All Forum Posts by: Jon K.

I base rent on market rate and property condition/upgrades.

I never would negotiate rent with a potential tenant. They'll think you're desperate, and they'll think you're a pushover. Once they break your first "rule" (rent amount), they'll want to break rules right and left (smoker, pets, whatever). Credit score might be negotiable, pets might be negotiable.

I don't let tenants do anything to discount rent. They either won't do it at all or won't do it well-- or worse, will "try" to do it, get/fake an injury, and sue. Most likely they'll simply take the discount and not do the work at all.

If the tenant likes your property and wants to live there, they'll pay market rate rent. If they're not willing to pay or don't qualify, don't accept them.

Research comparable properties in the same condition as yours and find the real market rate. Or look at your rental criteria. No evictions, rental history, no smokers, and verifiable income should still be a must.

Try advertising in other places, getting better photos of the property, changing up your ad description. "Cute home" or "Great 2 bedroom in convenient location." Rotate the ads you post daily on Craigslist. Put a sign in the yard too.

It's slow season. Most people don't want to move over the holidays. A property sitting empty a month is better than a nightmare tenant who pays less than market rate rent and causes headaches all year or has to be evicted.

The steps? Call your lawyer. Self-help evictions cause way too many problems.

How do you prove a tenant is not paying? Because they haven't paid. Your bank account and not having received the money is your "proof" they haven't paid. Don't accept any cash payments-- at least not without giving them (and saving) a receipt each time. Screen potential tenants well to try to avoid evictions. And have a strong lease. Have a good lawyer available for evictions if you later need one. Your lawyer will instruct you on what to do (or do it themselves), from cure or quit notice telling tenant to pay or eviction will start on the 5th of the month (or whatever your lease and city allows), to them being served with eviction notice by the process server, etc.

I base rent on market rate and property condition/upgrades.

I never would negotiate rent with a potential tenant. They'll think you're desperate, and they'll think you're a pushover. Once they break your first "rule" (rent amount), they'll want to break rules right and left (smoker, pets, whatever). Credit score might be negotiable, pets might be negotiable.

I don't let tenants do anything to discount rent. They either won't do it at all or won't do it well-- or worse, will "try" to do it, get/fake an injury, and sue. Most likely they'll simply take the discount and not do the work at all.

If the tenant likes your property and wants to live there, they'll pay market rate rent. If they're not willing to pay or don't qualify, don't accept them.

Research comparable properties in the same condition as yours and find the real market rate. Or look at your rental criteria. No evictions, rental history, no smokers, and verifiable income should still be a must.

Try advertising in other places, getting better photos of the property, changing up your ad description. "Cute home" or "Great 2 bedroom in convenient location." Rotate the ads you post daily on Craigslist. Put a sign in the yard too.

It's slow season. Most people don't want to move over the holidays. A property sitting empty a month is better than a nightmare tenant who pays less than market rate rent and causes headaches all year or has to be evicted.

Give notice to pay or eviction will proceed.

Deposits should never be used as rent. My city doesn't even allow that.

And, what about next month when tenant again doesn't have money?

And when tenant has caused damage that should have come out of the deposit?

If tenant can't pay now, they're not going to magically come up with the money in a month. Somehow eviction notices make tenants find some 'extra money' now.

What's more, tenant knew good and well that they might not make rent for the month before now and is just now telling you. It's December 5. Rent was due on December 1st? Yeah, tenant wants a free ride.

Give notice to pay, or get your lawyer to proceed with eviction. No deposits as rent. Tenant can either pay rent or they can't.

LOL. Some evicted lowlife e-mailed you wanting a rise out of you. Ignore them.

You don't have to accept evictions. Period. Otherwise people would be screwing over landlords all the time.

Of course you can ask what the tenant makes also. That's how you determine income to see if they meet your written criteria to qualify for the property.

Craigslist replies can be funny.

On what grounds are you denying all Indian applicants?

What if a white person ends up cooking curry in your unit?

I hate the smell of curry and smoke, but on what grounds do you deny them... look through their application and find some other "reason" to deny?

Lived there a year as a roommate, only heard/saw this tenant maybe 5 times in a whole year.

Tenant/roommate was absolutely delightful and friendly as could be when I saw them, pleasant conversation, interesting, great personality.

Quiet as a mouse. I seriously didn't know when this tenant was even home... and we lived in the same house. I only knew tenant was home if their car was out front. I literally never heard a peep. I didn't hear them move in or out. So quiet.

Clean. No trace that tenant was even living with me, other than a few items in the fridge. No trace of dirt anywhere. Cleanest roommate and tenant EVER.

Rarely ever home... only noticed them coming to pay rent on time every time. Often the tenant paid early too. Never complained even once.. about anything.

Tenant often stayed with their significant other, so they weren't home much. Still, this was my favorite roommate/tenant ever. I was so sad when they permanently moved in with the significant other and moved out of my home.

You need to tell the tenant that you will not tolerate doors being slammed there, and that if she's not happy there, she can live somewhere else. Tell her it's where you live and that this is a roommate situation with you as a master renter, and that your say is final. You make the rules in the house, and in order to continue living in your roommate situation, she needs to follow the house rules.

