How much should I ask for off of Rent?

How much should I ask for off of Rent?

Real Estate Investor · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2010 · 15 posts · 3 votes

Hello, I am currently working things out with my friend/roomate/landlord to settle and pay rent. So, the crazy thing is that both he and I got lazy and fell far behind on rental payments so I haven't paid anything in 3 years--I know this is odd but please read on. So, I owe roughly around $30K in rent and utilities which is fine as I have the money; we just haven't had the chance to crunch all the numbers and transfer funds. My roomate's family owns the home we live in; he "kinda" is the landlord along with his mother.

However, over the past few months they have been renovating the bathroom. I think they just found the cheapest contractor they could because it's taken over 3 months and they are still doing work. For 5 days a week, from Apr 20th to now (Jul 23) and ongoing there has been a contractor here around 8 hours a day. I'd estimate about half of the time he's here I couldn't use the bathroom. He's a nice guy and all but it's annoying and I know that it shouldn't take this long to finish. In any case back in May, 1 month into the renovation I talked with my roomate/landlord and he said he would give me a free month of rent for the inconvenience. That was in May though and I'm still dealing with this at the end of July.

My question is, what is a fair amount to ask in compensation for the amount of inconvenience I'm going through? I'm not looking to fleece the guy but I've learned that if I don't say anything he'll just take advantage of the situation. I live in CA; my rent is $600/mo + around $150/mo in utilities. What is a fair amount to ask off of rent to compensate? I am hoping landlords and renters can give me honest opinions.

Thanks!

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Real Estate Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 447 votes
16y
Originally posted by firedragon:
I'm not looking to fleece the guy but I've learned that if I don't say anything he'll just take advantage of the situation.


Let me get this straight. YOU haven’t paid rent in three years and you’re worried about HIM taking advantage of the situation?

:cool:

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  • Real Estate Investor · Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 447 votes
    16y
    Originally posted by firedragon:
    I'm not looking to fleece the guy but I've learned that if I don't say anything he'll just take advantage of the situation.


    Let me get this straight. YOU haven’t paid rent in three years and you’re worried about HIM taking advantage of the situation?

    :cool:

  • Real Estate Investor · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2010 · 15 posts · 3 votes
    16y

    :-) yes this is true--it's both our faults though, we got too busy and never squared away. I just want to know my rights and do what's right. He wouldn't give me anything off though unless I brought it up, and they are so cheap I think they'd try and nickel & dime me unless I know what i'm entitled to...

  • Real Estate Lender · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2009 · 216 posts · 112 votes
    16y

    I don't think you are entitled to anything. You haven't paid in 3 years. They don't sound like the nickle and dime types to me if they let this happen.

  • Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    16y

    I have a suggestion: Move somewhere where the bathroom isn't under construction.

    Oh ... I must be mistaken - you'd have to actually PAY if you did that...

  • Member since 2010 · 156 posts · 65 votes
    16y

    Your too busy to sit down and write your rent check, or set it up to auto draft out of your account? I take it this also means that you don't have time to shop, cook, eat, etc etc etc.

    Well if you signed a lease your current rights are as follows. You have the right to be evicted, and to receive judgment against you for the past rent owed. And if you forget to pay that you receive the right to daily telephone calls from the collection agency he uses to get his money. You have the right to have all three credit bureaus contacted monthly. If he feels that is not enough and you still don't pay you have the right to have a court order that your earnings be garnished or that your bank accounts frozen......there are many others however you should get the point.



    This part is just simply too loaded and if I pull the trigger I'm afraid I could get banned from the site.

    You owe so pay.

  • Landlord · Seattle, WA · Member since 2010 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16y

    Not sure what to think here. I'm amazed that a landlord would do nothing for 3 years. Can't imagine not paying rent for 3 years. I think the landlord is entitled to at least collect the rent for those 3 years. Most would have added late fees and evicted you long ago.

  • Residential Real Estate Agent · Camden, NJ · Member since 2010 · 126 posts · 55 votes
    16y

    continue not to pay and in 17 more years you will own the property

  • Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Charles Perkins:
    . Most would have added late fees and evicted you long ago.


    Yeah, like 2 years and 11 months ago. Sheesh. Pay your freaking rent.
  • Real Estate Investor · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2010 · 15 posts · 3 votes
    16y

    obviously you all have hurt feelings from bad tenants and I am sorry for this. i understand your frustration regarding this--i am going to pay him and in full.

    nobody here has mentioned what is fair compensation on rent for work being done 40 hours a week for 3 months. and, all of you are suggesting that i'm not going to pay and telling me what would happen if i don't--that's silly as we've already established that i'm going to pay.

    if anyone can stay unemotional (sorry about your experience with bad tenants) and just answer my original question i'm all ears.

