College Student Rentals: Parents are worse than the Students!

[Will Gaston]

All:

I have a large college student rental property business (~150 students that rent from me) and have been buying houses/apartments and renting to college students for 12 years.

Despite all the nightmares you've heard about renting to college students, the worst part is dealing with their parents. They can be absolutely insufferable. 

They rarely get the correct story right from their child about anything. And communicating with 1 child and 2 parents can be a impossible, especially when renting to large groups of friends. Some of my duplexes hold 6 students. That means 6 kids + 12 parents could possibly contact me over one property. 18 decision makers for ONE property. 

I finally said enough was enough 3 years ago. I refused to deal with parents anymore. We do not require co-signers on our properties and have been paid 100% in full on all of the leases. 

I have eliminated most of the parent issues but they still always seem to creep up so I go over my policies and procedures with my new tenants at a 90 minute meeting BEFORE they sign the lease. They all sign and agree and nod their heads. Three months later the parents still call, email, and text. My assistant and I politely, but firmly, tell them that we will not discuss the lease, house, payments etc. with anybody that is not on the lease.

"But I'm the one paying for it!" they all say. They get infuriated that they're not in control of the situations and then threats, insults, etc begin when I again refuse.

My question is this. Is it against property management laws for me to discuss a lease/contract with a parent when they are not on the lease?

I think that may be the only way that I can slow down the calls. Anybody else have any other suggestions?