New BP Member, Questions and Some Venting!

[Sam C.]

Started my real estate investing journey less than a year ago, and really enjoying it. Currently have 5 rentals. One rental is under a large PM company and the other 4 with a smaller PM. 

In one single family rental, we added wood vinyl flooring, a bedroom, and upgraded the kitchen prior to getting it rented. Inside and outside cleaned up before tenant moves in (early 4/2018). 

This tenant is the secretary at the larger PM company handling this only unit. I felt uneasy about it, seemed like a conflict of interest to me

And so it began...

Tenant complains the inside is dirty and there are bugs, spiders everywhere. Neither I, cleaning lady, subcontractors ever noticed any insects during the entire process! 

Couple weeks into the first month, the PM assistant emails asking if I would like to have the AC serviced, I agreed. 10 days following that I receive an email from her on a Friday night, the tenant is complaining that the AC is not working...??? 

A couple other minor little things over the next month or two came and went, until today I receive an email telling me the tenant (who is the secretary mind you) called Friday and complained of a bee hive in the yard and they immediately sent a pest control company to remove it for $65.00

What are your suggestions? Ride this year out and increase the rent to push her out?

Not pay the bee hive removal? 

Thanks for any help! Just venting but would appreciate any insight to start my journey!

Sam

[James Wise]

Originally posted by @Sam C.:

Started my real estate investing journey less than a year ago, and really enjoying it. Currently have 5 rentals. One rental is under a large PM company and the other 4 with a smaller PM. 

In one single family rental, we added wood vinyl flooring, a bedroom, and upgraded the kitchen prior to getting it rented. Inside and outside cleaned up before tenant moves in (early 4/2018). 

This tenant is the secretary at the larger PM company handling this only unit. I felt uneasy about it, seemed like a conflict of interest to me

And so it began...

Tenant complains the inside is dirty and there are bugs, spiders everywhere. Neither I, cleaning lady, subcontractors ever noticed any insects during the entire process! 

Couple weeks into the first month, the PM assistant emails asking if I would like to have the AC serviced, I agreed. 10 days following that I receive an email from her on a Friday night, the tenant is complaining that the AC is not working...??? 

A couple other minor little things over the next month or two came and went, until today I receive an email telling me the tenant (who is the secretary mind you) called Friday and complained of a bee hive in the yard and they immediately sent a pest control company to remove it for $65.00

What are your suggestions? Ride this year out and increase the rent to push her out?

Not pay the bee hive removal? 

Thanks for any help! Just venting but would appreciate any insight to start my journey!

Sam

Well for starters I don't think you have the option "not" to pay for the bee hive removal. I'd imagine they have your money so you not wanting to pay for it is probably an irrelevant point. On top of that landlords are often required by municipalities to handle pests and $65 is incredibly cheap for a company to make a trip out to your house.

As for the A/C if it doesn't work it doesn't work. If you are thinking that this large PM company is just making up false charges I'd say that's pretty unlikely. I mean they sent someone to your house for $65 my man. Nobody is making any money doing that. 

All that said I think that the tenant living in your unit is a bit odd. Due to the issues or perceived issues you have discussed it's not a good practice for a management company to do this. All of the Holton-Wise employees that rent from Holton-Wise we aim to put them in units that are owned by Holton-Wise as to avoid these exact issues, real or perceived.