All Forum Posts by: Wesley W.

In my municipality, the tenant has to be given a minimum of a one year lease, but afterwards they can go MTM.  I assume that you can issue proper notice of termination as with any other tenant, but to be sure I would check with your attorney before making any move, and as @Carlos Zapata suggested, call the housing authority once you've decided on what you can do to apprise them of the change.

It seems a lot of the people giving you a hard time on this thread are assuming the conviction is for SMOKING weed, but around here getting caught with a small quantity would be a violation and the person issued an appearance ticket, as I understand it  (your jurisdiction may vary, of course).  If the misdemeanor was for SELLING weed, that is a different issue entirely, and in my opinion much more concerning.

Cracks like that don't happen "all of a sudden."  I would agree with @Account Closed.  As an abundance of caution, you could send the pics to the manufacture and ask for their opinion before billing the tenant.

I would get a second opinion before doing much more, especially if the mold contractor that did the inspection also offers mold remediation as a service (in which case he may be creating work for his company).

Oh, Mr. Tenant?  I just wanted to inform you that the handrail on your front steps are loose, several deck boards on your patio are failing, and there is mold in the attic above your bedroom.  Buy hey, I notified you so it's your problem now.

I'm being facetious, of course.  But I hope you can see the point.  One part of landlording is risk mitigation.  I'm not sure a judge would agree that just because a tenant was notified of a hazard that would absolve the owner of any liability.  Also remember that anyone can sue anybody for anything, and defending a lawsuit is a great expense of time, money, and emotional energy.

And just because "you" would not mind the inconvenience of putting up with a shedding tree for one month of the year and having to park on the street, that doesn't mean that your tenants won't mind.  They are your paying customers.  (This is the same reason why you don't paint your rentals in fuscia, even though it's your favorite color!) 

Your tenants are your customers.  That doesn't mean they get to call the shots, but in this instance you can mitigate your liability risk and earn some rapport with the tenants in one step by removing the tree.  Otherwise, you'll be dealing with this issue again sooner (the next tenant) or later (as the branches grow back).

Everyone has their own philosophy, but I usually go for C.  I figure my time is worth more than finding a used appliance, making an appointment to see it, transporting it to the property, hoping it works on day one, hoping it works on day two...

For the cost of appliances vs. my time, I would rather buy new appliances and have several years with less potential hassle than trying to save $200 on the front end, but potentially getting a call 6 months later from a frantic tenant who's losing their frozen meat because their used refrigerator crapped out.  Once you've swapped out one refrigerator (especially from a unit not at ground level), you won't wish to have to do it again any time soon.  Usually you can get the chain stores to do this for free with a purchase, and they have some nice sales if you watch for them.  (I got a couple of gas ranges on a Black Friday deal last year.)

New appliances also help with marketability at showings: more modern appearance, more energy efficient.  Things I ALWAYS mention when walking the unit with prospective renters.

If you don't get much response on this forum, I'd post it in the Landlord forum (which is very active), as some of your concerns are not geographically specific.

@Tom Chen

Thanks for the tip.  Unfortunately, they have a "one size fits all" model, and it's only for plowing driveways; no sidewalks or walkways.  Ironically, none of my properties have driveways, only walkways.

Hi all,

Can anyone recommend someone for snow removal in the Capital Region?  I have a few small multi's that need shoveling/snowblowing this upcoming season.  The guy I was using got a W2 job and has closed his operation.

I posted on Home Advisor, Thumbtack and Angie's List, to no avail, and my warm network has yet to yield a good prospect.

Thanks in advance!

As other have said, I don't think you'd be able to charge the outgoing tenants with your travel expenses.  However, it's worth noting that all those expenses (travel/food/lodging) should be allowable deductions against your income so long as they are documented.