Rookie Landlord Questions

[Amanda C.]

I have a few questions about how I should handle a situation. I am a first time landlord. I made a bad investment back in 2008 with my first house and the area still hasn't completely recovered. Last year we had to move so our only option was to rent out our current house. We had what we thought were amazing tenants. At their one year mark, I decided we needed to sale the house so I told them we wouldn't renew their lease. It turned out to be a great thing because they had found a house and we're putting an offer in on it. We listed our rental house (the one they live in) on the market at the beginning of July. We agreed with the tenants that we would give 24 hour notice for any showings. Well that was just the beginning. Our tenants have become extremely difficult any time we want to show it. They always have an argument..she has to wash clothes, they want money of their rent (we did give them $50 once because they refused a Saturday morning showing and we really needed the client to see it), and yesterday she sent me a text refusing showings for the next three days because they are going to finish moving. We have always given a minimum of 24 hour notice and it's only been shown less than 10 times in 60 days.They also painted two rooms without written permission per their lease and changed out light fixtures & added dimmers. They state my lights will be back up at their final walk thru but their lease says they can't put the lights up. Yesterday I go by the house and the yard is crazy out of control. The bushes half way grown up the windows and they also let a bush grow up to the roof of the house in the back. It looks like it hasn't been touched in months. Then they leave a box of garbage out right next to where the new buyers or prospective tenants will walk in (they knew we had a showing scheduled). I just want to know how experienced landlords would handle this situation? They want to do a final walk through together next Sunday and I feel that it's a bad idea and we should not do it with them present because I know it will turn into a disagreement. Any advice is much appreciated.