Tenant asking me to fill out a "landlord verification" form

Tenant asking me to fill out a "landlord verification" form

Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2015 · 435 posts · 421 votes

I have a new tenant who is turning out to be a total pain in the you know what.  Adult couple and kids who began a lease only a month ago.  The unit is very large, was just partially renovated and repainted before they saw it.  Because the area isn't great, it wasn't completely renovated, and because we wanted it rented out quickly, we set the rent at at least 10% below market value.  When we rented it to them, it was "As is condition", but of course we cleaned it up before their move in.  We took the deposit, first month's rent, and signed the lease about 2 weeks before the lease was to start, with keys to go to them just before move in.  They were coming from a nearby higher socioeconomic status town, in a condo development, so this was a major step down in rent for them, and a major step down in quality of housing, too, although much bigger.  These are class C rentals.  They both have decent jobs, no evictions, no small claims lawsuits - at least according to the court records in our state.

One of the adults in the couple is being very contentious and demanding.  First, shortly before move in, she demanded that we repaint the freshly painted unit, from one neutral shade to another neutral shade.  I told her I wouldn't, nor did I want them to repaint, since it had just been done, and offered them out of the deal, with full return of their deposit and rent, even though I'd now held it off the market for them for nearly two weeks, and lease was to begin shortly.  No, they didn't want out.  Next, after we'd given them the keys, after their lease had begun, but before they actually moved in, they informed us that they had had the carpets professionally steam cleaned after we had just done them ourselves with a high quality commercial grade steam cleaner, but not of course the same as a professional carpet cleaning service.  They wanted us now to reimburse them for the professional grade cleaning, because the used water from the professional looked dirty, and because "You really should have replaced the carpets before we moved in".  Again, I told them no, and because they hadn't yet moved in, again offered them the return of their deposit, and out of the lease, only keeping that month's rent, since it was now over halfway through the month, although they hadn't moved in yet.  Again, they did not avail themselves of this offer.  They moved in, and the woman began haranguing us by text, demanding that I reimburse her for the professional cleaning.  When I said I would not, she asked to convert her year lease to month to month.  I said I would not, that the lease could go to month to month after the first year, but that I had painted and cleaned the carpets for her, and that kitchen and bathrooms had been renovated right before her move in, so I would hold her to the first 12 month lease, but if she wanted out of the lease at this point, I would charge her a two month lease termination fee (which just happens to be the amount of the security deposit).  She then threatened to call in the housing inspector (not over any violation, just to try to scare us).  I told her that we have an excellent relationship with every town agency, which we do, and that we consider them to be our partner in providing safe, up to code housing for our tenants, which they are.  Last I heard of that from her.  They paid their first rent in full literally at the end of the day on the last grace day that our state law allows, meaning on the tenth of the month.

A few days later, the woman approached my spouse as he was leaving the property, having been there on business for another unit.  She asked him to sign a form she had filled out, covering up what she had written, INCLUDING FILLING IN THE LANDLORD'S PORTION!  Of course he refused.  I told her that if she wanted us to fill out anything, she should email it to us, and we would send it to whatever agency needed it.  She emailed me a generic "Landlord Verification Form", no agency listed, and asked me to send it directly back to her.  I told her I'd be happy to send it to whatever agency needed it, but that I would only send it directly to the agency, not to her.  She doesn't want that,  she wants me to send it directly to her, and now she's threatening me that if there is anything "untrue" in what I write in that form, "there would be an issue".

I feel that she has no right to demand that I fill out a form and give it to her, and that I have no obligation to do so.  In fact, now that she's threatened me with consequences if she doesn't like what I write, I don't want to fill out any form for her.  Honestly, the only fact that I could/would put in there is that she paid rent on the tenth of the month, and requested payment for an unapproved service.  I don't think I'd even put in there that she had threatened to call in the housing inspector on me, not for any violation, but to try to extort money out of me.  I just want her to leave me alone and pay her rent on time.

Would the court view her as justified in taking any action against me, by ignoring her requests for me to fill out that Landlord Verification form?  There is of course nothing in our lease about me giving her a reference.

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Greg ScottPro Member
Rental Property Investor · SE Michigan · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 6k+ votes
7y

Congratulations on handling yourself very will with a difficult tenant.

If there is an employer or agency that needs to verify the information with someone's landlord, normally they like to send that directly to the landlord to avoid false information.   I do not believe you are under any obligation to complete a form like this, let alone one the tenant won't let you read!

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  • Greg ScottPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · SE Michigan · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    7y

    Congratulations on handling yourself very will with a difficult tenant.

