All Forum Posts by: Mary M.

@Jim K., I can see for your situation that it was necessary - it is also awesome that you watched them work another job. This adds confidence when handing out the cash....  I dont know how to handle the 50% here - I lost 10k as mentioned, I also have had great experience with guys that charge materials up front, delivery the materials and then balance due at the end of the job.  Right now I have a painter holding 10k of my funds....  job was supposed to be done in October but wasnt done....  i want to ask for my money back but my guess is they will say nope.....  sigh....  it is a *lot* easier to do this kind of thing if I have good subs I can trust,. (I do have a good roofer now thankfully) 

I dont know the riddle answer, but the 50% down is terrible and I have lost 10K this way (on a roofer no less) ....  however, it is SOP in oregon for some crazy reason.  Nowadays I refuse to give anyone that kind of cash up front. so its hard to find good subs as other folks will pay the 50% 

As other have said call your insurance asap and your attorney. DO NOT transfer your assets to other entities. that will have zero affect and look very bad.  Hopefully you have an umbrella policy large enough to cover all your assets. 

I hope your tenant is ok. 

 You said they built it. why would it be co-owned? Maybe the laws are different in your area, but here if I build a fence on my property, its mine. Usually folks dont build right on the property line. It just causes problems.

So, I would find out if the fence is exactly on the property line - if it is on their side then its their fence - but for the matter at hand I would just talk to your neighbor and apologize and then agree to letting the handyperson in to do what he needs to done. Believe me - you dont want bad relations with a neighbor.

I think you guys missed my point. The OP stated the SO is there by himself, doing laundry. IMHO its none of the OPs business who is there doing laundry and its odd that he is noticing that specific of a detail. that is my point. It looks creepy.  The OP should NOT contact the tenant and say anything about the SO doing laundry. Instead it should be NON PERSONAL and about 1 person = this amount for water. 

You both may say its not about gender, but you are making it look as if it is. 

the best options where the money goes right into your account (ie it is instant) is venmo or Zelle. Apartmets.com, zillow, etc etc will hold the funds for 3-5 days. no beuno in my view :)

There are vendors that might be able to repair that for you. I had something similar ad it cost 125 to repair.  

Also, you cannot charge the tenant to replace the entire floor. at most you can charge them to replace the damaged pieces based on the life left in the actual flooring.   

Is the flooring in the entire home? Can you steal a piece from a closet? 

I just want to point out that LLs need to check their local laws. The Covid emergency declarations have changed some things we LLs take for granted. In some areas tenants can have unauthorized "roommates" for the duration and that can not be used as a way to evict.  Check your local laws. 

One thing I have learned - if there is a way to amicably resolve issues that dont involve lawyers that is the best way to go. A years worth of profit will disappear overnight if an attorney gets involved. Tenants can get free legal help.  So I have learned to find the best way forward that may not be my favorite outcome but if it saves me from paying for an attorney and I get paid my rent? I am good. 

Nathan, that is fine, but you are not questioning someone about their personal lives (ie your SO is doing laundry when you are not there) - its fine to set rules, its not ok for a LL (especially a male LL) to comment about a tenants (esp a female tenants) personal life. 

Totally agree with the clause re water for x people....  

yeah, I understand. Does your lease state that he needs to be screened? That is the route I would probably take, but check to see if your local laws around covid have affected this in some way.   Then, I guess decide if you want to buy the tenant out...  as it sounds like they are not following your rules.