  • Landlord · Seattle, WA · Member since 2010 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16y

    IMO you have already been well compensated. You have not been asked to pay late fees. No interest has been charged.

    Under the circumstances it seems a minor inconvenience to have the bathroom situation. I think it is quite fair for your landlord to expect full payment, the fact that he offered one month free seems a bonus.

  • Real Estate Investor · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2010 · 15 posts · 3 votes
    16y

    thanks charles

  • Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
    16y

    Hurt feelings? Feelings has absolutely nothing to do with this. Rental property is a business, plain and simple. When you go the to grocery store, you don't "get busy" and forget to pay for your groceries. AT&T or Verizon would have cut you off long, long ago.

    My late fees are simple. $25 on the fifth day plus $5 a day after that. For the rent that was due three years ago that's $5475. For all 36 months of late rent, that's over $95,000. I'd say you've been MORE than compensated for any inconvenience.

  • OR · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 845 votes
    16y

    You say you've got the money and intend to pay. Let us know when you have actually paid.

    All I am seeing right now is empty promises.

    You are living for free. How much rent deduction do you hope to get off of nothing?

  • Real Estate Investor · Craigmont, ID · Member since 2009 · 564 posts · 239 votes
    16y

    This is one reason for not getting into situations like this. Doing business with family/friends without agreements in place and a good system for communication will often lead to such things as not paying rent for 3 years and not being evicted for not paying rent for 3 years.

    Questions to ask yourself:
    What has this done to your friendship? What are you willing to do to make it right? Do you think your friend is currently more put out by you not paying rent than you are about not having use of the bathroom?

    I have rented rooms to friends before and it was always more trouble than I bargained for :)

  • Joshua D.Pro Member
    BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    16y

    Your landlord/"friend" owes you nothing . . . you, on the other hand, owe him and his mother "roughly around $30K." Stop making excuses, pay it and be glad that he didn't kick you to the curb, both as a tenant and friend, a long time ago.

    Sadly, this is yet another example of Deadbeat Tenant Entitlement Syndrome (DTES)

  • John FedroPro Member
    Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2009 · 413 posts · 295 votes
    16y

    Pay the 3 years money in full!!!

    Remember investors: Renting to friends and family is often times a recipe for bad business!

    - John

  • Real Estate Investor · North Carolina · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 483 votes
    16y

    Yoo Hoo -- BP posters:

    Firedragon absolutely MUST be KIDDING everyone for his own amusement.

    Hey Josh -- along with a 'Vote' button we now need an 'Ignore' button.

  • Investor, Entrepreneur, Educator · Springfield, MO · Member since 2009 · 21k+ posts · 12k+ votes
    16y

    Fire Dragon, Hmmm, what does that make you think of????? Maybe a fire starter, a trouble maker, someone who likes to stir the pot maybe????

    Are you for real? I bet not, I bet you thought that posting such a situation would fire up a bunch of landlords and get them all excited and up in arms that you hadn't paid any rent for three years, owed over 30K and then have the audacity to ask for a credit for a few weeks while the bathroom was repaired! LOL, I get it, it's a joke, right? It's really a joke?!?! You did say they were friends right? It's a joke, admit it!

  • Real Estate Investor · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2010 · 15 posts · 3 votes
    16y

    nope, not a joke.

    everyone here has taken the stance that i haven't paid rent because i'm holding back or trying to rip someone off. i actually agree that the situation is long overdue and i'm totally down to pay rent. i have a bank account that i've dedicated and make monthly deposits to so that i have everything covered. i do feel it's not good business the relationship i have with landlord and BOTH of us have obviously let this go on too long. i was naive to post this in a landlord's forum :-) but i wanted to be considerate and understand things from his perspective also. believe me i understand now. thing is, you all have painted me out to be the scum of the earth and in so many words implied that i'm both an idiot, dishonest and a vindictive for not squaring things away. i'm sorry that you are upset that there are no late fees in place and that our rent agreement is a verbal one. my landlord hasn't been kicking and screaming for me to pay up--we both are kind of embarrassed for putting this off for so long. so you can skewer me and make me out to be the devil all you want; go ahead and get your rocks off if it turns you on. but as a tenant, at least i'm upfront with everything; i have all the money to pay and no intentions of taking advantage of anything.