    If there is an employer or agency that needs to verify the information with someone's landlord, normally they like to send that directly to the landlord to avoid false information.   I do not believe you are under any obligation to complete a form like this, let alone one the tenant won't let you read!

  • Specialist · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2012 · 865 posts · 351 votes
    7y

    These people had issues before they showed up at your rental. They were drama elsewhere I suspect. At the end of the lease don’t renew the lease. 

  • Member since 2018 · 43 posts · 32 votes
    7y

    It sounds to me like the reason she wants you to send the form to her, and not to the agency directly, is because she intends to alter the form after you've given it to her and before it goes to the agency.  If you have someone at the agency that you trust it might be a good way to catch her.  Filling the form out and making a copy of it and copying it to the person at the agency and telling them to be on the look out for the form to see if she made any kind of alterations.  If she does it's fraud and that's a crime. 

  • Real Estate Broker · Northeast PA · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    7y

    The tenant shows typical behavior characteristics of a miserable person.  They will never be happy, no matter what you do for them.  You are acting professionally and should continue on that path.  Try not to let them get under your skin.

    We have an 'escape' clause in our leases for just such a tenant.  I just say "hey, this person's rent ain't worth the pain" and get them out.

    Stay calm, don't fall for their bullying behavior.  Breathe in, breathe out.

  • Investor · Long Beach, CA · Member since 2012 · 313 posts · 190 votes
    7y

    Let me cut through all the BS...find a way to get them out of your place ASAP.  And don't sign anything she gives you.

  • Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
    7y

    @Chuy Gonzalez

    Yes agreed ! Do not feel compelled to sign anything ! If a landlord wanted to he could theoretically make things/ life very difficult for the tenants . The ball is in your court . Fear no tenant !

  • Real Estate Investor · North Ridgeville, OH · Member since 2016 · 97 posts · 81 votes
    7y

    For tenants like this I would put them at arms length.  Meaning personally I would hire a management company for them to communicate with.  I would only keep the management company for the length of their tenancy.  Having a buffer between you and them is totally worth the price in my mind.  I would hire the management company and then inform them that all communications need to be directed to the management company.

  • Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    7y

    @Karen F., it is time to agree to one of her demands.  If she sent the month-to-month request via email, reply to it so that her original request is copied in your response.  Tell her you will agree to her request to make the tenancy month-to-month.  Draft a new lease and have her sign it.

    A week after she signs it, deliver a 30-day notice of intent to end the lease.  Even if they refuse to pay the final month, you said the deposit covers 2 month's rent, so you'll be covered.  Even if not, I'd rather be rid of her than have to deal with that sort of attitude on a constant basis.  

  • Orlando, FL · Member since 2016 · 48 posts · 13 votes
    7y

    Just put up with her, don't fill in the form, and don't renew the lease. Good on you for keeping your cool.

  • Rental Property Investor · Jersey City, NJ · Member since 2011 · 1k+ posts · 876 votes
    7y

    Uggh, you have my sympathies too, I've been dealing with a high maintenance German couple who have my nicest, newly renovated unit but complain more than my 11 others put together.  Ex: I provide a free laundry and bike/stroller storage but they complain about the basement of a 120 year old rubblestone foundation building being dusty! 

    Over the weekend I told her she should go find someplace that will make them happy, but she tearfully admitted they hadn't been happy in new construction either.  Unfortunately I cannot refuse them a renewal, however they're not as bad as yours, yet.

    It seems like these tenants lose sight of what value they are getting and keep trying for absolute perfection, bringing us a taste of their misery and anger at the world for not being perfect.

  • Theresa HarrisPro Member
    Member since 2019 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
    7y

    My sympathies and you are handling it well.  Stick to what you are doing.  The next time she complains, tell her that you have offered her out of the lease multiple times and she's refused and the only modification you are doing is to give her 60 days notice as this is clearly not working for her or shorten the length of the lease-not month to month, but 4 months or anything less than a year and that frees it up during a time that you can still easily rent it.  

  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    7y

    I didn't read your entire post and I didn't read all the responses. Bottom line is you need to hold the line. Tell them in writing - one time - that they were given the opportunity to view the property and accept the condition. After that, you should ignore their whines unless there's an actual maintenance request (non-functional or unsafe).

    That's it. Don't get caught in their drama. Don't get caught in their rants or long-winded conversations. They can act like adults and accept the results of their decision.

    Be prepared to deal with them if they try to break the lease or choose to disappear in the middle of the night.

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