The Lazy Tenant who sleeps all day.

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The Lazy Tenant who sleeps all day.

Carmel Duffy
Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes

I have this tenant who continually refuses to empty the lint from the dryer. I have told him it is a fire hazard, but he continues to ignore me.

The lease states he has to do the yard work but today he told me he doesn't rake leaves and doesn't feel it's necessary because the other neighbors really don't care how their yard looks.

I need to get rid of this guy!

Luckily he only has a month to month lease. Just wondering what other Landlords do to make sure their tenants are taking proper care of the property.

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Joe SplitrockPro Member
Moderator
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
5y

@Carmel Duffy these actually seem like fairly minor issues. Most of my tenants are lazy compared to my standards. That is why many people end up being life long renters. Rather than looking at this black and white (keep or get rid of), consider just implementing consequences. 

Lint trap empty fee $15 per occurrence

Yard care service for leaf clean up $100

Send him notification that you will charge him for these services. That will modify his behavior or he will just choose to move out. 

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  • Account Closed
    Property Manager · Alpharetta, GA · Member since 2018 · 163 posts · 117 votes
    5y

    Lease specifies what fines will incur, what will be charged to tenant, what reasonable access is.

    3Reply
  • Filipe Pereira
    Property Manager · Windsor Locks, CT · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    @Carmel Duffy  If he's not abiding by the lease, AND he's month to month, why haven't you given him his notice? Where I come from you're told to "sh*t or get off the pot!". It's time, lazy boy!

    1Reply
  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    5y

    You can't have a rule without a consequence. If your lease says he's responsible, it should spell out the penalty for failing to comply. If it doesn't, you're in a pickle. 

    My lease states they can maintain the landscaping or I will hire someone to do it at Tenant expense. Easy enough.

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    6Reply
  • Jim S.
    Sterman, MI · Member since 2017 · 378 posts · 306 votes
    5y

    Get rid of him. He has proven he is going to do as he pleases.

    0Reply
  • Michael Noto
    Real Estate Agent · Southington, CT · Member since 2008 · 5k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    5y

    Ok, so I will ask. Is he paying his rent on time? All of the other issues you mentioned can be solved by lease clauses. 

    4Reply
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    5y

    @Carmel Duffy these actually seem like fairly minor issues. Most of my tenants are lazy compared to my standards. That is why many people end up being life long renters. Rather than looking at this black and white (keep or get rid of), consider just implementing consequences. 

    Lint trap empty fee $15 per occurrence

    Yard care service for leaf clean up $100

    Send him notification that you will charge him for these services. That will modify his behavior or he will just choose to move out. 

    13Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Joe Splitrock:

    @Carmel Duffy these actually seem like fairly minor issues. Most of my tenants are lazy compared to my standards. That is why many people end up being life long renters. Rather than looking at this black and white (keep or get rid of), consider just implementing consequences. 

    Lint trap empty fee $15 per occurrence

    Yard care service for leaf clean up $100

    Send him notification that you will charge him for these services. That will modify his behavior or he will just choose to move out.

    I know trying to get tenants to replace filters and report leaks etc can be a chore..  seems to me a quarterly inspection then have your handy man do those things and then charge if you want..  if the leaves are in the yard then they are on the roof and if you have gutters probably blocking those.. cant expect tenants to try to clean gutters lest they kill themselves when they fall off the roof or ladder or worse get paralyzed.  Seems to me this should be standard maintenance for the landlord and charge rent accordingly.  that way no issues with tenant..  having a tenant vacate over these minor issues will cause far more monetary damages than just do it yourself.  And if your urban core C D stuff you take on the real risk of your house getting stripped..  

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    11Reply
  • Bill P.
    Investor | Syndicator | Instructor · Cincinnati, OH · Member since 2008 · 435 posts · 198 votes
    5y

    @Carmel Duffy in the future just have your lease specify the penalties for non-compliance. If rent being paid on time with this tenant, work in a quarterly inspection to take care of lint, etc. Remember that renters aren't owners and don't behave the same.

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Filipe Pereira

    We can't evict now in Rockford, Illinois.

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Michael Noto

    He is paying his rent but I feel like I have to babysit this guy.

    I shouldn't have to remind a 52 year old to clean the dryer vent.

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Joe Splitrock

    I used your advise and told my tenant that I hired someone to rake the leaves and he has to pay.

    I will also fine him for the dryer.

    You give good advice.

    Thanks,

    Joe

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Jay Hinrichs

    My gutters have screens over them. So no gutter issues.

    He signed the lease stating he does the yard work.

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Bill Poh

    Good advice!

    0Reply
  • James Wise
    Real Estate Broker · Cleveland Dayton Cincinnati Toledo Columbus & Akron, OH · Member since 2013 · 31k+ posts · 20k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Carmel Duffy:

    I have this tenant who continually refuses to empty the lint from the dryer. I have told him it is a fire hazard, but he continues to ignore me.

