Tenant income majority child support in NY

[Rob Chang]

Hi I am a new, accidental landlord learning to buy and hold. I live in the Albany, NY area and have a 3 bd/2.5ba townhouse that is currently renting for 1800/mo. 

It took 2 months to find a tenant so I took the best one available at the time -  a single mom with three girls who is moving due to a divorce. 

She paid the first year in advance, in full due to her circumstances (bad credit from the divorce), per suggestion of the real estate agents I was working with (not something I would do again) 

Her lease is coming up at the end of May and I've talked to her about her financial situation. She gets 3600/mo I think child support and 2000/mo plus tips from her job. 

I don't know how she is with money since I havent had to receive rent monthly, but she has been a great tenant. Low maintenance, respectful, lets me know when there are problems. 

What would be the smart thing to do in this situation? Some options I thought of are:

1. Do a 6 month lease, paid up front (she did not like this option) 

2. Do a 1 year lease with 2 more months deposit. If any month she doesn't pay I can use that deposit to cover and have her move out

3. Give notice and find a new tenant 

4. Give her a month or two lease to move out and find a new tenant 

Thanks in advance, 

Rob 

[Justin Fox]

The best thing you can do is go to a month-to-month tenancy.  If she ends up being financially lousy, boot her out.  

I don't know how it works in your state but you may not legally be able to:  1.  Take that much in deposits and 2.  Then simply use that money if and when she doesn't pay rent.

I say month to month with the max deposit you can legally get and see how it goes.