All Forum Posts by: Shannon Trivett

 up until this time I've been relying on our text communication to form as "written notification"  

the lease was up. I'm just not sure I have any right to hold some or all of a months rent due to him texting me he would pay all of April.

On March 13th my tenant told me his intention to purchase a home. His 6 month lease was terminating on the 31st and he wanted to know if he could hold over on the weekly bases. 

when I questioned it he countered with  "or do the month"

later he informed me he would pay April. 

I was able to schedule an open house for the 21 and 22nd. At the end of the OH tenant verbally informed me I could not have anyone thru the following weekend because they intended to move all their stuff out to avoid paying for April. 

I have not been able to show the apt. since the open house and I've gotten many calls. 

Sunday evening he also informed me there is a broken storm window in the bathroom. presumably a neighbor kid hit it  with a stray shot form a bb gun.

1. how would you handle April rent?

2. what about the storm window?

Thanks

Small update. 
I met the wife  at the apartment Monday night so they could pick up their fridge and stove I'd been storing. She gave me $100 and promises to pay more October 17th. 

Assuming there are no damages that brings their past due to about $590 after I retain the sec. deposit.

They do still have stuff in the apt. and are holding over for about a week.  Does anyone have and policies on hold over?
I don't currently have one but I think I'd like to add something to my lease. we did want to leave this unit out of service until Nov. 1 anyway to paint and spruce up as it's been fully occupied for 2 years, but if we had not planed on a "service month" we'd be loosing money this month.

I know you are a landlord and not a social worker BUT... if she can not afford market rent and is not already receiving section 8 perhaps you could point her to section 8 and work with her on the rent until she is qualified and Section 8 starts paying you. sometimes an eviction notice can help a tenant move up my local waiting list a little faster. 

I'm not sure if I'll be able to collect on a judgment. I do have their SSN number and DL #. Do I need to get the judgment before I can process them thru a service like rent recovery services?

It will cost about $150 plus my time to file and appear.

I don't think I made a mistake in my screening processes...  until June 1 (when he lost his job) they paid on time with no issues. They have always kept the unit clean.

This is my first time dealing with non-payment and I'd like to balance what I'm able to recoup with what it cost to collect with out feeling like I allowed myself to be taken advantage of.

Keep her. Raise the rent each time it's permitted by section 8. In my market this requires 60 days notice and can only be done on anniversary date. 

Section * works on "Fair Market Value"(including utilities) . In my market they usually use a local realtor who is also a big residential investor to provide them with a fair market housing report each year. You can find the 2014 results of their study online at

http://www.huduser.org/portal/datasets/fmr/fmr2014...

Note:  this is a gross or "all in" value. 

They then have the landlord fill out a voucher where you will detail who pays which utilities and how your mechanical are configured. ie. nat gas steam heat vs. heating oil on a force hot air system.  

Section 8 workers then deduct any utilities paid for by the tenant from the gross rental value. In my area the worker has a chart that provided the utility and cost based on number of bedrooms.  Sample worksheet can be found here.   

http://www.huduser.org/portal/resources/utilallowa...

This figure results in the net rent the landlord will receive. in my market gross rent for a 3 bedroom is $881 per month  my  tenants are responsible for water, nat. gas and Electric. HW heater is electric. Furnace is nat. gas/steam. The net rent I can receive for this unit is currently $595 per month.   I can increase this ammount to  $673 if we pay water but thats a big wildcard.

Of that tenant would pay no more then 30% based on tenants income.

The husband lost his job. He was able to replace some income with temp jobs and last weekend he told me he has found a FT permanent job. 
Additionally, they had paid me cash  but due to the recent financial struggles they have been able to qualify for and now get section 8.

They are leaving on their own. Lease end date was Sept. 30 and I choose not to accept section 8 for the apt. they are in.

today I will be mailing them a "friendly" statement of account with address service requested so hopefully I will be able to gather their new address.

Sorry...  this is the payment history   it looked like a table in my preview. 

I have a tenant who is vacating by October 1 they are VERY behind on rent. I know I will get lot of the "should have acted sooner" advice but Iwas kind of hoping to hold onto this tenant. 

Anyway. All rent was paid on time till June 1 then it looks like this...

As you can see the tenant has done well stringing me along then paying enough to make me feel like I'll eventually get all my money from them.

in addition to the amount show above I will need to add water charges in the approximate amount of $65 once the utility co bills them.

I also have a $700 security deposit which I plan to charge $100 for a 3am service call when they flooded the unit,  then apply the remaining deposit to what they owe (assuming there is no damage to the unit). 

So after retaining the sec. deposit they will owe me $690.53 +/-

Should I go to the magistrate today?  Would you wait until the weekend when they will allegedly have some $$ for me?