Dealing With Angry, Homophobic Tenant

[Jared Billman]

I’m seeking advice on how to professionally part ways with a long time tenant of mine.

I have a tenant who has lived in our 4 plex for almost 15 years, long before my husband and I purchased it 6 years ago. The past couple years, this tenant has taken liberties with some things around the property that have created a safety hazard for others in the building and a liability for us as the owners. I recently brought one of these situations to his attention and he became incredibly combative with me when asked to cease the action causing the liability. I’ve always believed him to possibly be on the spectrum and have recognized that he does not handle correction well… AT ALL.

He eventually complied with my request but seems to have become incredibly bitter about it. Other tenants have brought it to my attention that he is speaking to them about the situation while using extreme profanity and homophobic slurs aimed at me and my husband; that he seems incredibly angry or almost hostile. (He’d recently found out that my husband and I are a gay couple and it’s apparently bothering him. I’ve seen several of his rants to other tenants on security recordings around the building and it they have been awful.) These rants are not just isolated incidents and his actions to do as he pleases around the property with no regard for others has become a growing pattern of behavior for the past 2-3 years now.

We have always been good landlords to him; to all our tenants. We have never raised his rent, always address any needs or concerns with urgency, and even give a December rent reduction with Christmas card and gift each year. We do this for all our tenants and have been able to retain all of them here since we bought the building. We genuinely care about them.

Given this extreme and fairly prolonged change in his behavior, my husband and I have discussed and feel it may be best to ask him to move on elsewhere where he may be happier. He is month to month and we could easily provide him a 30 day notice.

I’ve never dealt with a situation like this and was wondering if anyone would have any advice on how to handle it?

Do I just send him a letter or text?

Do I discuss it with him personally and possibly face extreme verbal, or God forbid, physical backlash? (He is an MMA fighter and is prone to be easily angered.) I’ll be honest, I am a bit fearful of him and how he could react.

If I do send a letter or text… what might be the most delicate way to ask a long time tenant like him to leave???

Thank you SO MUCH for any advice you all can offer! I’m greatly appreciative!

[Nathan Gesner]

1. A phobia is an "irrational fear" and I doubt he is afraid of gay people. He just doesn't like you or the way you treat him, so he chooses to insult you. He could just as easily insult your weight, height, skin color, accent, or a dozen other features. I'm a straight, white male and insulted by certain renters now and then. It's part of the business and you should expect it.

2. You are learning an all-too-common lesson: Tenants who stay in one place for many years are typically paying well below market rates, and they start to develop a sense of entitlement. Keeping a tenant that long usually results in losing a lot of money and dealing with difficult situations that you wouldn't have with newer renters.

Stop talking to them in person. Ignore the personal insults. Give him notice of termination and move him out. Spruce up the property and rent it to a tenant you've screened and selected who is willing to pay market rent and treat you with basic human dignity.