All Forum Posts by: Kimberly T.

Sounds like discrimination based on age to me, which is a protected class.  I wouldn't do it.

Excellent points, I completely agree.  We always set our rents a little below market so we can get a lot of applicants, and then choose the best one.

Another recommendation I see here a lot is people doing a lot of prescreening on the phone before showing their unit to a prospective tenant.  I can understand maybe asking one or two questions over the phone (though I don't), but some people seem to have a huge list of questions the person must answer before the landlord will "bother" to show them the rental.  This kind of falls under the onerous application process you mentioned, but I just wanted to point it out.  Callers are customers, and I want to get as many in as possible so that we can sell them on our unit, rather than coming across as some nit-picky landlord who's probably going to be a pain to deal with.  Sure, that means we'll have some showings that are a waste of time, but that's why we schedule several showings close together so we're likely to at least get a couple good ones, and they also see that there's a lot of demand for the unit.

Are you talking about a little metal shed you can buy for a few hundred dollars and build yourself, or are you talking about an actual structure with a foundation (a structure you'd have to get a permit to build)?  If it's one of those cheap metal ones, then no, don't insure it.  If it's an actual structure, then talk to your insurance broker/company and see if they include something like that in your policy.  We own 2 fourplexes in AZ, and each fourplex has a small structure in the back (separate from the residential structure) that includes a small storage room for each unit, and the laundry room with the coin-op machines.  Our insurance covers those structures... I don't think it significantly affected our premium.

Thanks guys!  Just wanted to let you know that I called several different places, and we ended up going with Diamond Kitchen and Bath.  Working on getting the installation scheduled.

@Account Closed I don't see why you need to serve a 30 day to them in order to be able to evict them, if they've already given you written notice of intent to vacate.  Having a proper rental agreement and a written notice of intent to vacate should be all you need to file an eviction if they don't leave when they say they will.  Maybe I'm misunderstanding your situation.

Regarding @Kelly N.'s original post, I agree with @Richard C. completely.  Is the current owner actually going through the eviction process and planning to get a judgment against the current tenants before you close escrow?  If so, those tenants are morons for going along with it, and I frankly don't see how the owner plans to actually get the judgment if the tenants haven't done anything wrong.  This is very confusing.  The owner just needed to give them a notice of termination of tenancy so they knew to move out.

Thanks for everyone's thoughts.  We generally have been calling it a "holding deposit" here in CA, and stating that it will be credited toward the first month's rent.

For CA, the Dept of Consumer Affairs has a section on it in their landlord tenant handbook:

HOLDING DEPOSIT
Sometimes, the tenant and the landlord
will agree that the tenant will rent the unit, but
the tenant cannot move in immediately. in this
situation, the landlord may ask the tenant for a
holding deposit. A holding deposit is a deposit
to hold the rental unit for a stated period of
time until the tenant pays the first month’s rent
and any security deposit. during this period, the
landlord agrees not to rent the unit to anyone
else. if the tenant changes his or her mind about
moving in, the landlord may keep at least some
of the holding deposit.
Ask the following questions before you pay a
holding deposit:
• Will the deposit be applied to the first month’s
rent? if so, ask the landlord for a deposit
receipt stating this. Applying the deposit to
the first month’s rent is a common practice.

Curious what other landlords do for a holding deposit/fee so that they will take their ad off the market, before the new tenant moves in.  Do you require it to equal one month's rent?  Half a month's rent?  Some other amount entirely?

Also, what do you call it?  Is it a "non-refundable fee" that gets credited toward rent?  Or toward the security deposit?  Do you just call it a "deposit"?  Do you call it "prepaid rent"?  How do you make clear that it's non-refundable (or is only refunded if you can re-rent it)?

I'm sure some of this depends on what's legal in your state.

Hi Will, been following this thread for a while now.  Just wondered if you got that doc signed by the judge yet and started the eviction...?

Good luck, hope you gain possession soon!

I called some insurance brokers in CA to find good coverage for our CA triplex.  Don't call each insurance company individually (State Farm, Farmers, Nationwide, etc.), just call a few brokers and let them shop it for you.  They'll typically find a better deal than you could on your own.

If you don't know of any brokers and don't like the ones you find online, try looking at AOA's site for insurance brokers (I see you're in CA, so I'm assuming your rentals are in CA). 

http://www.aoausa.com/

We have our home, auto, and umbrellas (personal and commercial) with State Farm.