. I will work extra hard this weekend."

    Friend to me, "First time I felt like a pimp."

    *She did pay monday. I probably botched conversation but that is how it was told to me.

    7Reply
  • Jared K.
    Real Estate Investor · Somerset, KY · Member since 2011 · 211 posts · 64 votes
    15y

    Thomas H, thats a good story. I have had tenants ask if I could come by their work and get the rent as well but not at a dance club..lol. I usually tell them they should have made arrangements to pay it earlier.

    I couldnt tell you how many times they call me on the last day of the grace period at 9PM and tell me I could come and get the rent now. I have actually thought about changing my lease to state it had to be before a certain time b/c of it...lol.

    0Reply
  • Tom C
    Real Estate Investor · OH · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 86 votes
    15y

    One my tenants recently bought a new full size bed and the box springs wouldn't fit upstairs. Her dad told her 'I' could simply take the stair treads off. We'll asked her if she was nuts? Then she said her dad said 'I' could cut the box springs down to make them fit. Again, I laughed at her and said, not a chance. She took the bed back.

    Same Tenant.. Why is my heater thingy flashing, filter? Because you need to replace the furnace filter. Whats that? I will come over and show you. I get there, you mean I have to touch that dirty thing. No, you can pay my contractor 50 bucks to come over and do it.. I will do it.

    A possible new tenant asked if I could install a fence around the back yard. I said, No why. He said, well it would be for our mix lab. I asked mix with what? He said Pitt Bull. I said, no. You cannot have that dog on my property. I never heard back from him.

    Another tenant asked if I could install a new light switch in the kitchen closer to the door on another wall, because she didn't like to have to walk half way into a dark kitchen to turn the light on. I said, no, buy a night light. The wall where she wanted to new switch is ceramic tile.

    Same tenant. Can you buy us a dual flush toilet. No, but you can buy one and pay my contractor to install it.. OK, thanks!

    Many times.. Tenant request.. Can I borrow $500, sure $575 due next pay day.

    1Reply
  • Tom C
    Real Estate Investor · OH · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 86 votes
    15y
    Originally posted by Thomas Heffner:
    Happened to a friend's rental property.

    Friend, "Called, to inform tenant was 5 days past due."
    Tenant, "Replied, Sorry have a new job and haven't got paid yet."
    Friend, "Where do you work now? When will you get paid? Are you going to cover your rent first?".
    Tenant, "I got a job as a dancer. Just don't have enough money to pay right now. Maybe Friday night. Can you come by the club and pick it up?"
    Friend, "It is not my responsibility to come collect your rent. You need to have full amount to me by EOD Monday."
    Tenant, "Ok thank you. I will work extra hard this weekend."

    Friend to me, "First time I felt like a pimp."

    *She did pay monday. I probably botched conversation but that is how it was told to me.

    Think I would have had to go and collect rent.. Just saying.

    3Reply
  • Jeff S.
    Specialist · Portland, OR · Member since 2010 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    15y

    Prepping a duplex to paint last summer. Tenant has a bean growing on exterior wall by the front porch. He wanted me to paint around it. He was quite upset that I was unwilling to go along with him.

    1Reply
  • Bill Gulley
    Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    15y
    Originally posted by Thomas Heffner:
    Happened to a friend's rental property.

    Friend, "Called, to inform tenant was 5 days past due."
    Tenant, "Replied, Sorry have a new job and haven't got paid yet."
    Friend, "Where do you work now? When will you get paid? Are you going to cover your rent first?".
    Tenant, "I got a job as a dancer. Just don't have enough money to pay right now. Maybe Friday night. Can you come by the club and pick it up?"
    Friend, "It is not my responsibility to come collect your rent. You need to have full amount to me by EOD Monday."
    Tenant, "Ok thank you. I will work extra hard this weekend."

    Friend to me, "First time I felt like a pimp."

    *She did pay monday. I probably botched conversation but that is how it was told to me.

