Hey Newer landlords! Whats your Maintenance nightmares!

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Dennis M.
Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
6y

Hoardes of Roaches and picking up used condoms in the yard , cleAning up after a dead body of tenant was left ,Picking up human feces, scraping hardened chewing gum off walls .picking up beer and liquor bottles . Disposing of drugs and paraphernalia 

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  • John Warren
    Real Estate Broker · 3412 S. Harlem Avenue Riverside, IL 60546 · Member since 2015 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm clogged tubs. This is the single most common thing I deal with on a day to day basis!

    3Reply
  • Jason Schwartz
    Rental Property Investor · Evanston, IL · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 5 votes
    6y

    Bed bugs and roaches all day. 

    4Reply
  • Dennis M.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    6y

    Hoardes of Roaches and picking up used condoms in the yard , cleAning up after a dead body of tenant was left ,Picking up human feces, scraping hardened chewing gum off walls .picking up beer and liquor bottles . Disposing of drugs and paraphernalia 

    7Reply
  • Karl B.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Dennis M.:

    Hoardes of Roaches and picking up used condoms in the yard , cleAning up after a dead body of tenant was left ,Picking up human feces, scraping hardened chewing gum off walls .picking up beer and liquor bottles 

    Just cut down that condom tree on the property and you won't get them all over the yard. :-)

    6Reply
  • Dennis M.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    6y

    Just cut down that condom tree on the property and you won't get them all over the yard. :-)

    Well I’m Bagging them up and taking them all to your front yard Karl . I may even drop off a dead hooker too 

    3Reply
  • Karl B.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Dennis M.:

    Just cut down that condom tree on the property and you won't get them all over the yard. :-)

    Well I’m Bagging them up and taking them all to your front yard Karl . I may even drop off a dead hooker too 

    Bwahahahahahaha! Well... that's one way for me to get my property taxes lowered! 

    2Reply
  • Frank Geiger
    Rental Property Investor · NC · Member since 2018 · 776 posts · 776 votes
    6y

    All the above and I would add cat urine....

    2Reply
  • Linda S.
    Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm,

    Right now pest (mice/roaches) are my biggest pet peeve, because they don't show themselves until after renovation and someone moves in!   I hate them with a passion.   It's an expense you don't know is coming and then boom-- that exterminator will cost you hundreds!

    1Reply
  • Kris L.
    San Antonio, TX · Member since 2019 · 930 posts · 836 votes
    6y

    Swamp Coolers.  Getting those things converted for 150 properties each spring and fall is a real headache.  Especially because all tenants wait until the last minute so all the HVAC contractors end up with a 2 week wait list where tenants have no AC or heat depending on season.

    0Reply
  • Hai Loc
    Specialist · Toronto, Ontario · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 891 votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm

    Busted hot water line that caused mold in a vacant unit.

    It was leaking for a month. My PM found out too late.

    0Reply
  • Cody L.
    Rental Property Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    6y

    manager just sent me this. Sort of sucks

    2Reply
  • Pat L.
    Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Cody L.:

    manager just sent me this. Sort of sucks

     & judging by the pics posted you're just about upside-down on that property :)

    My ongoing nightmare....

    We have a huge commercial grinder pump system at a multi we own. It has 3 large ??HP grinder pumps & they fail at the worst time. Last winter we had so much feces flowing down the driveway I thought it was walking down a CA sidewalk. 

    ALL the emergency guys were out hunting so we had a couple of hours delay & nothing would flush so we had to pop the cleanup at ground level & it streamed out. They did appear later that day in camouflage outfits & the youngest (last hired) guy got to go down the 20ft deep cylinder to pull the motors while 4 guys stood around, 2 covered in blood from a recent kill. NONE of the motors had grounds as they had been removed earlier so these 20-30lb suckers were smoking hot when pulled. 

    1Reply
  • Dillon Dale
    Real Estate Agent · Owatonna, MN · Member since 2017 · 221 posts · 152 votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm pests are nasty to deal with. Even though it's not the most costly I just hate it

    0Reply
  • Max T.
    Investor · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm

    Habitability issues - heat, water, electricity emergencies.

    2nd would be leaks

    0Reply
  • Guy Yoes
    Rental Property Investor · Springfield, MO · Member since 2017 · 266 posts · 312 votes
    6y

    I can't compete with most of those. Mine was a heater coil with so much dirt and pet hair it looked like a shag carpet was draped over it. 

    0Reply
  • Todd Rasmussen
    Rental Property Investor · Clarksville, TN · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Dennis M.:

    Hoardes of Roaches and picking up used condoms in the yard , cleAning up after a dead body of tenant was left ,Picking up human feces, scraping hardened chewing gum off walls .picking up beer and liquor bottles . Disposing of drugs and paraphernalia 

    This is like a commercial for a property management company or at least a bandit sign, "Mentor looking for eager new investors to intern for experience."

