First round of Lease Revisions after First Eviction

[Shaun C.]

I purchased a 2 unit duplex (2 bed, 1 bath each) last October. Previous to my purchase/upgrades, rents were $650/$750 split top and bottom including utilities, they are now $905/(N/A). Completed many renovations in the top unit while living below, and started renting to two younger girls (23,27) in January. Attitude problems with one of the girls started after only three weeks, the other is fine. I have warned them numerous times about being loud late at night, (2,3,4 am), playing loud music, even called the police once to tell them to quiet down.

Last Sunday, the problem girl had friends over, screaming, loud music until 11 pm. I've reached my breaking point. I would have started the eviction process on Monday, but I wanted to wait until I got rent from them for September.

I am going to wait until their check clears next Thursday to sit them down and offer to pay for a moving truck for them to leave at the end of September. It will either be that, or eviction as they were smoking weed upstairs, which I honestly don't care about, but if I can use it as a way to get them out, I'll do it; I've given them numerous warnings about them being loud and enough is enough. I also just paid a $260 main drain line cleanout because they were flushing things down the toilet that don't belong there, which I don't really mind since I hadn't done it since owning the home. Not a motivating factor of mine, but rents are also up in the area, and I think I could get $1000/month when they are out.

ANYWAY, after my first attempt at landlording, I've got a set of revisions/additions that I'd like to stick in the next lease. Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated before I send it over to my lawyer for a final draft.

The home is in a suburb of Detroit, has one set of mechanicals, and one set of meters. I'm trying to limit my exposure to insanely high utilities by putting limits for what I'm willing to pay. I'm not sure how this will be received by perspective tenants. I'm also writing in things for the bottom unit tenant who I see as my "property manager" for once I move out next spring when all upgrades are completed.  I can try and see about linking to my current lease as well.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EBnT_CjvAWRW6W...

Thanks everyone,

Shaun

[Kyle J.]

I'll preface this by saying I don't know your local laws and obviously haven't read your full lease, but I'll offer some general observations after reading the lease revisions/additions you linked to. 

Regarding the line that reads: "Landlord reserves the right to inspect the property at will with proper notice for any reason, but will generally inspect units quarterly."  I would define "proper notice" so that there's no confusion or disagreement about what constitutes "proper notice".  For instance, my lease states that "Landlord and Tenant agree that 24-hour written notice shall be reasonable and sufficient notice."  (Make sure to also have some sort of exception to this time period for emergencies.) 

Regarding the part that reads:

• Limits for utilities. $100 Gas, $90 Elec, $13/m Water/person
  • Landlord will pay for the following utilities:
  • Gas ($180/month)
  • Electric ($120/month)
  • Water ($13/month per person in unit)
  • Comcast cable and Internet ($130/month)

Maybe it's just me, but this is confusing to me.  What is the limit and/or amount you'll pay for gas?  $100 or $180?  Same question for electric....is it $90 or $120?  Or am I reading this part wrong?