Mom needs to tell tenant simply "Ricks is in charge of your roommate situation. Call him... "

Give all the roommates a reminder that doors must be locked and not left open, mentioning safety. I put this rule in the lease. I also mention TV, stereo, etc. placement (which room) and noise in my lease.

When someone moves in, follow your lease to the letter from the start. If your house rules and lease say one fridge shelf and no smoking, enforce it from the start. If you say no pets, don't let tenant have a pet. Don't let tenants paint the bedrooms. Lay out the house rules from the start and make it clear that the lease must be followed if they wish to live there. Don't give mom's number. I would just make a "sublet lease" that you give your tenants.

If they ask for cabinet space, say, "I know it's crowded, but this is how it is divided up in this home. I pay the most here and I take care of all repairs and taxes, so I chose to give myself some extra benefits such as this. You're more than welcome to buy yourself a shelf to store more food in your bedroom if you wish."

With the door slamming, I would say calmly and firmly "Slamming doors and this sort of behavior is not how we live here. I understand you are unhappy here. Perhaps it's best if you move within 30 days. If you stay, I expect these things to happen: 1) your attitude needs to change... door slamming is not an appropriate way to deal with issues. You're getting a great value here and don't have to worry with repairs and so forth. I pay the most and choose to give myself some perks of the house, and I expect to be treated as you would want to be treated. I'm not going to tolerate door slamming and you not following house rules. 2) the doors should be locked. We don't want to risk our safety or belongings. and 3) This is where I live. All repairs, issues, and communications should be to me and me alone-- not my mother. This is a roommate situation between you and I, and I manage this house and I manage repairs. If you do not change your behavior, I do not feel comfortable with you continuing to live here, and I will have to ask you to live in no more than 30 days."

I will say that a bad tenant usually stays a bad tenant.

I'm assuming you will need to give these tenants notice and start over.

Have a strong lease and roommate agreement upfront, and let them know you mean business and that you have established house rules that they must follow.

I talk about what I expect some even when they first visit the home: "This is a very quiet, clean home. We are busy professionals and rarely see each other, but everyone is pleasant. We rarely have people over and do not throw parties. It's a very quiet community. There is no smoking on this property, and parking is outside if you have a car. It's fully furnished, so you'll just need your bedroom furniture. I'm looking for ....... in a housemate."

If you have wi-fi that you choose to share with them, I say: "I do buy my own wi-fi at my own expense, and I share it with people so long as I never have to hear when wi-fi is down or any other issues about it. If my service goes down, people just have to wait for it to come back up. I also don't share it with people if they're downloading things they shouldn't be or hogging the network. Or, you're welcome to buy your own wi-fi connection or split it with others in the house... it's around $40 a month here per wi-fi connection."

Then when they come to sign the lease I show them around the house and point out "this is a closet by the front door that you can store your coat in if you wish. This is your laundry shelf, and your fridge shelf. This is where you can park right out there as there is not garage space for you. This is where our vacuums are; here's our pans and cookware.... you can use any of this shared cookware if you wish. We take turns cleaning the kitchen every week, and alternate taking out the trash." etc. etc.

You need better tenants.

What about "leasing" from your mother than "subletting" the property? Look into taxes and insurance of the house.

Why do the tenants not respect you? Tell them upfront, even in a roommate agreement: "You are assigned 2 spots in the pantry, 1 shelf in the fridge, 1 in the freezer. That's how it is done here. You're welcome to keep your additional food in your bedroom, or you may choose to purchase yourself a mini fridge for your bedroom as well. No garage parking or storage space is available nor offered." Be firm upfront with the tenants.

I, too, have roommates. I tell them what we do and what we don't do upfront. The names on the title of the house should be irrelevant to a roommate discussion.

Mom can simply say "This is an issue between you and your roommates/landlord, call him at ...." That only needs to happen once. Tell the tenant you manage the property, and any calls or inquiries should go to you and you only, and if they're unhappy living with you, they are welcome to live elsewhere.

My roommates know it's a "like it or leave it, follow the lease or leave" situation. My first roommates tried to whine about fridge space, garage space, etc. Now my lease is solid, my roommate agreement/lease discusses storage some, and they know I'm the bottom line and won't tolerate any b.s. They follow the lease and maintain a pleasant living situation and they can stay. Otherwise, they're out (per proper notice to terminate tenancy per my lease, etc.).

If I was a tenant, I would not sign a 2 year lease anywhere.

I suppose you could offer no increase if they sign another X amount of time to get them to stay longer if it would cost you more to make ready than eat the loss.

I would imagine a tenant could live with a $25 rent increase. Probably $50. $75 and they might just start thinking about if they really want to stay. If your rent is way under market for comparables, they might realize the value they're getting.

I doubt they would be incredibly surprised at a small rent increase if they knew the building was for sale.

How much longer is their current lease? In my area leases are "bought" with the buyer of the property-- here I couldn't raise rent on a tenant I just "bought" until their lease with the previous owner expired.