Tenant wins $17,000 judgment. Landlords, maintain your rentals!

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Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes

This is a great example of how "saving" a little money by neglecting maintenance can cost you much more in the long run. If your rentals are well maintained, you'll get better-quality renters, they'll make more effort to maintain them, and the tenants are more likely to stay longer.

https://www.kcur.org/news/2021...

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JD MartinBusiness Member

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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes

Reading the story, I'd say what sunk him was changing the locks, removing the thermostat, and removing the mailbox. That's a self-eviction, which as far as I know is illegal in all states. The electric panel stuff, well that should be stuff he wants to fix just to maintain a safe house.

Other parts of that story are ridiculous, however. How can the landlord "assure" a renter the electric bill is about $100/month? Electric bills are based on what you use. I have had tenants in the same property have electric bills more than $100 in difference between them. And the tenant sounds like a professional tenant to me, frankly. She's been a renter for 30 years, just happens to be on disability for a mysterious degenerative bone issue - notwithstanding a picture of someone morbidly obese having anything to do with her situation - and knows enough to get an advocacy group involved. Unfortunately for this slumlord he just rented to the wrong person.

So I don't see anything but one bum giving another bum their comeuppance.

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John UnderwoodPro Member
Investor · Greer, SC · Member since 2014 · 13k+ posts · 17k+ votes
4y
Thanks for sharing.
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Julie Hartman
Property Manager · Denver, CO · Member since 2021 · 667 posts · 587 votes
4y
@Nathan Gesner Thank you for sharing this. I am saving the link to this story. We don't manage anything as old as the subject property but it's a good lesson for our owners who want to cheap out on important repairs.
1 Reply
Jim K.
Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
4y
@Nathan Gesner

He got away with it for 28 years. Wow. Try that here in Allegheny County...the more you look at this situation, the worse the guy looks. Perfect example of someone who doesn't need to be self-managing. I did get into this thinking it couldn't be that hard, everyone should be able to do it. Not really. Plenty of Winters out there.

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Henry Lazerow
Real Estate Agent · Chicago, IL · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
4y
This is why I dont buy the hype of cheap rentals. On a house that rents $575 or even under $1000 you really cant turn a profit while keeping it fully up to date on maintenance/safe. A simple electric panel replacement would wipe out months of net cashflow. Slumlording is a liability. The low income tenants and welfare crowd tend also like to sue more often, this is backed up by data insurance companies use when quoting your property based on poverty rates of neighborhood.
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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
4y
Reading the story, I'd say what sunk him was changing the locks, removing the thermostat, and removing the mailbox. That's a self-eviction, which as far as I know is illegal in all states. The electric panel stuff, well that should be stuff he wants to fix just to maintain a safe house.
Other parts of that story are ridiculous, however. How can the landlord "assure" a renter the electric bill is about $100/month? Electric bills are based on what you use. I have had tenants in the same property have electric bills more than $100 in difference between them. And the tenant sounds like a professional tenant to me, frankly. She's been a renter for 30 years, just happens to be on disability for a mysterious degenerative bone issue - notwithstanding a picture of someone morbidly obese having anything to do with her situation - and knows enough to get an advocacy group involved. Unfortunately for this slumlord he just rented to the wrong person.
So I don't see anything but one bum giving another bum their comeuppance.
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Scott Mac
Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
@Nathan Gesner

I'm having trouble finding 1613 E 83rd St on Google Maps, Nathan. 83rd Street seems to be in East St. Louis anyway.

Yes, it does not seem to exist...maybe just in the mind of some writer.

People complain about Fake News---Maybe this is just that.

Some SJW's attempt to get people to file lawsuits against Owners in hopes of a thousand dollar payoff--by writing a Fake story.

I wonder who that lady really is in the pic.

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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Scott Mac:
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
@Nathan Gesner

I'm having trouble finding 1613 E 83rd St on Google Maps, Nathan. 83rd Street seems to be in East St. Louis anyway.

Yes, it does not seem to exist...maybe just in the mind of some writer.

People complain about Fake News---Maybe this is just that.

Some SJW's attempt to get people to file lawsuits against Owners in hopes of a thousand dollar payoff--by writing a Fake story.

I wonder who that lady really is in the pic.

I found it Scott:
https://www.google.com/maps/pl...

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Jim K.
Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @JD Martin:
Originally posted by @Scott Mac:
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
@Nathan Gesner

I'm having trouble finding 1613 E 83rd St on Google Maps, Nathan. 83rd Street seems to be in East St. Louis anyway.

Yes, it does not seem to exist...maybe just in the mind of some writer.

People complain about Fake News---Maybe this is just that.

Some SJW's attempt to get people to file lawsuits against Owners in hopes of a thousand dollar payoff--by writing a Fake story.

I wonder who that lady really is in the pic.

I found it Scott:
https://www.google.com/maps/pl...

Ah-ha! So it was in KC and not St. Louis anyway. Wonder how I screwed that up, it was right there in the title!
Two slimeballs that went at each other, sounds about right, JD. Professional tenant versus slumlord.

