Investor · Lewisville, TX · Member since 2017 · 21 posts · 48 votes
So...one of my tenants is claiming that she and her daughter are seeing a spirit in the house. Did not know how to respond to this. If it was a maintenance item I would send my guy to take a look right away, but what the heck I am I supposed to tell someone who's seeing things? BTW I don't believe in ghosts (although those who do believe in ghosts are free to do so and disagree accordingly), but I don't want to be politically ghost believer insensitive and tell her she's crazy. Any advice would be helpful, Ghostbusters, new or old, need not apply.
Realtor · Oakland, CA and a Real Estate Investor with Multi-Family Units and a Self Storage Facility · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y
You can play it one of two ways......
If she is a good tenant, tell her you need to add the ghost as a new tenant on the lease and you will need to now raise her rent.
If she’s been a bad tenant then start the eviction process because she has told you after the fact that she has had someone move in and this wasn’t part of the original lease agreement
Rental Property Investor · Edmond, OK · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
That's awesome. If she's telling you that she's seeing a ghost, she wants you to do something. Go find a hippie to do a sage smudging. You can buy "cleansing sage" on amazon for like $10. Find someone that will walk around the house with it and tell the spirit to go away.
Real Estate Broker · Hugo, MN · Member since 2016 · 688 posts · 596 votes
8y
@Johann Jells. Serve an eviction notice for the ghost as a “Jane doe” eviction. Don’t try to lock out the ghost as it is sleeping there and needs to be evicted.
@John Park I would tell them to get the bible and find scriptures on casting out spirits. Believe it or not its really real. No spirits can stay once you speak the word of God and the blood of Jesus. I promise you. Look on YouTube regarding this topic. But just don't cast this off because things can progress very quickly.
Real Estate Investor · Encinitas, CA · Member since 2013 · 225 posts · 91 votes
8y
Ask to her leave a plate of cookies and a glass of milk out when she goes to bed. Works for Santa Claus... Seems reasonable ghosts would go for it too.
Realtor · Oakland, CA and a Real Estate Investor with Multi-Family Units and a Self Storage Facility · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y
You can play it one of two ways......
If she is a good tenant, tell her you need to add the ghost as a new tenant on the lease and you will need to now raise her rent.
If she’s been a bad tenant then start the eviction process because she has told you after the fact that she has had someone move in and this wasn’t part of the original lease agreement
Guy with Great Hair · Austin, TX · Member since 2013 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
8y
first, get an old priest and a young priest.......
@Johann Jells actually gave the best advice imo. Ghosts aren't real, this lady is apparently the last one to find that out. You can go down this unproductive rabbit hole with her, but there are no ghosts down there either.
there may be an underlying motive though. Maybe she wants to move out, and this is her primer. I would bet she isn't telling you this for no reason, find the real why and work on that problem.
Specialist · Riverside, CA · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
8y
@John Park if the tenant describes feelings of dread, or if you want to be on the safe side you might call out the gas company to do a check. You'd be surprised how many "hauntings" turn out to be natural gas leaks, they cause feelings of dread etc.
Real Estate Agent · Post Falls, ID · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
8y
I would say... "boo!"
But actually, try to have her think through this logically. Tell her that ghosts are transparent and literally can not touch anything or pick anything up so they can not hurt you. They are just there to spook you out. Don't let the ghosts win! Just tell them to be your friend :)
Huntsville, AL · Member since 2018 · 577 posts · 864 votes
8y
I think checking for a gas leak is a very prudent idea. If nothing else, it would show the tenant you are taking their concerns seriously.
I would also do a search on the property history; it's very possible the tenants did this as well, and uncovered something disturbing about the house that is the root of this.
I actually had a tenant say the same thing to me in 1990. It was a hundred year old rowhouse in Baltimore City. She wanted to move out. I told her she was lucky I didn't know because I always charge a higher rent for my haunted houses. I let her go after she signed off on her deposit. True story.
Walnut Creek, CA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
8y
Ask her to serve the cure or quit notice you send to ghost for unauthorized guest who's not on the lease. If the ghost refuses to leave after that maybe call 911 to have them removed.
Costa Mesa, CA · Member since 2016 · 2 posts · 3 votes
8y
@John Park ohhhh that’s a good one. As much as you (or I) don’t believe in ghosts, doing nothing won’t help her. Have her log the activity in writing and get video footage, inspect the property yourself, check for critters (like albino raccoons...they look like ghosts 😂) check for gas and water leaks, look up the history on the house just to know what the deal is, and if you have to... ask some good friends to dress in white coveralls and bring a shop vac to house to suck the ghosts out. Then if she if she still complains, maybe find a new tenant.
Rental Property Investor · Tacoma, WA · Member since 2018 · 113 posts · 149 votes
8y
You might say something like "Is there something that you would like for me to do so that you feel safer in your home?" It's sympathetic without volunteering for anything specific.
If she isn't using this as a excuse to break her lease she is crazy. If it is a attempt to break her lease let her know you are onto her scam and make it clear she is responsible for the term of the lease. If she is crazy you ignore her until it effects your bottom line.
I would be the first to joke about this but a shared delusion isn't the same as an individual one. It's not just the tenant's word, it's her daughter's as well. How old is the daughter, and have you talked to her?
Eliminate any possibility that this isn't about a delusion before you do anything else.