Rental Property Investor · TX · Member since 2019 · 236 posts · 392 votes
After a long span of quiet, drama free tenants in rentals, I discovered last night that a tenant that just moved in lied about having caged reptiles in the house. I'm not too worried about anything caged, but it is against the lease and I don't like being lied to. I'm going to let this go since I don't feel lizards and snakes are a reason to evict, and they did pay a big pet deposit for their dogs. Then today I had two tenants call because their June rent is going to be late. JEEPERS. I couldn't sleep well last night because i was both pizzed and disappointed that I was lied to.. and now two late tenants. When it rains it pours. I know things could be a LOT worse, and this is just small stuff... but the frustration is there. How do you deal with the frustration? Do you even get frustrated or do you just accept it as part of doing business?
Specialist · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2018 · 270 posts · 187 votes
7y
No, you can’t get frustrated. Do you charge late fee on late payments? You can do that if it’s late for over a week or so. As far as pets I don’t consider reptiles a big deal as long as they are caged. Dogs and cats are different cause they can cause damage.
Your tenant has a caged animal, it's caged-- it won't harm the house. Creepy, but hey-- if it got out, you wouldn't have to worry if you had a mice problem, built in exterminator! lol Check your lease-- we have a $350 fee for any unauthorized animals-- if you don't have this in your lease, consider it a learning lesson and have it in all your leases moving forward.
With the other one, I'm sorry, this isn't a reason to freak out, it's not even June an your tenant is communicating with you, so you know they aren't ignoring you--- give them the late fees per your agreement and move on. As long as people tell me when rent is coming and pay the late fees, I don't get annoyed-- you just got an extra $50 or so for waiting-- why are you annoyed?
Learning to let things roll off your shoulders, and not taking things personally-- is probably the most important thing about being a landlord IMO.
Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
7y
You will die of a heart attack if you don’t get tougher thicker skin . It’s very common to have these issues and it won’t just go away. You need to learn to not flip or freak out when a tenant calls . It’s all part of the fun and you can’t let idiots control your emotions . Have protocols and systems in place to deal with such things . When they call in and say they are short on money tell them you are not a money lender and this is a business . Assure them you won’t accept partial payment and that they will receive a quit or pay on the 5th ..then on the 15 th you’ll be filing eviction papers with the courts .be firm and calm about it like you do it all the time
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 5k+ votes
7y
I take a simplistic view of it whenever I get bothered by a tenant. Every month they send me a check. That check covers the taxes, CapEx, HOA, insurance, and mortgage interest. It also covers the principal (my early retirement fund) and provides free cash flow. Sure the tenant might be a PITA and call me about something stupid like the light not working when all that happened was the bulb burned out, but that annoyance is a small price to pay to have someone else fund my early retirement and give me spending money.
Try to imagine what you will make on sale of property. For example, if I sold a few years ago, I keep saying 100k, 100k, 100k, for all the issues that I have to deal with.
Rental Property Investor · Kalamazoo, MI · Member since 2018 · 117 posts · 235 votes
7y
@Keith A.
Wow, and those situations aren’t actually very hard at all. It seems like either 1. you aren’t use to stress or 2. You aren’t use to managing people. You may want to reconsider property management.
Wow, and those situations aren’t actually very hard at all. It seems like either 1. you aren’t use to stress or 2. You aren’t use to managing people. You may want to reconsider property management.
You win the most unhelpful comment of the day. Yah i'll give up my 5 free and clear properties because i had a frustrating day.
Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2016 · 530 posts · 398 votes
7y
Yea i get frustrated, but i still need to deal with whatever problem arises. Everyone gets frustrated. It's an emotion. I would lie to say i stay calm with everything that happens.
It's getting frustrated without realizing you are frustrated then focusing on that without dealing with the problem.
How are you going to solve the problem going forward with the late tenants and the pet?
Rental Property Investor · Chubbuck, ID · Member since 2018 · 532 posts · 466 votes
7y
It’s okay to have a bad day every once in a while. I like to think of the big picture or my long term goals on days like this. Always remember these crazy people giving you a bad day are creating a lot of wealth for you.. Congrats on the 5 mortgage free properties. tomorrow is going to be a great day!
Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2019 · 512 posts · 301 votes
7y
@Keith A. Taking things personally there my friend.
It’s easily a part of doing business and that’s why you CYA
Meaning do you have late fees? Good then who cares if their late, as long as you get paid. Enjoy the extra revenue and buy some of that Texas grass fed beef steak with a beer so you can chill.