    The lease states he has to do the yard work but today he told me he doesn't rake leaves and doesn't feel it's necessary because the other neighbors really don't care how their yard looks.

    I need to get rid of this guy!

    Luckily he only has a month to month lease. Just wondering what other Landlords do to make sure their tenants are taking proper care of the property.

    These are non issues in the grand scheme of this business. If a paying tenant not raking leaves or cleaning out dryer lint is a deal breaker for you I think you're in the wrong business. I see a lot of dissatisfaction in your future.

    10Reply
  • Irina Belkofer
    Real Estate Broker · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2017 · 719 posts · 658 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Carmel Duffy:

    @Filipe Pereira

    We can't evict now in Rockford, Illinois.

     This is the major consideration.

    You can’t evict him because you think he doesn’t do proper yard maintenance but even if you give him 30 days notice and he moves out - what are you going to do? Is it easy to replace a tenant in Chicago in November? Vacancy, repairs etc and you don’t know if the next tenants will be the way you want them to.

    In my lease it’s tenant responsibility to do yard work but I don’t go around to check if it’s up to my standards. I have no idea how you inspect the dryer: you’re going to the tenants house every day? Or week? What if he clean the lint before he starts the laundry?!?

    If leaves are a problem, the city Indpector will stick the note on their front door. If they don’t comply - they’ll pay these $200. If city doesn’t mind why should you? It’s your property but their home. It annoys me even to read these.....or you might have just one rental and too much time on your hands to enforce every little bit of your contract.

    3Reply
  • Karen MargraveBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Realtor, General Contractor, and Developer · Redding, CA · Member since 2009 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    5y

    What state do you live in? Because here in CA you'd never be able to toss a tenant for that... or much of anything if they don't want to go and are willing to pay rent. 

    1Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Irina Belkofer

    First of all he is a month to month tenant and I dont have to give him a reason to leave.

    I have been going to the rental every couple if weeks to meet with contractors who are doing work for me there. So at that time I am looking around to make sure my property is being taken care of.

    If the leaves are not raked up the grass will die.

    You sound like you really dont care what happens to your property.

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Irina Belkofer

    The reason I am worried about the the lint screen is because it is a huge amount of lint I am finding. Which tells me it's never changed! It's a fire hazard.

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @James Wise

    I don't plan to be in this business for long. Can't handle these crazy tenants. People lack respect and manners today.

    2Reply
  • Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Carmel Duffy:

    @James Wise

    I don't plan to be in this business for long. Can't handle these crazy tenants. People lack respect and manners today.

    they may not know about the lint..  my wife comes out of our master closet with a handful of lint..  we have Washer dryer in the master closet as well as one in the laundry room upstairs.Having Laundry in the Master closet to me is best move i made building this house. LOL .. But the issue was our maid was not cleaning it.  I dont think she knows you have to.. so we corrected that..so maybe the tennant does not realize it has to be cleaned.. 

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    0Reply
  • Brian BoydPro Member
    USA · Member since 2019 · 305 posts · 536 votes
    5y

    @Jay Hinrichs I wholeheartedly concur. Make lemonade out of lemons and monetize he response to bad tenant behaviors. Well said Jay!

    0Reply
  • Mike Kostner
    Bloomfield, NJ · Member since 2016 · 24 posts · 33 votes
    5y

    @Carmel Duffy Remove the dryer, problem solved.

    After that, hire someone to rake the leaves, and increase the rent to cover the cost.

    0Reply
  • Irina Belkofer
    Real Estate Broker · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2017 · 719 posts · 658 votes
    5y
    Originally posted by @Carmel Duffy:

    @Irina Belkofer

    First of all he is a month to month tenant and I dont have to give him a reason to leave.

    I have been going to the rental every couple if weeks to meet with contractors who are doing work for me there. So at that time I am looking around to make sure my property is being taken care of.

    If the leaves are not raked up the grass will die.

    You sound like you really dont care what happens to your property.

    I treat Tenant just like I'd like to be treated if I were renting. The last thing I’d like to someone would be inspecting my dryer every couple weeks.

    I do supervise contractors in the sense nothing of belongings of my tenants would be broken, however, I don’t look around - it’s their home and they pay for living there. Respect the privacy.

    Once a year I go there to replace the furnace filter and sometimes if something is not working....still, I go straight where I have to and don’t inspect whole house. 

    As for leaves - it won’t hurt grass as much as your relationship with the tenant.

    This is relationship business - BUSINESS first of all. Losing money because you can’t get your priorities is not smart.

    If you won’t rent the house for a month- it’s a lot of money to lose: heating Bill, electric while holding, taxes, insurance and definitely repairs between tenants. All that because lint is not cleaned or grass potentially might be not so green?

    1Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Irina Belkofer

    You are supposed to change a furnace filter every month.

    If the tenant doesn't take care of the appliances it will cost me money.

    0Reply
  • Carmel Duffy
    OP
    Member since 2019 · 41 posts · 24 votes
    5y

    @Mike Kostner

    I like your answer!

    0Reply
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