Tired of all the winning

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Nathan Gesner:

Sad story, but good to hear nobody died.

So...finish the story. How are you going to deal with this?

Then what would we have a fruitful forum discussion about? What about it, forum people? What should I do next?

Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
5y
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
Originally posted by @Nathan Gesner:
Sad story, but good to hear nobody died.
So...finish the story. How are you going to deal with this?

Then what would we have a fruitful forum discussion about? What about it, forum people? What should I do next?

Termination. Even if the one roommate wasn't partaking in the festivities, she has to know that it's going on and is therefore complicit. I would give them 30 days to get out. If they comply, there would be no penalty.
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Mike Dymski

Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Sorry to hear about that. At least you got to see it first hand rather than hearing the filtered version later. Most residents would not have called their landlord. What did they expect from you?

8 Reply

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

@Mike Dymski

The roommate who called 911 is not a part of this in any way. Her expectation is that I would show up and she wouldn't have to deal alone with the officers, the paramedics, the neighbors, and the other tenants, two of whom were involved, one who was (apparently) not.

3 Reply

Joe S.Pro Member

Investor · San Antonio · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes

5y

These are times when a property manager would have came in handy.

7 Reply

Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

5y

What would you like to do about this? I suppose the question to be asked is "do these tenant pay their rent regularly and on time"?

If not, time for them to hit the road.

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Joe S.:

These are times when a property manager would have came in handy.

No, not really. This is what I signed up for, and I knew it going in.

12 Reply

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Gail K.:

What would you like to do about this? I suppose the question to be asked is "do these tenant pay their rent regularly and on time"?

If not, time for them to hit the road.

So if they do pay the rent regularly and on time, I should give them another chance?

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Nathan Gesner:

Termination. Even if the one roommate wasn't partaking in the festivities, she has to know that it's going on and is therefore complicit. I would give them 30 days to get out. If they comply, there would be no penalty.

"You have made a desert and call it 'peace'." -- Tacitus

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Just so the roles are clear:

Downstairs duplex apartment: Tiffany and Erica. Tiffany is the OD, Erica is the tenant who called 911 and has nothing to do with this. Erica's been warning me for months about Tiffany's drug habits.

Upstairs duplex apartment: Bob and Doug. Bob is Tiffany's friend from way back, He may or may not be mixed up in this, have known about this. Bob claims he was sleeping while the party was happening and the paramedics were downstairs. Doug was at the party, is Tiffany's bestie, sexual relationship unclear but quite probable.

The party happened in the downstairs duplex apartment.

Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

5y

"So if they do pay the rent regularly and on time, I should give them another chance?'

I've dealt with a lot of drug use/abuse around here. Had to let a worker go after I caught him selling meth while working on one of my properties. My electrician had to let his 20 year helper go because the guy was using heroin. My partners brother has a very long history of drug use/abuse and has spent over half his life in and out of prison for this. A good friend has been dealing with both a brother and a son as abusers for years. This is not just an individual issue. The whole family often gets dragged into this nonsense.

I've lost patience with this drug business. So many are so casual about this. And I'm not talking about the "lite" stuff. This is the dangerous stuff. Sometimes I think "drugs kill...but just not fast enough".

With that in mind, I'd get rid of the roommate druggie. The fact that they had 10-12 friends over for a drug party alone would do it for me.

5 Reply

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Gail K.:

"So if they do pay the rent regularly and on time, I should give them another chance?'

I've dealt with a lot of drug use/abuse around here. Had to let a worker go after I caught him selling meth while working on one of my properties. My electrician had to let his 20 year helper go because the guy was using heroin. My partners brother has a very long history of drug use/abuse and has spent over half his life in and out of prison for this. A good friend has been dealing with both a brother and a son as abusers for years. This is not just an individual issue. The whole family often gets dragged into this nonsense.

I've lost patience with this drug business. So many are so casual about this. And I'm not talking about the "lite" stuff. This is the dangerous stuff. Sometimes I think "drugs kill...but just not fast enough".

With that in mind, I'd get rid of the roommate druggie. The fact that they had 10-12 friends over for a drug party alone would do it for me.

So is it the morality of the thing or the unreliability of the tenants?

