All Forum Posts by: Thomas S.

First must do renovation is to split all utilities to separately meter to have all tenants pay for their own utilities. This is the absolute best money spent to reduce your costs going forward. Utilities in multi unit purpose built rentals should never be in landlords name. 

It depends on whether they have been good or bad tenants and the reason for non renewing. If you fear they may take revenge on you for not renewing you want to stay with the state regulations for notice. If you have a good relationship you can give as much notice as you wish with the stipulation they are responsible for rent to the end of the lease. Be prepared for non payment of last months rent. Even good tenants turn into A Holes when leaving.

The fact that you are even asking about working with a friend is a concern. I do not hire friends to do work for me. It is a situation that can go bad very quickly. Never hire friends or family, it too foten interferes with logical decision making..

Allowing your tenant to walk without consequences is a very poor approach to operating a business. His irresponsible behaviour should never come at your expense. Take responsibility for profesionally operating your business.

First thing you do is change the locks on the unit and inform the father that he must have written authorisation from your tenant for him to remove items from the unit. You then inform the father what the penalty is for his son to break his lease. Your tenant is likely responsible for rent until you find a new tenant plus your cost to find a tenant. Once the father has paid all rent owned up to the date a new tenant takes occupancy you can then release your tenants belongings to the father. 

The reason why your tenant has abandoned the unit is irrelevant, he is still responsible for the lease. You do not pay for his irresponsibile actions. Dad is going to need to pay.

Always amazes me how quick amateur  landlords are to ignore proper business practices. Too lazy to make money.

Your planning on serving eviction notice to the wrong tenants. You must evict your tenant (and all others) not specifically the sublet tenants. You must evict the tenant on your lease. Restart the process by giving immediate notice to your tenant to cure or quit then proceed to evict him. He will be responsible for serving his sublet tenants with a eviction notice of his own if he wishes to satisfy your notice to cure or quit. You continue to evict him until his sublet tenants are out. Do not agree to put your eviction on hold to wait for his eviction to be successful. You do not want to keep this tenant.

I don't bother wasting time trying to screen difficult applicants. I do not usually ever rent to applicants making plans to move to my area. My applicants must have minimum 2 years with the same local employer.

I have better things to do with my time than having to work at helping applicants pass my screening. Plenty of easy to screen local applicants more worthy.

If your plan is to hold it as a rental use standard laminate. Perfectly suited to tenant use, inexpensive and easy to replace. 

Forget the "butcher block look" it's not relevant, what you want in a rental is practical. Overwhelming majority of kitchen counter tops are laminate for a reason. Don't start out in the business swimming up stream.  

Get rid of her when the lease is up as all others have suggested. Don't waste energy trying to work with her, if you do you will be manipulated and be forced to compromise. Terminate.

@Sam Leon

"That is an exceedingly low bar. A peer support group is a joke? So practically anyone can provide the verification"

This is the primary reason why ESA should not even be a issue. I can not understand why landlords continue questioning this issue. I have consistently avoided renting to anyone applying to rent having a ESA animal. I consider 100% of them to be a scam. As soon as I see they have a ESA it is automatic rejection since I do not allow animals. If a applicant is trying to avoid paying a pet fee...…...pass.

I have legally informed every single one that the unit has been rented. I always select a applicant more qualified and have never been challenged. If  I was challenged I would have no issue supporting my selection. ESA should never be a concern for landlords.

The tenant is obviously lying. Insist that they show proof of need from their regular doctor. Make it clear a form off of the internet is not sufficient. It must be from their regular family doctor.

At this point in time your best option is to only offer them a M2M lease, this will hopefully discourage them from applying. If they do apply do not make an issue over the dog, keep taking applications and wait till you have a applicant that is more qualified. You can then legitimately reject this applicant.

Landlords are not legally obligated to accept emonimals or service animals if you have a more qualified applicant.I use this system to eliminate all applicants trying to circumvent my no animal policy.