Now with the caged animals, I’m pretty sure they, along with a few of your co-Hart’s responding to your post, didn’t think it was a big deal. It’s a caged animal and basically harmless.
It’s also not a furry little cage animal that people let roam around the house and piss all over the place.
If you take things personally in any business then your business will suffer. You keeping a cool head is good business. You freaking out of **** like this will cost you some way some how even if it hasn’t or you don’t see it yet
Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2019 · 512 posts · 301 votes
7y
@Keith A. How do I deal with the frustration?
I read. It’s known to be 65% more effective in relieving stress then Tv, movies and other things of that sort. I also accept my situation because accepting negativity and learning to be ok with it or deal with it is a positive experience.
What’s the worst that could happen is also something I almost always ask myself. That I picked up a Dale Carnegie book.
Tenants can be frustrating but hey...so can landlords
Rental Property Investor · Kalamazoo, MI · Member since 2018 · 117 posts · 235 votes
7y
@Keith A.
Sorry it felt that way. If you have a low threshold for stress management then you need to find ways to mitigate it. I stand by what I said, as I think it may be the most helpful thing you can do. Delegate your way out of people management and focus on investing and properties. Seems like people throw you off, and your goal is to do this long term.
A similar situation. I work at a low income public school and some teachers come in that become very frazzled by disrespect from the students. Some teachers hang in there and learn to live in the chaos. It wouldn’t be helpful for me to tell the type one teachers to keep pushing through because it legitimately effects their health.
Instead of asking people their opinions in a thread and then singling them out and attacking them, you could try to hear their point of view? If a comment as small as mine can get you that out of whack I can’t imagine landlording is ideal for you...
Sorry it felt that way. If you have a low threshold for stress management then you need to find ways to mitigate it. I stand by what I said, as I think it may be the most helpful thing you can do. Delegate your way out of people management and focus on investing and properties. Seems like people throw you off, and your goal is to do this long term.
A similar situation. I work at a low income public school and some teachers come in that become very frazzled by disrespect from the students. Some teachers hang in there and learn to live in the chaos. It wouldn’t be helpful for me to tell the type one teachers to keep pushing through because it legitimately effects their health.
Instead of asking people their opinions in a thread and then singling them out and attacking them, you could try to hear their point of view? If a comment as small as mine can get you that out of whack I can’t imagine landlording is ideal for you...
my question was if you let frustrations get to you, not "please provide your analysis on if I should continue to be a landlord and tell me if you think I am good enough". I am very successful at this aspect of my investments, I've succeeded for years at this. There is no need to respond to this thread, you again provided no helpful commentary. Frustrating experiences do not equal 'your not cut out for this'. Best of luck to you in your investments, I leave you with some similar advice: the next time your wife frustrates you, you consider leaving her since your probably not cut out for marriage. Makes sense, right?
Rental Property Investor · Kalamazoo, MI · Member since 2018 · 117 posts · 235 votes
7y
@Keith A.
Considering stepping out of the management side of your investment is not the same as quitting real estate. I’m confused how you got there, and also confused why you’re becoming so angry over my suggesting a revision of how you see your business? That’s what this app is for. Next time you start a thread make it clear to everyone that you only want ideas you agree with and ideas that you’ve already thought of? Anyway, you’ve made it abundantly clear what the issues are in your business, and what’s causing your “frustrations.” You have a very short fuse, and become very easily belligerent. I won’t comment on the thread further, and I’ll try to avoid you moving forward.
Investor · Glen Burnie, MD · Member since 2019 · 51 posts · 26 votes
7y
@Keith A. Personally never, granted I only have a single tenant so far. The Military has fought me frustration, over excitement, anger etc. are all feelings that can negatively influence a decision. Majority of the time in the military that can get someone hurt, so I try to always remain level headed!
Sorry it felt that way. If you have a low threshold for stress management then you need to find ways to mitigate it. I stand by what I said, as I think it may be the most helpful thing you can do. Delegate your way out of people management and focus on investing and properties. Seems like people throw you off, and your goal is to do this long term.
A similar situation. I work at a low income public school and some teachers come in that become very frazzled by disrespect from the students. Some teachers hang in there and learn to live in the chaos. It wouldn’t be helpful for me to tell the type one teachers to keep pushing through because it legitimately effects their health.
Instead of asking people their opinions in a thread and then singling them out and attacking them, you could try to hear their point of view? If a comment as small as mine can get you that out of whack I can’t imagine landlording is ideal for you...
my question was if you let frustrations get to you, not "please provide your analysis on if I should continue to be a landlord and tell me if you think I am good enough". I am very successful at this aspect of my investments, I've succeeded for years at this. There is no need to respond to this thread, you again provided no helpful commentary. Frustrating experiences do not equal 'your not cut out for this'. Best of luck to you in your investments, I leave you with some similar advice: the next time your wife frustrates you, you consider leaving her since your probably not cut out for marriage. Makes sense, right?