Chris John

Member since 2020 · 671 posts · 937 votes

5y

@Jim K.

I find it so odd that one of her first thoughts was to call the landlord... When I shoplifted in junior high, I didn't brag about it to my mother! Why would you tell someone that can get you in trouble?

1 Reply

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Chris John:

@Jim K.

I find it so odd that one of her first thoughts was to call the landlord... When I shoplifted in junior high, I didn't brag about it to my mother! Why would you tell someone that can get you in trouble?

Erica is the hero of this story, please understand. Without her, Tiffany would probably have died. The junky cockroach friends were trying to slip Tiffany into a tub while she was having seizures. Erica showed up from work, saw the situation, called 911. The junky cockroach friends hit the bricks. Erica called me next to tell me what was going on at my property.

ERICA AND TIFFANY LIVE TOGETHER IN A 2-BEDROOM ROOMMATE-SHARE SITUATION. THEY ARE NOT FRIENDS.

5 Reply

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Gail K.:

I've lost patience with this drug business. So many are so casual about this. And I'm not talking about the "lite" stuff. This is the dangerous stuff. Sometimes I think "drugs kill...but just not fast enough".
With that in mind, I'd get rid of the roommate druggie. The fact that they had 10-12 friends over for a drug party alone would do it for me.

Ditto this ^^^ for me. And it has nothing to do with morality. This is the tip of the iceberg if you will, or certainly could be. A 12 person 'rave-up' is a big warning sign. Out with all of them as soon as it is feasible (re lease etc...) IMHO

3 Reply

Chris John

Member since 2020 · 671 posts · 937 votes

5y

@Jim K.

Oh, I hear you. My comment was more about my general shiftiness than Erica's forthrightness. She sounds like a gem! Me, not so much... haha.

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Bruce Woodruff:

Originally posted by @Gail K.:

I've lost patience with this drug business. So many are so casual about this. And I'm not talking about the "lite" stuff. This is the dangerous stuff. Sometimes I think "drugs kill...but just not fast enough".
With that in mind, I'd get rid of the roommate druggie. The fact that they had 10-12 friends over for a drug party alone would do it for me.

Ditto this ^^^ for me. And it has nothing to do with morality. This is the tip of the iceberg if you will, or certainly could be. A 12 person 'rave-up' is a big warning sign. Out with all of them as soon as it is feasible (re lease etc...) IMHO

What does it have to do with? You say "a big warning sign." Of what? And do I get rid of Erica, too, who is the hero of this story? What about Bob? I have no evidence tying him to this. Will that go over well with the magistrate?

Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

5y

"So is it the morality of the thing or the unreliability of the tenants?"

Well, how reliable is the druggie tenant?

Gail

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Come on, people. Some of you actually do this (@Nathan Gesner, for instance). Some of you very clearly just talk about it. Time to tell me what's what, if you know what's what, AND WHY.

Because there is only one right answer here.

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Gail K.:

"So is it the morality of the thing or the unreliability of the tenants?"

Well, how reliable is the druggie tenant?

Gail

Pays on the first of the month like clockwork.

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Jim K.:

What does it have to do with? You say "a big warning sign." Of what? And do I get rid of Erica, too, who is the hero of this story? What about Bob? I have no evidence tying him to this. Will that go over well with the magistrate?

A big warning sign of drug involvement....it is RARELY just one person, I'm guessing the others are at least dabbling, or enabling or.....?

A big warning sign of bad judgement...Erica knows her roommate is a druggie. And making a phone call may not make her a hero....

A big warning sign that you had 12 druggies hanging out at your place for an evening and they've been there before. That's an accident waiting to happen.

I've lived in houses much worse than this and there are lots of inside stories always going on. I dunno, if you are 100% sure about this Erica, then maybe evict everyone and invite her back in on the side.

Hard to give good advice when you aren't there, wish I had better ideas....? Sorry you had to go through this, the worst I had was the internet went down last night at 10 pm...

Augusta, GA · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

5y

If you know the right answer, why are you asking us here?

Tiffany goes. Whomever was in the back room, curled up and crying while high was a kite goes (sorry; I've lost track if this is Bob or Doug).

