Quote from @Michael Smythe:
@Rehj Hoeffner you wanted answers, but now you don't like them?
Also, your backhanded compliments are insulting.
Please take a moment to understand that while a cottage business may be legal in TX, you can still include language in your lease to NOT allow it.
The only way for a landlord to survive and make money in rentals is to run it like a business.
To run a successful business, you need procedures and policies.
Everyone wants to add a "human touch" to business procedures & policies, but you need limits - otherwise, they are useless.
I feel bad for you because you've yet to experience real PAIN in this business. From your naivete, it doesn't look like it will go well for you when it happens.
Of course I can include anything I like in my lease, but it wasn't in there at the time I rented to them. It is now, as I've said in this thread now about 6 times. My attorney says there's nothing I can do about it at this point. She bakes for things like Quinceaneras and All Saints Day meaning her RELIGIOUS celebrations. Yeah, I'm not touching that with a 10' pole and neither would he.
I'm curious, what advice has been given that I didn't like? You mean the advice that I'm a sucky PM and should hire one to deal with ONE problem renter? Hummmm.... That wasn't the advice I was asking for. I don't remember asking if everyone thought I was inept and should hire a PM. I actually found my advice reading other threads.
I will stop immediately responding to her texts. Giving it 12 hours for a response. I'll not answer the phone and let her leave a voice mail if she decides to call.
I will tell her every service call from now on will be her responsibly up front until the service tech rules that it's my responsibility. I tried that when she was having the odd smell from the return vent. Never in my wildest dreams did I think she wouldn't know when her kitchen sink was backed up!
The only advice from this thread that I have received and 100% agreed with...I wont be renewing her lease.
For that advice, I'm grateful and said as much. I really hadn't given it much thought and since she already expressed the desire to stay, I just assumed I'd renew. I'm greatful for that advice.... The kind I actually asked for.
How many ppl do you know appreciate being told how sucky they are at their job, having not solicited that advice?
Everyone on here seems eviction happy to me. In my opinion, if you need to resort to eviction, you've failed at vetting properly.
I'm VERY VERY picky and I vet big time. I've turned down many borderline tenants in order to avoid that PAIN you speak of. I'm sure you're probably correct, but until then, I just have this one problem tenant and not sure how a different PM would have avoided this..... They were perfect when they first moved in. Their circumstances changed, not mine. I still don't want to get rid of them. They are young and just trying to make their way through life. I remember when I was there and renting. I was late many times with my rent and I complained about issues that probably were my fault. Thank God our landlord put up with us and didn't threaten eviction at every turn.
If this was my actual business, I agree, I would need to run it as a business... But it's not. We're retired and we never asked for this or wanted to be landlords for that matter, but the circumstances were just too nice to throw away. I rent to keep them occupied in order to have them to pass to our children through trusts. Period. They aren't leveraged and I don't even need to make money from them... Just more taxes to pay.
And I agree, telling me my PM skills suck and I need a professional to unravel this mess is VERY INSULTING, but I'm sure that won't stop you or anyone else for that matter.
I'm shocked that ppl like you are STILL responding to this thread!!!