    Wait til someone asks if there is "anything I can do for you" to make up some of the rent or just come out and ask you if they can take it out in trade! Just have to keep a straight face, lean toward them and whisper....NO!

    1Reply
  • Mark N.A
    Real Estate Investor · North Carolina · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 483 votes
    15y

    A college kid's dad called and requested a new driveway since the existing one was 'rough' on his son's expensive tires. Turns out it was the kid calling pretending to be his dad.

    Another time a tenant called and wanted to convert a half bath into a full bath - he'd supply the labor if I'd supply the materials. NO.

    A new shed for a mountain bike. NO. New plumbing because of low water pressure. NO. Paint a room in the college colors. NO. Turn the dining room into a bedroom so they could have more roommates. NO.

    4Reply
  • Jared K.
    Real Estate Investor · Somerset, KY · Member since 2011 · 211 posts · 64 votes
    15y

    I was asked by a person looking for an apt if they could park their motercycle in the livingroom to keep it from being left outside in the weather?.. NO

    Had a guy come look at an apt and while we were talking he FARTED and it was a good long one too! It was all I could do to keep from busting out laughing but it just disturbed me so bad I kinda... lost his application...NO

    Had someone ask me once if they rented would I put up a fence in the back yard for their kids...NO

    Had a tenant for 4yrs ask if I would co-sign for them on a loan...NO

    1Reply
  • Mark UpdegraffBusiness Member
    OP
    Real Estate Broker · Rochester, NY · Member since 2010 · 1k+ posts · 715 votes
    15y

    Fresh off the lips of my newest tenant:

    "If we have central air installed will you discount rent $300 / month until we're paid back"

    Podcast Guest on Show #112
    Updegraff Group Realty4.742 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Landlord · Seattle, WA · Member since 2010 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    15y

    In a duplex of mine, a tenant called saying they thought the tenant next door might be smoking marijuana. I went by to ask about it and smelt the distinct smell. I called to have an officer investigate and they confiscated a small amount of marijuana. The tenants asked that I not report the incident to Section 8, but told them I already had. These were troublesome tenants anyway and I was glad that they made it very quick and easy to get them out.

    0Reply
  • Jack B.
    Rental Property Investor · Seattle, WA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    Had a guy with a bankruptcy and a $16/hr job (a bit low income...) who seemed polite and I gave him a chance for a tour. Fifteen minutes into what would have been the tour I had to repeatedly call and text him to get a hold of him. Finally answers the phone, sounds like he either just woke up or took a big hit of something. Hadn't even left for the appointment yet. Also needed the address again. I declined to show the property at that point. He started yelling at me with an expletive laden rant of threats, how I'm a POS because I won't give him a chance. 

    I just hung up. He then sent me a series of texts that I'm sure contained the same, I didn't bother wasting my time reading them (though I kept them for evidence just in case he tried something stupid). I almost wanted to reply, 'You're absolutely right. I'm rich, have an MBA and a portfolio of SFH in the Seattle area, a six figure job, and that I am the problem. Not the guy with bad credit, has a low income job and can't keep an appointment with the guy who gave him a chance. Sure showed me tough guy..."

    Suffice it to say, I make no exceptions for tenants with credit below 600 anymore. Low income and low credit score usually ='s crappy tenants.

    1Reply
  • David ShortPro Member
    Flipper/Rehabber · Fishers, IN · Member since 2014 · 71 posts · 47 votes
    9y
    Tenant:: can't pay on time this month because of Holiday crunch. It was July 4th
    Podcast Guest on Show #174
    3Reply
  • Jonathan G.
    Investor · Marietta, GA · Member since 2015 · 382 posts · 258 votes
    9y
    Good Tenants (of about 5 years) asked if we could repaint dirty walls (we're not dirty at move in) and clean the carpets (cleaned at move in). Will save those costs for turnover.
    0Reply
  • Ben Poole
    Investor · Cicero, IN · Member since 2016 · 2 posts · 1 vote
    9y
    Tenant asks me to carpet the back porch so he can make it into a third bedroom for his son. He had lost custody of his son. I said no this is a two bedroom unit and there is no heat to the back porch. He continued to ask and said he was going to build a wall and enclose part of it. NO! I come back and find out that he started taking down the drywall in the back porch. He also had painted the walls bright blue. By this point he had disappeared after missing a rent payment. I started hauling the junk out and there are screws hammered into the walls. And nails everywhere. They had nailed their area carpets into my new vinyl plank floors. Also he thought it would be a good idea to paint the back door window the same hideous smurf blue.
    1Reply
  • Matthew Paul
    Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    9y