Erica stays (if she can handle the rent herself), Same as the upstairs guy who wasn't at the party. If neither can handle the rent on their own, suggest they begin sharing one of the duplex apartments since both will be minus one roomie.

Gail

6 Reply

OP

Handyman · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2018 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Bruce Woodruff:

Originally posted by @Jim K.:

What does it have to do with? You say "a big warning sign." Of what? And do I get rid of Erica, too, who is the hero of this story? What about Bob? I have no evidence tying him to this. Will that go over well with the magistrate?

A big warning sign of drug involvement....it is RARELY just one person, I'm guessing the others are at least dabbling, or enabling or.....?

A big warning sign of bad judgement...Erica knows her roommate is a druggie. And making a phone call may not make her a hero....

A big warning sign that you had 12 druggies hanging out at your place for an evening and they've been there before. That's an accident waiting to happen.

I've lived in houses much worse than this and there are lots of inside stories always going on. I dunno, if you are 100% sure about this Erica, then maybe evict everyone and invite her back in on the side.

Hard to give good advice when you aren't there, wish I had better ideas....? Sorry you had to go through this, the worst I had was the internet went down last night at 10 pm...

Bruce, be my hero here. Clear out the mechanism, think this through. What's the answer. I'll bet any amount of money that poor @Nathan Gesner is just looking at the screen and shaking his head slowly right now.

1 Reply

Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
5y
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
Originally posted by @Bruce Woodruff:
Originally posted by @Jim K.:
What does it have to do with? You say "a big warning sign." Of what? And do I get rid of Erica, too, who is the hero of this story? What about Bob? I have no evidence tying him to this. Will that go over well with the magistrate?

A big warning sign of drug involvement....it is RARELY just one person, I'm guessing the others are at least dabbling, or enabling or.....?
A big warning sign of bad judgement...Erica knows her roommate is a druggie. And making a phone call may not make her a hero....
A big warning sign that you had 12 druggies hanging out at your place for an evening and they've been there before. That's an accident waiting to happen.
I've lived in houses much worse than this and there are lots of inside stories always going on. I dunno, if you are 100% sure about this Erica, then maybe evict everyone and invite her back in on the side.
Hard to give good advice when you aren't there, wish I had better ideas....? Sorry you had to go through this, the worst I had was the internet went down last night at 10 pm...

Bruce, be my hero here. Clear out the mechanism, think this through. What's the answer. I'll bet any amount of money that poor @Nathan Gesner is just looking at the screen and shaking his head slowly right now.

Nope. You do you.

The roommate has warned you about drug use "for months" and you did nothing about it. You made the bed, now lay in it. ;)

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Bruce WoodruffPro Member

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Jim K.:

Originally posted by @Gail K.:

"So is it the morality of the thing or the unreliability of the tenants?"

Well, how reliable is the druggie tenant?

Gail

Pays on the first of the month like clockwork.

Paying on the first is only one little sign of reliability. One of my favorite old houses when I was younger had a Rock'n'Roll band, druggies and a couple hookers living there. We always paid our rent promptly on the first...

1 Reply

Bruce WoodruffPro Member

Contractor/Investor/Consultant · San Diego / Phoenix · Member since 2021 · 12k+ posts · 15k+ votes

5y

Originally posted by @Jim K.:

Originally posted by @Bruce Woodruff:

Originally posted by @Jim K.:

Bruce, be my hero here. Clear out the mechanism, think this through. What's the answer. I'll bet any amount of money that poor @Nathan Gesner is just looking at the screen and shaking his head slowly right now.

Dude - It's a bad situation and I ain't there.....but if you want my take, it's this: You have a 'bad house' here. I've had them before, that's why I'm doing STRs now :-)

There is ALWAYS more to it than what is on the the surface. Ok, If you're positive about Erica and Bob, and I mean POSITIVE....then keep them, but definitely ditch the other two, they will be nothing but trouble, and we will be having this conversation again. It is a Landlord's market and I'm sure you won't have any trouble finding new tenants, right? And this little druggie escapade with the Police involved should give you ample reason to give them notice, right? Ya just gotta do it, and yes I know talk is cheap....I would be having problems too, but you are in the middle of it and can't see so clearly right now. There, that's the answer. And I'm guessing Nathan has seen worse situations (and threads) than this...