Rental Property Investor · MD · Member since 2017 · 102 posts · 21 votes
Hello BP, I have a tenant in a 7-unit building planting Incense sticks in the hallway (by the stairs). The damage is obvious on the picture. I was able to find out the offender and asked her to stop. Just wondering how else I could handle the issue! Thanks for your input.
Sounds like you did pretty great on your own in resolving this. I do recommend sending her a Notice of Quit for Reason Other Than Non-Payment of Rent. It basically let's her know that she is in violation of her lease (causing damage to the property, creating a fire hazard, inappropriate use of common area) and that she either quits/cures or will be evicted. It formalizes what you told her and if she fails to comply, you can offset her security deposit for damages and evict her. Since it's a violation other than non-payment of rent, the eviction moratorium would not apply.
Again, you handled it well. I would formalize it to ensure that you don't have to handle it again.
Sounds like you did pretty great on your own in resolving this. I do recommend sending her a Notice of Quit for Reason Other Than Non-Payment of Rent. It basically let's her know that she is in violation of her lease (causing damage to the property, creating a fire hazard, inappropriate use of common area) and that she either quits/cures or will be evicted. It formalizes what you told her and if she fails to comply, you can offset her security deposit for damages and evict her. Since it's a violation other than non-payment of rent, the eviction moratorium would not apply.
Again, you handled it well. I would formalize it to ensure that you don't have to handle it again.
I had a similar situation with property damage, one of my tenants flushed a medicine bottle down one of their toilets and backed up the whole plumbing system.
It started with a notice of quit (like Patricia said), however I managed to get them to sign it also. Try and get them to sign if you can acknowledging the letter.