How would you handle this?

Question

I had great renters until they decided to buy another house and we put the rental up for sale. The last 60 days while we have had it for sale and they were waiting to close on their house, they have become a nightmare. Always arguing with us about showings and we give 24-36 hour notice. Her excuse one time was she had to wash her clothes. In 60 days we have had less than 10 showings so we aren't overwhelming them. I also found out they painted 2 rooms without written or verbal permission. And they changed light fixtures and added dimmers. Always having to explain that the light fixtures don't belong to us during showings have been a MAJOR issue with buyers. We had a showing scheduled this week and I went by the house to place some flyers in the info tube and their was trash sitting our where potential buyers would walk in. Also they quit caring for the shrubbery and they bushes are 1/2 way up the window and a bush in the back has grown up to the roof. I am collecting the keys next weekend from them and I know they are going to be argumentative when I bring these issues up. Just wondering how I should handle it? This is our first experience with renters.

James Wise · Answer

No sense in arguing with them or bringing any issues up. You are collecting the keys next week.

Get the keys, clean up the house. Do not put new renters in and sell it.

Selling properties with tenants in it has always been and always will be a nightmare. Just part of the business.

Amanda C. · Answer

The lease says they couldn't paint or change lights. For me it isn't so much the paint it's the sloppy job. It's everywhere. The ceilings, trim, door frames, tile, light fixtures, light plates, etc. We are having to repaint all of it. I am totally moved on. Charging them things we have to contract out to fix but that is it.

Gail K. · Answer

" I have already received a threatening email 2 days after the  walk through saying they were taking me court if I didn't refund all of  the deposit."

Oh nuts to them.   I can't speak about your county but frankly, I've found Georgia to be a very landlord friendly state.

Gail

Barbara G. · Answer

When they painted did they ask you for permission to paint and did you give them that permission?

When they changed the light fixtures did you give them permission to change the light fixtures?

How much is their deposit and how much are your charges for painting and redoing some of the electrical problems

How much of the deposit are you refunding them?  Will there be any allowances that you are giving to the tenants  toward the painting charges since you probably had to paint after they moved even if they had not repainted?

I am sure you have discussed this with your lawyer and what is his opinion?  You should consider negotiating the refund with your tenants.  Advise them of the cost to repaint over their colors and what part of the cost is their responsibility.  If they sue you and it goes to arbitration the court  will ask you to negotiate the price anyway.

Take photographs of before and after painting and of the light switches and anything  you are going to charge them for.

Amanda C. · Answer

Yes. They changed the light fixtures back & took the dimmers off. It wasn't worth the fight to me however they wired the light switches wrong. The up is now off and down is now on. Also the switch plate was almost 1/2 inch off the wall. I'm in the process of everything but I'm bringing an electrician out to the house to avoid any future liability if something happened to the next family living there. I have already received a threatening email 2 days after the walk through saying they were taking me court if I didn't refund all of the deposit.

Barbara G. · Answer

The painting of unaccepted colors should have been addressed in the lease along with the replacing of light fixtures.  Are they replacing your original light fixtures?  You should have been doing regular inspections of the house before this and voicing your concerns before they decieded to move

Will they be leaving the house "Broom clean".   Depending on what the lease says you might be able to charge them for the painting of any unauthorized colors.

People do move and as much of  an inconvience this is for you it is something you have to live with and is part of ths bussiness.    You can try to document the landscaping upkeep and try to charge them for that but that sounds rather difficult.  It's time to move on.

Your relationship with them is over it could have been much worse.

Gail K. · Answer

" And they  changed light fixtures and added dimmers. Always having to explain that  the light fixtures don't belong to us during showings have been a MAJOR  issue with buyers."

It's a big late in the game to be posting this but these items are/were permanently attached to your rental unit (i.e., they do not plug in like, say, a window air conditioner).  Legally they did belong to you.

Gail

Percy N. · Answer

I would charge them (i.e. deduct from the security deposit)  the cost of hiring your contractor to repaint the walls, perhaps even landscaping, depending on your lease agreement.

Amanda C. · Answer

Thank you for your advice. We have been very accommodating and it's just unfortunate. I'm sure no one wants to go through showings but it's part of the lease agreement. I could understand if they didn't want to move but they did. And I thought they were good renters until I went in my house and it was painted pink and yellow. But I have learned a lot and will take that information forward with me.

How would you handle this?

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