Don't let him get to you. I didn't find his initial snippy post very helpful either. Sometimes people forget that this forum is here to help each other and share information....not act all high and mighty.
I get frustrated by my tenants also....and the majority of mine are Section 8, so you can imagine some of the stuff I have to deal with. Just continue treating your properties as a business and keep your composure at all times by keeping your end goals in focus. Also, as much as dealing with tenants is frustrating......it's even more frustrating dealing with PM's.
Investor · Poway, CA · Member since 2015 · 7k+ posts · 8k+ votes
7y
Small potatoes. Have you seen the @James Wise videos?
About once a year I get a tenant move in a dog or cat without permission. We have a lease that was not renewed expiring in June for multiple rules violations including animals. No worries, good riddance.
My two worse tenant stories are:
Tenants decided to make a mud wresting pit out of the front yard for the girls to wrestle in. The tenants got charged to fix the yard back but we ended up building a deck over half the yard making it harder for repeat performance.
I had a neighboring tenant make some inappropriate remarks about a female tenant. Her SO tried to slug him and got decked by the jerk neighboring tenant. They requested to be let out of their lease immediately even though I successfully got the neighboring tenant evicted.
The landlord across from 2 of my units had the worse hording case I have ever seen. Worse than any I have seen from the Hoarders show. I did not get photos until after the cleanup was already few hours in and even at that point it may have been the worse I have ever seen. Also the tenant skipped out, no notice, no forwarding address.
I did not lose one minute of sleep over my two worse tenant issues. It would be curious if James Wise looses any sleep over the stuff depicted in his videos.
WE used to have a duplex in Gulf Shores (OOS for us) that got hit by 2 hurricanes. When the repairs were slow I did lose sleep over that one because I knew we would have to address the issues there in person and that it would take quite a bit of time. Not a tenant issue unless I count not having a tenant while the units were being repaired.
Don't sweat the small stuff and typically the bigger stuff is not as big as it feels at the time. And if you cannot manage to not worry about the small stuff, consider hiring a PM.
Small potatoes. Have you seen the @James Wise videos?
About once a year I get a tenant move in a dog or cat without permission. We have a lease that was not renewed expiring in June for multiple rules violations including animals. No worries, good riddance.
My two worse tenant stories are:
Tenants decided to make a mud wresting pit out of the front yard for the girls to wrestle in. The tenants got charged to fix the yard back but we ended up building a deck over half the yard making it harder for repeat performance.
I had a neighboring tenant make some inappropriate remarks about a female tenant. Her SO tried to slug him and got decked by the jerk neighboring tenant. They requested to be let out of their lease immediately even though I successfully got the neighboring tenant evicted.
The landlord across from 2 of my units had the worse hording case I have ever seen. Worse than any I have seen from the Hoarders show. I did not get photos until after the cleanup was already few hours in and even at that point it may have been the worse I have ever seen. Also the tenant skipped out, no notice, no forwarding address.
I did not lose one minute of sleep over my two worse tenant issues. It would be curious if James Wise looses any sleep over the stuff depicted in his videos.
WE used to have a duplex in Gulf Shores (OOS for us) that got hit by 2 hurricanes. When the repairs were slow I did lose sleep over that one because I knew we would have to address the issues there in person and that it would take quite a bit of time. Not a tenant issue unless I count not having a tenant while the units were being repaired.
Don't sweat the small stuff and typically the bigger stuff is not as big as it feels at the time. And if you cannot manage to not worry about the small stuff, consider hiring a PM.
Good luck
Yikes. Great stories (well not great for a landlord). Thanks for the insight!
After a long span of quiet, drama free tenants in rentals, I discovered last night that a tenant that just moved in lied about having caged reptiles in the house. I'm not too worried about anything caged, but it is against the lease and I don't like being lied to. I'm going to let this go since I don't feel lizards and snakes are a reason to evict, and they did pay a big pet deposit for their dogs. Then today I had two tenants call because their June rent is going to be late. JEEPERS. I couldn't sleep well last night because i was both pizzed and disappointed that I was lied to.. and now two late tenants. When it rains it pours. I know things could be a LOT worse, and this is just small stuff... but the frustration is there. How do you deal with the frustration? Do you even get frustrated or do you just accept it as part of doing business?
I monitized the frustration by creating a TV show about it.