    Tenant calls me and tells me that I need to pay for a new windshield for their car . They were parked on the street and a branch fell from the tree .   I tell them thats what insurance is for . They say they dont have full coverage , I also tell them the only tree out front is in the city right of way , call them about it .

    0Reply
  • Shawn Devoid
    Real Estate Agent · Tucson, AZ · Member since 2016 · 168 posts · 106 votes
    9y

    I just wanted to thank everyone for posting; definitely got some laughs!

    1Reply
  • David Zheng
    Investor · Saint Louis, MO · Member since 2016 · 970 posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    Had a couple international students living in one of my places. After the lease, a large 12" x12" part of the wall by the bathtub was completely messed up from water damage. I literally charged them $10 a piece for me to fix it.

    They argued with me from 5am for 3 hours over $20 saying

    "the wall is bad, it is not from us"
    the wall is soaking water from the tub"

    Um this never happened with the previous tenants and yeah you were the only ones living here.

    0Reply
  • Deanna McCormick
    Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    9y

    So listed is Apartment move in ready, available NOW.. A guy calls says he'd like to see the apartment... OK I say how soon are you available to move in.... HE says 2 months.. I say sorry I'm looking to have it rented within the next week... He Says so you won't show it to me.. I say- what's the point ... He said well I'd get you a deposit to hold it till March... I said if you can't move in before the 15th I'm not interested..

    Same apartment is listed as Single Occupancy,, guy calls says it would be perfect for him, I say anyone else you have planned to live with you.. yes my wife, my cat and daughter.. I say AD says single occupancy that means 1 person....

    0Reply
  • Heidi M.
    Rental Property Investor · Reno, NV · Member since 2013 · 77 posts · 31 votes
    9y
    Crazy tenant: I don't like the person you hired to trim the tree Me: and why is that? Crazy tenant: because his truck is white and the is no logo on the door Me: well I'd be happy to use whomever you want to use but YOU will be responsible for the difference in cost. Crazy tenant: starts yelling incoherently Me: if you are unhappy here I'd be willing to let you out of your lease. Crazy tenant: walks inside I His house and slams the door Also note: I'm a 5ft tall woman that won't be bullied by crazy tenants.
    3Reply
  • Heidi M.
    Rental Property Investor · Reno, NV · Member since 2013 · 77 posts · 31 votes
    9y
    Here's another one......same crazy tenant. I own two houses that are next door to each other...... Crazy tenant: The guy next door bought a new car and his breaks squeak. Please tell him to quit driving past my house. The squeaking is bothering me. Me: ummmm no! Crazy tenant: well he has also starred parking across the street (there is only street parking). The sun reflects off the windshield ands glares into my front window. Me: he can park where he wants on a public street Crazy tenant: starts yelling incoherently and slams the phone down. Me: two weeks later I send him a notice that his lease will not be renewed along with his move out date.
    2Reply
  • Robert P.
    New Bedford, MA · Member since 2015 · 361 posts · 114 votes
    9y

    A while back when I was filling a vacancy, a young kid and his girlfriend came to look at the apartment. He literally just turned 18 and said he was a fisherman. His girlfriend was 16 and did not work. He said he is always out fishing so it would be mainly be his girlfriend there alone while he is out. Say he made ~$5,000 week and could pay whatever I need up front on the spot to get the apartment. They even brought her mom with them to check out the place...

    Needless to say, this situation was not going to work. Luckily someone a lot more qualified came along and we rented to them.

    0Reply
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