All Forum Posts by: Tricia O'Brien

@ Colleen F. Where can I find the HUD database that will give you the fair market rent that HUD will pay ? Is there a website? Is it based on zipcode or by city?

I have not taken section 8 yet, but someone contacted me today about my vacant rental. She said she has a 3 bedroom voucher that will pay up to $1164 per month for a 3 bedroom place whether utilities are included or not. Is this normal ... that HUD will pay the same amount whether utilities are included or not, or is she probably mistaken about that? Thanks in advance for your time!

That's a good idea, I haven't tried that yet. This particular applicant contacted me yesterday and withdrew her application because of a flare up of a health issue. She decided not to  relocate at this time. But I'll keep that in mind for future applicants!

My tenant applicant gave me a landlord reference for a place she lived from from 2016 to 2020 , but the property management company (Alpine Property Management in Indianapolis)  is impossible to reach for a reference.  When I've called  their 2 public phone numbers, there is no opportunity to leave a voicemail and no live person available.  I sent them, through Avail.co, a pre-printed landlord reference form a week ago and 4 days ago, but they have not responded. 

Is this normal for large property management companies with hundreds of properties?  

The address for this residence does appear on the applicant's credit report.  And the phone number the applicant gave me for the PM company does match one of the numbers I found on Google for that business.

Since she has no evictions on her record , no accounts in collection, and she states she moved out of that residence in 2020,  should I assume that reference is probably good and not worry about tracking them down?

Or should I charge her an increased security deposit if can't track down one of both of her landlord references?  In the past 5 year, she only has her current residence (2 years) and this other one (4 years) for residence history / landlord history.

Thanks! Any replies would be appreciated! 

@Nathan G, @Julie Hartman , @Michael H,  @Allan Smith 

Thanks for all your great suggestions!

I did finally get to speak to the landlord reference I was pursuing . She answered all my questions on my list and gave the tenant applicant a good reference . However, when I checked with the county assessor's office I found this landlord reference,  Enrica **** , is not the legal owner.  It is owned by two other people, Joan and Martin ****,  who have owned it since 2016. 

The property address does appear on the tenant applicants' credit reports  and the phone number for the landlord reference does match the phone number on a Google search for Enrica ****..

So I am assuming this is a fake landlord reference!

I'm planning to decline this application and state two reasons in an adverse action notice. First I was unable to verify the landlord reference Enrica ****.  Second one of the applicants has a current wage garnishment.  One of the qualifications on my application form is "no current wage garnishments ". Then I plan to include a copy of the credit report that shows the wage garnishment .

What do you all think?

Any suggestions?

thanks,

Tricia

Would you be suspicious of this  being a fake reference? I have my vacant rental home  listed on Avail.co. When a tenant completes an application, their  system automatically emails a 5 question form to  those people they listed as references.  I have one reference I am trying to follow up with by phone , but the reference won't call me back.  She gave the tenant applicants a good reference on the form. However I am a little concerned this may be a fake reference.  

This home is one they had lived at 3 years and just vacated about a month ago.  But the applicant has nothing on their bank statement indicating a rent payment on the first of their last month. The applicants say they always paid rent in cash,  the rent receipts are in a box in storage, would take awhile to find.  ..

Would you insist on talking to the most recent landlord by phone? 

Or would you be content with the fact that they meet my income requirements and have no evictions on the credit/ background / eviction check with TransUnion?

It is a nice well maintained house in a class D neighborhood.

How many people make a monthly rent payment of $2300 in cash??? 

You might think this is crazy, but I think the problem is 90% his fault and 10% your fault. You need to own your 10%.  You stole his scissors for 24 hours, and he got very upset about it.  Obviously he over reacted, but maybe he's under a lot of stress. Did he just break up with a long term girlfriend? Does he have a stressful job?  Extend grace. You should recognize you did something wrong. Then call him on the phone or talk to him in person and sincerely apologize. Then ask him to forgive you.  He might totally calm down and your problem could go away.  If not, you have a long hard slog with the legal system.

  I would follow the Christian principles of: recognize the offense, apologize, ask for forgiveness, offer reparations if needed, reconcile the relationship if appropriate.  

You don't have to be a Christian to successfully apply these principles to your life. Oprah became a billionaire by taking Christian principles, putting her own name and spin on them, and then teaching people through  her TV show and books and magazine how to apply them to their lives to make them better !!

@Scott Mac

@Carini Rochester

Thanks for the great suggestions! I called the local fire department in Muncie IN and they clarified what they require.

Hello!  One of my rentals has 11-foot-high ceilings in all the rooms except the kitchen, and a new handyman told me yesterday the smoke detectors are in the wrong location.  I have  6 smoke alarms on the main floor and one in the unfinished basement.  All of them are currently placed on walls at 8 feet off the floor except the kitchen one.  The handyman is recommending they should be moved up about 2.5 feet to within 10 inches of the ceiling to be up to code.   He is saying, at the place they are now, there would have to be 3 feet of smoke in a room before the detector goes off.

Does anyone know if this is correct?  I think it makes sense, but I also think if the detectors are that high off the floor, tenants are less likely to change the batteries when they go bad. 

What is the minimum number of smoke detectors required and do they need to be in every bedroom? Or just 1 detector per each floor of finished living space? 

Any replies would be appreciated! Thanks :) 

I have a tenant who is moving out soon, and she has requested to do a final move out inspection with my realtor after the place is empty.  I plan to tell the tenant (by email) the date and time it is scheduled, and she can either show up or not. If I do this, have I met my obligation to the tenant?  I have heard some states require the tenant be there during a move out inspection. 

This tenant has been somewhat of a princess from day one, and I expect it will be a lot of haggling and will take about 2 weeks to find a time that is convenient for her if we say, "what day/time works for you?" or something along those lines. 

Any replies would be appreciated !  Thanks :) 

Hello !  Can someone tell me how many days after move out do I have to return the security deposit to a tenant in Indiana?  Some states allow 30 days but someone told me it might be 45 days in Indiana.  Also, I am required to include a list of items I am deducting from the deposit ( unpaid rent, cleaning, touch up paint ,etc) with the refund check correct?  Any replies would be appreciated !  Thanks  :)