All Forum Posts by: Dena Puliatti

You could also pay for the work yourself and claim it as a loss on your 2023 taxes.  Depends on your deductible and how much damage the quote comes to.

@Tim Windhorst.   The tenant is responsible for the bill.  Once the leak is detected and repaired, send the tenant a coy of the invoice so she can go down to Huntsville Utilities and have her bill adjusted to account for the leak.  Also, the news has been talking about large water bills in the New Market/Gurley area.  They forgot to read the meters for a couple of months and are now back-charging the water.

@Steven Barr @Nathan Gesner  Yes, Stephen.  Your breakdown is correct.  Nathan, my understanding from the attorneys that I have worked with is that "clean" at the end of a lease is "broom-swept condition." I like to have the home deep cleaned before a tenant moves in.  It makes for a happier start of the relationship.

@Steven Barr  You can only use the security deposit for damages and debris removal.  The cleaning of the unit should not be charged out of the security deposit.  We charge 35% of the rent up front as a cleaning fee and use the remaining 65% of the rent as a security deposit.

Glad you have a lawyer on retainer.  Always a good plan.  She's mad because she knows she's violating her lease.  Don't let yourself get run over on this one.  You notified her of pest control.  Just because she said "outside only" doesn't mean anything.  It's your property, and you gave notice.  As for CYA, plan a quarterly inspection where you notate the secret cat and and the cigarette smoke.  Then issue an eviction notice.  Most likely, your attorney would advise you to make this curable by professional smoker remediation to the home (at her cost) and re-homing the cat. You will need her receipts if you are going to keep her as a tenant.  She will most likely get mad and move out.  

My company does quarterly inspections to check for leaks, change the air filter, and check the smoke detectors.  We are also looking for lease violations like secret pets, smoking, extra "tenants," etc.  If there is a tenant issue, a notice is left with the tenant.

@Sam Booth I have no way to tell you what your rehab costs are going to be.  It depends on the house.  And yes, I would plan on painting all the walls between tenants.

Trim back any trees overhanging the structure.  Make sure that you have a plan in place to change the air filters every 3 months to keep your blower motor from burning out.  Also, do plan on a full wall paint between tenants.  If you want to attract a higher quality tenant, they are not going to be cool with splotchy walls.  Touch-up paint always looks like touch-up paint.  

I agree with @Drew Sygit. This is considered pre-paid rent, and it can not be disbursed to you for future months.  The property management company should hold it and disburse to you monthly.

Depends on what the standards say. Sometimes, they are a little higher.

Contact the Section 8 office and ask for a copy of current payment standards.