All Forum Posts by: Jeff Willis

My 2 cents. If you go beyond simple repairs and you are unskilled, Youtube is great for concepts but that is where it ends. You start touching plumbing, electrical, HVAC, structural integrity, it isn't like the DYI channel. It has to be done correctly and WITH PERMITS!

In one word, Never! The risks far outweigh the benefits. The tenants have their best interest at heart, not your interests,

AND, a video wouldn't help. Way too much backstory. Keep in mind "Saw Sub Sank Same"

The post office really does not care. You can only hope the sender will finally stop sending the mail. I actually do something different with the mail, but I can not sat it online. Heck, I still get mail from my ex-wife, she died 10 years.

Very easy - for all addressed mail (not bulk), write "Return to sender. Moved no forwarding address" and drop it in a mailbox. Bulk mail (advertising, throw away.

Home warranty companies are useless rip-off's. Their 'contractors' are not necessarily skilled in the trades and if they can't fix something or it costs more to fix than they determine to replace, per the agreement they only need replace with "contractor grade" items - not like items. Plus their service charge everytime someone shows up is how they make their money and the contractors know this. first visit is to evaluate ($75.00), next visit is to fix, but wrong part ($75.00), and so on.

I have a suite of trusted contractors and repair people I have made deals with. Cheaper and more reliable.

Good luck. You need to ask the city, what is required to comply. Building and safety codes are absolute and appealing an actual code violation is very rarely successful. You need to show that the violation does not exist, has a prior permit, or that the structure is grandfathered (erected before the particular code was enacted). It is immaterial weather the City noticed it in the past and it is not incumbent upon the city to notify you of violations. It is 100% your liability.

Basically what happened is the City let the issue slide on the first violation on un-permitted living space. But when the second violation occurred, the City said, "he his playing games and not serious about correcting the violation" so they researched and did not find a permit and cited you for that . If they force you to take down the structure, then the problem of using it as a living space is gone.

Bottom line, I suggest you comply and "make nice" with the City because this is a battle you will not win. If they get too pissed at you, they will do a full inspection of your entire house and find hundreds of items and if they are really pissed, they will declare it uninhabitable"

If the tenant has someone staying in the storage room without your knowledge, why are they asking you for a "relocation benefit?"  JUST ASKING.





Since you are in California, there are standard real estate disclosures that are part of every agreement. One of the disclosures is "are there any un-permitted structures that the seller is aware of" - if you can show the seller knew or should have known known, there may be some recourse to make it compliant.

Very simple - pay or be evicted. Not your issue if the "money order was lost." Be sure you follow your states laws on eviction as to notice and process. Normally with no agreement, it is considered a month-to-month.

As @Pavel Shemyakin said, you need to talk to your insurance agent who will get you the correct policy. You should have structure insurance with replacement coverage and liability insurance, the higher the better. The only thing you don't need is contents coverage, which is the responsibility of the Tenant.  If you have a loan on the property, the lien holder will require fire structure protection at a minimum.

Here is a good article. Note there is a legal difference between "service animals" and "emotional support animals" and have a different meaning under the law

https://www.avail.co/education/articles/rental-community-know-emotional-support-animals

Most states have laws that cover your situation, as to use of security deposit. Here is an example of California (most are similar)

https://www.courts.ca.gov/1049.htm