Tenants!

[Stephen E.]

A rocky day dealing with tenants. First we deliver a replacement stove to a tenant whose stove had a bad burner. In pulling out the old one we discover that the tenant has stuffed plastic carrier bags all through the back of the stove and around the drawer at the bottom of the stove. Further, there is rotting food behind there and there are ants. We pulled the bags out, swept up the food (it transpired that the tenant owns a broom but no dust pan) and replaced the stove. I am hoping the ants will go away with no food source. They have a one year old child so I would be a bit concerned about the child chewing on an ant trap if we left those out in the open. My wife had thoroughly cleaned the replacement stove but now regrets doing so. The tenants live in a slovenly manner. I have written notifying them that it is a fire hazard to stuff plastic bags under the stove. Who knew?

Second, I was due to have a lease signing tomorrow. The tenants were from out of town and had a parent as guarantor. I was driving out past their town anyway so I agreed to meet them at noon. What do you know but after I finish up with the tenant with the stove, bags, food and ants I get an email from the tenants about to sign the lease. Guess what? They have had a change of mind. They apologised for any inconvenience but due to "changes in our lives" the lease signing that was a go a mere twenty four hours earlier is now off. I had just completed the lease forms and spent $45 on credit checks (no application fees allowed in Ontario). Tenants!

I immediately contacted the prospect who I had cancelled a showing for when we accepted the other tenants. I see her tomorrow afternoon. 33 year old divorced insurance broker, no pets, non smoker, has two young kids 50:50 with her ex. Hope springs eternal for the leasing landlord.