    0Reply
  • Jack I.
    Member since 2019 · 43 posts · 24 votes
    6y

    Plumbing issues....

    I own a lot of rentals and do the PM work myself..

    The biggest issue is plugged drains, leaks, and broken showers. 

    I hired a great plumbing company that guarantees me 24 hour service and charges me a little more than average rates but does high quality work.. it is cheaper than a PM

    Whatever other problems can wait a week to be taken care of..

    Bugs are a one time event,,just call the exterminator when it happens. 

    0Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Dennis M.:

    Hoardes of Roaches and picking up used condoms in the yard , cleAning up after a dead body of tenant was left ,Picking up human feces, scraping hardened chewing gum off walls .picking up beer and liquor bottles . Disposing of drugs and paraphernalia 

     Have you ever considered screening your tenants? 

    1Reply
  • Dennis M.
    Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Joe Splitrock:
    Originally posted by @Dennis M.:

    Hoardes of Roaches and picking up used condoms in the yard , cleAning up after a dead body of tenant was left ,Picking up human feces, scraping hardened chewing gum off walls .picking up beer and liquor bottles . Disposing of drugs and paraphernalia 

     Have you ever considered screening your tenants? 

    Most all of that was inherited issues when I bought the buildings plus the area in general Attracts bad stuff on the exterior and yards 

    0Reply
  • Cody L.
    Rental Property Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    6y
    Originally posted by @Pat L.:
    Originally posted by @Cody L.:

    manager just sent me this. Sort of sucks

     & judging by the pics posted you're just about upside-down on that property :)

    My ongoing nightmare....

    We have a huge commercial grinder pump system at a multi we own. It has 3 large ??HP grinder pumps & they fail at the worst time. Last winter we had so much feces flowing down the driveway I thought it was walking down a CA sidewalk. 

    ALL the emergency guys were out hunting so we had a couple of hours delay & nothing would flush so we had to pop the cleanup at ground level & it streamed out. They did appear later that day in camouflage outfits & the youngest (last hired) guy got to go down the 20ft deep cylinder to pull the motors while 4 guys stood around, 2 covered in blood from a recent kill. NONE of the motors had grounds as they had been removed earlier so these 20-30lb suckers were smoking hot when pulled. 

     Eh, not upside down.  Paid $12k/door for this 20 unit.  Damage is about $30k.   I could sell the building for $50k/door easily. 

    1Reply
  • Matthew Irish-JonesBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Buffalo, NY · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm bed bugs are a nightmare

    Irish Jones Realty4.947 Reviews
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    0Reply
  • Jennifer T.Pro Member
    Investor · New Orleans, LA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 944 votes
    6y

    Just in time for this post, lol.  I got my first "something died in the wall, it's a horrible stench, and there are flies everywhere" phone call from one of my tenants today.

    But normally my two biggest and most common maintenance headaches are appliances that break and "the a/c isn't working".  When, actually, it is working just fine.  But it's Louisiana in the summertime and 100+ degrees outside.  And nobody believes me when I tell them it's more cost efficient and comfortable to just raise it up a few degrees, instead of shutting it off when they leave.  And then expecting the house to quickly cool down when they return ((banging my head against the wall)).

    0Reply
  • John MorganPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Grand Prairie, TX · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm

    Four AC units (out of six total properties I own) going out over a 6 week time period. Followed by four foundations needing repair during the same summer. 35k down the drain in what felt like a nano second.

    0Reply
  • Steve K.
    Realtor · Boulder, CO · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    6y

    @Jonathan Klemm well I’ve had my share including sewer lines breaking and hundreds of gallons of raw sewage backing up into a newly remodeled unit among many, many other gross and unfortunate clean-ups. However I’ve become mostly inured to many things that most people would consider revolting so the gross factor isn’t too much of an issue anymore. For me, my least favorite thing is finding holes punched in walls, blood stains, busted up furniture, interior doors ripped off their hinges, door frames busted and holes kicked in them... like a unit I’m repairing this week where a family with young children had been recently living. I found out they were living there without electricity for a few months, and the signs of domestic violence are everywhere in the unit. Having met their 2 very cute and innocent young children, and having young children of my own, this is hard to see. As I was repairing the walls and doors and cleaning the blood splatters up this week, I kept imaging what went down in this unit, probably with the kids present, so this is my least favorite issue to deal with as a landlord personally.

    2Reply
  • Carlos Gonzalez
    Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2015 · 346 posts · 170 votes
    6y

    @Frank Geiger

    This!

    I just evicted someone with 11 cats

    2Reply
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