    the situation i'm in with my landlord is pretty extreme and not ordinary. we have fallen WAY behind on the accounting but are now finally taking the steps to resolve the situation. talks about eviction are silly since it's never even been brought up between us. paying $100K in late fees is ludicrous since this isn't part of our agreement. you're wasting your time with "real world" examples of what you would do if some darn guy didn't pay you for so long... for all the people making crude comments about me, calling me a liar and a joke--it's unnecessary and ill informed. i'm not a demon tenant refusing to pay rent. i've never held my landlord hostage by holding back payment. what none of you can understand is the simple reality of the situation--both landlord and tenant fell far behind on finances; tenant has all funds and intention to pay which is a lot more than can be said for any of you with tenants that have purposefully screwed you over

    it's obvious how you all feel regarding asking for some $$ off rent for the last couple months--I get it and I've taken note. hey guys, this is an internet forum, it's easy for you to say smart *** remarks about me without much repercussions. so if it makes you feel better to bash on me and take out all your tenant frustrations on me then by all means go ahead. i don't owe you anything, and if i did i'd pay you in full

  • Real Estate Investor · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2010 · 15 posts · 3 votes
    16y

    in reply to Joshua Dorkin:
    "Your landlord/"friend" owes you nothing . . . you, on the other hand, owe him and his mother "roughly around $30K."
    --This is stating the blatantly obvious; which I already stated in my first posting. What new are you adding to this conversation with this statement?

    and regarding DTES--I've never withheld payment or refused to pay. My landlord has been as "deadbeat" as I have regarding collecting rent.

  • Joshua D.Pro Member
    BiggerPockets Founder · HI · Member since 2008 · 16k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by firedragon:
    and regarding DTES--I've never withheld payment or refused to pay.

    But you never paid. This is your roommate, right? That means walking a check or cash over to him in the next room, doesn't it? Since you failed to do this for 3 years, I'm pretty sure most folks would say that you "withheld payment."

    Originally posted by firedragon:
    My landlord has been as "deadbeat" as I have regarding collecting rent.

    The onus is on you to pay him, not the other way around. That said, I don't disagree that he is at fault here, but not in his lax collection efforts, but in his lax eviction efforts.

    Again, if you have the money that you owe him, write the check and pay him, and be happy that you got lucky having such a "nice" roomate.

  • Real Estate Investor · Berkeley, CA · Member since 2010 · 15 posts · 3 votes
    16y

    understood. Joshua i appreciate your frank response.

  • Real Estate Consultant · yucaipa, CA · Member since 2008 · 233 posts · 109 votes
    16y

    Sorry it took me so long to make a comment. I was laughing so hard I spilled my coffee all over my keyboard. This was a Joke Post-Right?? My suggestion is; Put up with all the construction and don't pay anything. You've gone this long without paying-what's a few more years!!

  • Real Estate Investor · Frisco, TX, TX · Member since 2010 · 388 posts · 138 votes
    16y

    I don't mean to jump on the wrong side here, but it seems like firedragon had a real question, which was answered by Richard.

    If he has not paid rent for 3 years I don't think he is the ONLY one at fault. I would put the LL more at fault. Why has he not collected rent? If the rent was not paid, why didn't he give him a pay or leave notice? if that was ignored, why didn't the LL start the evictions process? If there was no lease/contract, how can there be late fees?

    It doesn't sound like the LL/Roommate is an investor but more a friend. It also didn't sound like collecting rent was his 1st priority. At least he has a tenant that is willing to pay him all the money owed.

  • Landlord · Seattle, WA · Member since 2010 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    16y
    Originally posted by firedragon:
    Hello, I am currently working things out with my friend/roomate/landlord to settle and pay rent. So, the crazy thing is that both he and I got lazy and fell far behind on rental payments so I haven't paid anything in 3 years--I know this is odd but please read on. So, I owe roughly around $30K in rent and utilities which is fine as I have the money; we just haven't had the chance to crunch all the numbers and transfer funds. My roomate's family owns the home we live in; he "kinda" is the landlord along with his mother.

    This is an amazing situation to me. I'm trying to understand this from a renter's perspective. Personally I would have had trouble sleeping at night knowing that my rent was a month behind. 36 months have passed with no payment. You have had the convenience of a place to stay that has essentially been free. Not sure if your parents would have let you stay this long without contributing.

    Your roommate (or his mother) have decided to remodel the bathroom. I'm sure it has been an inconvenience and your roommate has conceded a month's rent. Not sure what has happened now that makes you want to pay the rent. It doesn't seem to have been of any importance in the past and I'm not sure that your roommate's mother expects to see anything. Your roommate might.

    Your roommate has allowed a bad situation to get worse. It seems that your roommate had a good job or was getting help and perhaps he has believed that eventually you would get around to paying him or her.

    Other than the inconvenience you have gone through these last several days can you help us understand why you have a good claim to reduced rent? I'm trying to understand the rational.

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