Funny but not funny tenant behavior during showings.

[Account Closed]

Ok, so this is kind of funny and serious at the same time. I work at a property management company and I do investing on the side. We recently had a very, very good tenant, one of the best we've had, so month to month after a lease expiration, because a property went on the market.  

This tenant has been incredibly helpful during all of the showings. More than any other that we've had. He's taken extremely good care of the property and helps out a lot with it.  He recently found a new place, and gave a mid month notice. He wants to be let out of the month to month periodic requirements. He gave notice last week, so his 30 days would be on November 8th, but since its periodic, that says he is stuck till December 1.  Essentially he would end up paying double rent for a month.  I have to stipulate again how helpful and kind he has been. 

So we asked the owner to release him, as we aren't re-renting and for 2+ years he's been an amazing tenant.  I personally feel we should let him go, as the property will stay empty anyhow, since its on the market.  Of course this owner disagrees and just wants to take the guys money. 

This is the funny part.  The tenant is now acting strangely when the potential buyers show up.  He wears weird clothes, sometimes he is cooking fish or broccoli.  I mean he lives there, so he has a right to cook. He has a sign he sits in the house with that says "I like Applesauce".  Sometimes he is lying in his bed in a robe eating cereal and watching cartoons.  He's clearly protesting by making the showings uncomfortable, but in a funny and very friendly way.  Thats just some of the bizarre stuff.  We all find it funny around the office.

I think we should just cut him lose, and give the guy his money.  I've always been a more spirit of the law type of person.  I think its hilarious.  I mean what else could we do to him except evict him? For what?  Cooking?  Eating cereal in bed?  HAHA.

What would you do?

[Karen Rittenhouse]

@Account Closed Is it in the contract that you have the right to show the property with the tenant still in it? I'd be mad as hell if I was that tenant. I'm sure he feels betrayed.

I would definitely let this guy out of his lease and I have a ton of properties and have easily had hundreds of tenants. And I'm truly a by-the-book landlord. But, this great tenant and his referrals and testimonials will go on long after he moves out. 30-60 days worth of rent will be worth far less than his words. 

We were the great tenant in an office building for almost 2 years in a building that was basically empty other than our business. We had tons of bad experience with the landlord including a fire (that was structural issues - nothing we created) that kept us out of those rented offices for weeks. We asked to be let out of our contract 3 months early because our old offices had been renovated and were ready for us to move back in. When we originally signed our contract, the landlord knew we only needed the place until our offices were completed. We wanted a 1 year lease but he made us sign for 2 years.

At any rate, after being great on-time tenants for 21 months, he refused to give us the 3 months grace, even though we had moved out and were no longer in his building. I can assure you, we are not kind anytime someone asks our experience, and they do. What we paid him for those 3 months will never buy back the reputation he lost from us.

Business decisions are often about more than money.