All Forum Posts by: Julie Hartman

It depends upon what your lease states because most tenants will argue that vaping is simply "simulated" smoke even though it's more than that. We had to amend our lease to include vaping to our list of prohibited activities. I would tell the tenant vaping is considered a form of smoking which is forbidden inside the house and will be treated as a lease violation. Furthermore, they will be responsible for any damage.  

We have this very situation going on right now and it's not good. In our case, the owner stopped by the property and after talking with the tenant, gave the tenant her phone number. Now what do you think happened? Well, the owner is now complaining that the tenant is contacting her too much and she doesn't have time to deal with problems. We let her know that she created this mess and it's making our job that much more difficult. Once a tenant has an owners phone number, you can't un-ring that bell. We tell owners that if they ever want to stop by to do an inspection, they are free to do so but WE need to arrange it ahead of time. If an owner wants to be that hands on, they are better off self-managing because they create more headaches than they realize. 

We recently had an owner slapped with a $30,000 special assessment for roof hail damage. We let him know that his insurance may cover special assessments and after checking on that, he was indeed covered for it. That is worth looking into as well if you are concerned about it. 

Depending on the laws of your state, the tenant refusing to allow the termite treatment should then assume responsibility for the subsequent termite damage. Maybe he'll change his mind when faced with the possible cost associated with refusal to allow the repairs. 

Sorry I cannot answer the first part of your question about the BP episode. However, I know we use a very basic "move out checklist" that we send to vacating tenants with a few costs listed, (minimum amount for any trash removal, a price range for carpet cleaning, house cleaning, etc) . However, we don't commit to much more than that because most repairs are situational and can very greatly. Plus, our service personnel don't always charge a flat rate, they typically give us an estimate depending on the issue. Additionally, some states may have laws that limit charges. For example, we can't charge for light bulbs because those are considered "wear and tear" but we can charge the labor to change them. I don't know if that helps but there may be other BP users that will have something more concrete that may help you. 

If the lease is expiring, then you would just give them notice that you intend to sell and the lease will not be renewed. The timing of the notice to them will depend on what your lease agreement states. It should not matter if they are willing to end the lease if the lease is ending contractually anyway. There is no compensation required if the lease is coming to its natural conclusion. You will also need to determine if you plan to show the property to potential buyers during the transition period leading up to the lease end and if your lease allows for it. Some leases require tenants be cooperative with showings for the purpose of sale, but not all of them are, especially if they are forced to relocate due to a non-renewal. Some owners decide to wait until the tenant vacates to clean, make needed repairs, and prep for showings, which is sometimes easier. All of this is predicated on what is outlined in your lease and the laws of your state. 

If she is over 18, then she should have to pass a basic background screening; a criminal check at the very least. If the dad is solely responsible for the rent payment and if you don't want to redo the lease completely, she could be added as an authorized occupant. If you are worried he will default on rent somehow and you want leverage, then add her onto the lease and she becomes just as responsible as he does. He really should have asked you about this ahead of time before just moving her in.  

I would check your policy because I believe it is against federal law to charge more to section 8 tenants. Not only that, why do it? Section 8 tenants get rent paid by the government; it's reliable and on time. I think you are asking for trouble. To answer your last questions: yes and yes. 

We don't do another background check but we do an inspection of the property to see if we want to continue renting to that tenant. 

I'm sure someone else will weigh in here that knows more but unless they say otherwise, most HOA "property management" is for the property complex (landscaping, snow removal, sometimes roofing and siding maintenance, trash removal, sometimes water/sewer, amenities like a pool or weight room). They aren't typically talking about property management of individual units for their owners. Is that what you mean? Most property management is roughly 10% of the monthly rent and on top of that you may have a % of the first months rent to secure a tenant. I hope that helps.