Having problems with my tenants

[Marco Padilla]

Wow so I’ve been having problems with one of my tenants whom have been paying the rent late the past 4 months and they’ve gotten worse, I’ve been having to charge them late fees. Now these are stellar tenants, until then. I wish all of my tenants were as such. Come to find out today my tenants wife is suffering from ovarian cancer and I feel like such an @hole. I had no idea I’d even gotten into an argument with the husband on the phone to which he apologized immediately after Mind you we’ve never had any problems they’ve always kept the property in excellent condition even now and I had no idea this is what they were going through. Any recommendations? I’ve already told him they don’t have to worry about next months late fees (they’re backed up on late fees) I told them I want to start the new year fresh and to just get it to me on time. Any other recommendations? Have any of you ever dealt with this and if so how?

[Marc Winter]

@Jim K., @Marco Padilla, Life can suck at times.  So can business.  To what degree you want to be involved with your tenant's personal life is really your own decision.  

Let me share a short, true story.  

Tenant "Sue" had been in the property when we inherited her 7 years ago.  She always paid rent on time.  Always.  No matter what.

Until she didn't.  

Since she was such a great long-term tenant, we sent a late notice, however, I personally called her to see what happened.

She told me she has been going for chemo for the last 2 months and she will need to be hospitalized full time if there is no further improvement.  She was no longer working and paying rent from her savings and some agency help.

Of course, I told her I was sorry to hear of her situation, and let her know I would speak with the owner about it. The owner told me to let it ride for a while.

The next month, late again.  The following month, no rent.  No answer to emails or calls.  I then received a handwritten letter that she was in hospital In Philly and will let us know about her situation.

Another month passes.  No rent, no letter, nothing.  All her posessions were still in the apartment.  What to do?  As per owner--start the eviction clock ticking.

Fast forward to after the eviction 50 days later.  I found out from a neighbor that her friend, Sue, called her to let her know how happy she is in Philadelphia and happily settled in with her boyfriend--who the neighbor met because he was a constant visitor at Sue's apartment.

Cancer?  Nope, the neighbor said Sue never had any--"she's very healthy".  "Maybe she's expecting..."

Hey, ya never know what some of these rascally kids will come up with!  LOL.  Live and learn.  Ya never know.