Section 8 Bible

[Christopher R.]

Hello. I'm reading this very interesting book entitled Section 8 Bible Volume 1 by Michael McLean. 

In this book, Mr. McLean talks about something called preventive maintenance. His philosophy with section 8 landlording is if something is not required in a section 8 inspection, then remove it from the property. In his view, these items will break anyway and will have to be replaced. Replacing them increases maintenance costs and headaches. 

His philosophy is to provide a clean and safe unit for section 8 tenants but doesn't have "amenities" that can break or increase costs.

If you remove them from the property before you have tenants, then, you won't have to replace them and the tenants won't expect them. The items he recommends for removal are: 

• shrubs
• screen door
• dishwasher
• refrigerator 
• washer/dryer and water hookup
• cabinet doors (he also advises boarding the cabinets)
• hose bibs on the front and back of the house (to decrease water costs and prevent tenants from having a car wash business)
• outlets under a window to discourage tenants from using a window AC unit
• He even goes as far as boarding windows that need to be replaced. He reasons only 1 window is required per room and the more windows you have, the more chances of it being broken by a baseball, etc.

I'd like to hear what you have to say about this approach. Thanks!

[Richard C.]

He apparently lives in a fantasy land where Section 8 tenants have no choices.

That is not true here, where Section 8 tenants can basically have their choice of units, and can and do shop around.  I still haven't got one, and my houses are a whole lot nicer than what you are describing.

And several of the things you list are or could be against code.  The water pips, for example, are required by code, and you can't remove an outlet if that makes the maximum run too long.

But if he is making money selling how-to guides on being a slumlord, good for him, I guess.  Maybe he will be willing to co-market with me when I produce my guru series on how to make money stealing copper.