All Forum Posts by: Danielle Moser

@MarciaMaynard, thank you!  That language would work perfectly.  Yes, living next door obviously makes me a little more sensitive because it is my home.  He has always told me about the visitors, I think only because I would've noticed them.  Yet, they are always staying for "3 weeks", which turns into 3 months for the tenant I recently added, 7 weeks for the other guest (who also came with a child and cat), and now the most recent one I'm pretty sure will stay until the end of the lease.  And he has only been in the place for 5 months. Among his other situations, it's been quite the experience.  But a learning one at that!  

@Marcia Maynard, thank you for the advice!  Next time around my lease will be much more detailed.  I think after the normal 2-3 week visitation (or I at least view that as "normal") the best idea is what you suggested - approach him and request an application and to add her as a month-to-month tenant.  I only own 1 duplex and I live on the other side, so I am able to keep a very close eye.  He was not very happy about adding the first "guest" to the lease, so I don't see him being too cooperative with this one either.  

I have a tenant who has been an issue from the 2nd week he moved in.  Many of the problems cannot be resolved due to my lease.  I'm a new landlord and have learned a lot for the next time!  However, in the meantime, my question is - if my tenant has a guest past 2 weeks, can I request to add that "guest" to the lease for at least a month-to-month basis while they stay there?  This is now the 3rd "guest" who is staying for well over a visitation period.  Based on his lying history, I'm assuming this newest 'guest' will be here until the end of his lease on September 30th, despite him saying it will be 2-6 weeks.  Unfortunately, I don't have a visitor policy in my lease (again, I've learned a lot from my 'new landlord ignorance') but I want to protect myself.  This is now the 2nd person I would be adding to the lease as he has already had a 'guest' that had been there for 3 months and I finally demanded she sign a lease and fill out an application.  With it being now a 3rd person living there, when I originally signed a lease for just one person, I would like to raise the rent as well for the added wear-and-tear.  Has anyone experienced this, and how did you handle it?  I appreciate any advice.  Thank you!

I have had a tenant in my rental since October 1.  I ran a background check on him, all was fine, seemed like a nice guy, pays on time.  Since October 1, he has had multiple house guests who have stayed well past a visitation period (7 weeks, 8 weeks) and none were family members.  I have since squashed that issue and had the one long-time visitor sign the lease and become a co-tenant to cover myself.  A little background:  I own one duplex and I live on one side and rent out the other.  It's just me and my daughter, so I was very picky when choosing a tenant.  I am not looking to do this as a second career, it's just a way for us to live comfortably, in a nice family neighborhood. 

Just this week, luckily I was home, and heard banging at the door.  To my surprise, I was greeted by my current tenant's probation officer.  He had robbed 1 or more banks 20 years ago in another state and is on federal probation.  I have no idea what kind of time he served, or how long he will remain on probation; however, I was upset this didn't show up on a background check AND he never once mentioned this to me - which is a bit baffling as he knows his probation officer could show up at his home at any time and he shares a front door with his landlord.  I have since learned a bit about federal background checks vs. state background checks, which I will be sure to look further into for my next tenant.  He has continuously lied about the time frames of his "visitors", one I think is actually an illegal immigrant from Canada, has told many stories that just don't add up... and now I find out he's an ex-felon.  My question is - since I didn't ask on my application if he had ever been convicted of a crime, and it's not his fault I didn't do a federal background check - do I have any grounds on which to evict him, or ask him to leave?  At this point I'm a little nervous and wouldn't want to talk with him alone.