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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
Originally posted by @JD Martin:
Originally posted by @Scott Mac:
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
@Nathan Gesner

I'm having trouble finding 1613 E 83rd St on Google Maps, Nathan. 83rd Street seems to be in East St. Louis anyway.

Yes, it does not seem to exist...maybe just in the mind of some writer.

People complain about Fake News---Maybe this is just that.

Some SJW's attempt to get people to file lawsuits against Owners in hopes of a thousand dollar payoff--by writing a Fake story.

I wonder who that lady really is in the pic.

I found it Scott:
https://www.google.com/maps/pl...

Ah-ha! So it was in KC and not St. Louis anyway. Wonder how I screwed that up, it was right there in the title!
Two slimeballs that went at each other, sounds about right, JD. Professional tenant versus slumlord.

Sounds like that old claymation show "Celebrity Death Match" :P
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Scott Mac
Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @JD Martin:
Originally posted by @Scott Mac:
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
@Nathan Gesner

I'm having trouble finding 1613 E 83rd St on Google Maps, Nathan. 83rd Street seems to be in East St. Louis anyway.

Yes, it does not seem to exist...maybe just in the mind of some writer.

People complain about Fake News---Maybe this is just that.

Some SJW's attempt to get people to file lawsuits against Owners in hopes of a thousand dollar payoff--by writing a Fake story.

I wonder who that lady really is in the pic.

I found it Scott:
https://www.google.com/maps/pl...

Thanks,
It looks like a nice cash flow type rental.
Too bad it's operated so loosely.
I suppose he will have to fix the electric now that it's become public.
Old cloth covered arcing wire = a potential fire.
I would not be surprised if he gets a ton of offers to buy the place now.
A little more curb appeal and it would be a very "cute home".
Just my 2 cents.

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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
4y
@Scott Mac I wouldn't be surprised if he gets offers straight from BP to buy the house now!
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Joe SplitrockPro Member
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Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
4y
Just a good reminder that every profession has good and bad. This doesn't mean all landlords are evil, even though that is the narrative that some like to advance.
There was just a landlord on BP complaining about their tenant reporting power problems. They were blaming the tenant, but it sounded like a floating neutral or phase dropping in and out. I had to tell them to stop blaming the tenant and fix the electrical problem, before someone got electrocuted or the place burned down.

Part of the problem is inexperienced landlords who are in over their heads. Add to that just enough self confidence to believe they are never to blame for anything and it is a recipe for disaster.
If a landlord wants the government to stay out of their business, do a better job running your business.
I have said before, tenants go through screening but landlords do not...

@Jim K. yes it says Kansas City in the title and five times in the article, haha.
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Scott Mac
Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
4y
I did a quick mockup of some curb appeal, but I think it's over kill for the neighborhood.
It is a "Cute" house on what looks like a nice wide lot, or an empty lot next door (that looks like a jungle of mosquitoes and snakes).
A little curb appeal goes a long way on some of these lower end homes, but the neighborhoods tend to be "Worn" and it not worth it.
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JD MartinBusiness Member
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Rock Star Extraordinaire · Northeast, TN · Member since 2015 · 10k+ posts · 16k+ votes
4y
Originally posted by @Scott Mac:
I did a quick mockup of some curb appeal, but I think it's over kill for the neighborhood.
It is a "Cute" house on what looks like a nice wide lot, or an empty lot next door (that looks like a jungle of mosquitoes and snakes).
A little curb appeal goes a long way on some of these lower end homes, but the neighborhoods tend to be "Worn" and it not worth it.

Damn, that makes *me* want to buy it!

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Greg M.
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 5k+ votes
4y
So she is paying $575/month for a run down place in a bad area. Zillow rent estimate shows this place at $850/month.
Someone will buy the house and spend $15K to fix up the place. Then they will list it for rent at $900. All the people involved in the story will then complain about the rising rents and the greedy landlords.
Like it or not, slumlords serve a market segment. They provide housing for the "one step away from being homeless" people. While I'd never play around with safety issues, people who rent well below market have to accept well below average conditions.
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Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
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OP
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
4y
I know a local Landlord that has been a slumlord for nearly 40 years. He takes the first person with cash in hand, usually about 20% below market. No written lease. He keeps utilities in his name so he can shut them off if the tenant isn't behaving. He tells tenants the rent is cheap so they can take responsibility for maintenance. When one tenant moves out, he doesn't inspect or clean! He just gives it to the next person and lets them deal with it. I wouldn't say he's evil, but he's definitely not nice.
On the other hand, his monthly net income is about $45,000 so he can afford to pay a judgment. :)
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E.S. Burrell
Rental Property Investor · MI · Member since 2019 · 192 posts · 205 votes
4y
@Scott Mac
Wow!! Love it!!
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Theresa HarrisPro Member
Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
4y
That landlord sounds more like a slumlord.
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Marian Smith
Real Estate Investor · Williamson County, TX · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 961 votes
4y
@Nathan G. Thats the property I want to look up on google maps...just curious.
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