All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

All my tenants were on a M-T-M.  It sounds nice at first to know that a tenant is locked into a years lease when you go on an "Annual Lease Agreement", UNTIL things go wrong, and then you wished you went on a M-T-M.

When a tenant is on an Annual Lease Agreement, they can still "cop out" on you.  Yes you can sue them for the remainder of the lease if they didn't try to find another tenant for you that you approved of, but most times, they are hard to collect from in the end.  

When you are on a Month to Month Lease Agreement, you and the tenant have a choice to  terminate the contract without too much of a hassle.  It is a win win situation for both parties.

My husband and I had tenants that stayed with us for 20 years on a M-T-M, and only a few tenants who moved before their six year tenancy with us.  

When you have a good Landlord/tenant Relationship, they want to stay.  If you don't have a good landlord/tenant relationship,  the tenant will move no matter what.  

M-T-M- is my vote!

Nancy Neville

When you run a credit check on an applicant and deny them, you just tell them the name of the credit bureau you went through and they will be able to get a copy of their credit report free which will show them why they were denied.  But you are not allowed to tell them what is in the report yourself. 

Nancy Neville

Type in QuickBooks in the search field in the Marketplace tab and you will see lots of examples of how to use QuickBooks.

Nancy Neville

The problem in physically going and checking out the premises, is that you need to give your tenants a 24 hour notice before entry.  Many times it's pretty tough to get a tenant's okay to enter the property, and even if you don't get their okay, and go in because legally you can with a 24 hour notice, they will clean up the place and hide or remove the stuff by the time you get there. 

However, Marcia sounds like a real good "hound dog" with a good "Nose" like me, and I'm sure she would be able to spot something, but even if it's residue picked up from a Q-tip, they could have had visitors smoking and not themselves being in possession of the drugs. You need to prove that the TENANT is the ONE.

I don't like getting involved with a one on one confrontation when it has to do with drugs, or fights among themselves or neighbors.  Especially in Detroit.  One on One Confrontation can lead to death when you deal with stuff like "drugs".

Everything I do is done in writing.  It is my evidence.  My proof.  If I go over there, to check things out, to confront the tenant,  the tenant could say I planted the stuff there.  It becomes a "he said, she said" scenario.  Judges want facts and nothing but facts...maam!

Just some things to think about.  Cover your "butt", keep yourself safe.  Write the letters addressing the problem, and call the Feds if it doesn't get resolved.

Nancy Neville

Jared you are accusing someone of doing something with no evidence to the fact.  

Unless you have absolute proof or evidence that this tenant is actually smoking pot, then you can't accuse him or her of smoking it, and if I was accused of something like this, that was an illegal act,  and was talked to like that being innocent, there would be a lawsuit by me that would make your head swim.  

I understand where you are coming from.  And it's normal to want to put the muscle on our tenants and fly off the handle.  But flying off the handle, and making demands, especially with no evidence, is cutting your own throat. 

This is a business of people management.  And the last time I looked, America use to be based on innocent until proven guilty.  It used to be....however, it is changing. 

Nancy Neville

Since you have had two complaints regarding this matter, you must take action whether you believe or not.  So that means you need to be smarter than this tenant. Sometimes we need to just rely on a good old fashion "Bluff".

Write them a letter (All tenants of the building)  stating that you have had complaints regarding the smell of pot in the building. (This heads off any discrimination charges by singling one person).  

Tell them that due to pot being smoked is Illegal in your State, and it has been reported that there is a possibility of pot being smoked on the premises, that you have no choice but to refer it to the Legal Authorities. That it is required by law for you to do this (Taking a lot of the responsibility off your shoulders.  Blame it on the Government)  

I have had to do this many times, and it did resolve the matter.  Either the tenant quit smoking on the premises, or they moved, or maybe they just ended up sharing what they had  with the other tenants ( Just Joking) to get them off their backs.  At any rate.  That was the end of that!

If the bluff doesn't work and you still receive  complaints about the smell of pot, you will have to actually take action and report it to the Authorities, or find yourself in trouble.

Nancy Neville

The first thing you need to do is be a Broker or have a license.  All Property Management has online this wonderful list of states that require licenses or Brokers License.  No sense to even go further if you do not have the appropriate license. You may want to go directly to this site as the columns are not showing up well after I upload it on here.  

Nancy Neville 

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So the question then is.... 30 years of being a landlord in the City of Detroit, with 40 rental units ranging from apartments to single family homes, is considered unsuccessful?  Really?

If that isn't considered being successful then I wonder what one would consider success to be. 

We were successful until the market became a free for all.  After 30 years a person grows old.  Too old to manage  40 rental properties by themselves without a work crew. 

And that's what happened.  We were faced with our work crew being murdered, vans and tools stolen, our rental being vandalized, could anyone face what we faced and  survive?  Yet we did, to a point.  Until we couldn't financially do so. 

But this isn't a game of who wins this debate on the City of Detroit.  I told my story.  It is a true story.  I owned 40 rental properties, how many do you own,  those who are saying I'm bitter?  

How many cases have you won in the 36th District Court?   I've never lost a case...ever!

I wrote what I had to.  It's up to the reader to judge for themselves to go forward, take a chance, or say, maybe I better wait.

I never trash others on here or call them names.  It isn't my mission on here to do so! 

Nancy Neville

Bill your tenants for the water and garbage along with their rent.  

State in your lease agreement that they are responsible for the water and garbage and that the water and garbage payment is due along with their rent.  

If the water and garbage is not paid along with their rent, then their rent will be applied to any outstanding bills owed to you.  Therefore their rent will then become late, as their rent will be applied to the outstanding bill.

Send them a Notice to Quit along with a letter stating that their rent has been applied to the Water and Garbage owed, with the amount of days the balance of the money owed will need to be in your office in order to make their rent paid in full.

You will be surprised at how tenants will pay all monies owed to you, when they know that their rent has been applied to any outstanding bills that are due to you.  But it MUST be stipulated in your Lease Agreement for it to be binding.

Nancy Neville

The main criteria for selecting a tenant is ARE THEY COLLECTIBLE!!!   Can they be sued in case of money owed or damages done.  This is determined by doing a credit check on them.  

Because the economy has been in the dumps for some time now, many people who once had good credit has bad credit now or has claimed bankruptcy.  

Whenever you find a good prospect, and it's "Iffy".  Get a COSIGNER!!!!

Let this couple build up their reputation with you and their credit for at least a year before removing the cosigner from the lease.  

Of course the cosigner must qualify as well.

COSIGNERS are always a welcome addition on any lease agreement!

Nancy Neville