Tenant move out questions

[Mary Jay]

Hi guys, 

Could you please help me out?

1) Tenant number 1: she is a section 8 and keeps saying: "I might move out in the end of April, unless I cant find any other rental. If I dont find any other rental I will stay". She added 2 babies who are her grandkids. 

I am thinking, its not fair to keep me in a limbo like that, right?  

2) Tenant number 2: He is building a house and he was supposed to move out in the end of March, he said the house is not built and I let him stay one more month. So I texted him today reminding him to move out in the end of April, he is saying that the builder is saying his house will be finished sometimes in May.

During summer its hard to move in Phoenix in a 100F ... 

He has been an excellent tenant, what do I do? Let him stay till the end of May?

What do you guys think?

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Mary Jay:

Hi guys, 

Could you please help me out?

1) Tenant number 1: she is a section 8 and keeps saying: "I might move out in the end of April, unless I cant find any other rental. If I dont find any other rental I will stay". She added 2 babies who are her grandkids. 

I am thinking, its not fair to keep me in a limbo like that, right?  

2) Tenant number 2: He is building a house and he was supposed to move out in the end of March, he said the house is not built and I let him stay one more month. So I texted him today reminding him to move out in the end of April, he is saying that the builder is saying his house will be finished sometimes in May.

My opinion: you've given up control of your property and let the tenants dictate what they are going to do.

You have a written agreement? It has a termination date? You stick to that unless something else is agreed to in writing. If Tenant is building a home and says he'll be out in March, he gets out in March or you start the eviction process. Or, since they are good tenants and you don't want to play hardball, tell them that if they are not out by the end of March, then they will have to pay the month-to-month increase of 25% to compensate you for the pending difficulties when they do leave.

When leases end, I give tenants three options: extend for a year at $XXXX, continue on a month-to-month basis at the yearly rate + 25%, or move out. I give them a week to respond. If they don't respond, they are automatically converted to a month-to-month at the higher rate. If they refuse to pay it, I start the eviction process.

Same with the Section 8 tenant. Set a deadline and stick to it. It's not your responsibility to house her while she takes her sweet time looking for another rental. She either renews or she moves.