tenant charged with rape of a child under 13

[Lynnette E.]

I ALWAYS do a background check.  I do NOT accept violent felonies, domestic violence, etc.  So, now a tenant with SIX children in the home is arrested and charged with 3 counts for rape of a child.  He is in jail with a $750,000 bail amount so he will stay there.  His wife who is in college for a degree that will lead to a great job with great pay when she graduates in June, now has full rent to pay, plus the cost of raising 6 kids by herself.  She already works, but now will have her regular low wage job, schooling full time, and will be getting a part time job added to her schedule.  One child is serious special needs.  

She is checking with community services to see if anything is available to help her.  She wants to stay in the house.  It is rare to find really nice large houses that will take 6 kids.  They are now month to month, but with what happened there is no way I can ask them to leave.

Sometimes landlording is hard!

[JD Martin]

Quote from @Lynnette E.:

I ALWAYS do a background check.  I do NOT accept violent felonies, domestic violence, etc.  So, now a tenant with SIX children in the home is arrested and charged with 3 counts for rape of a child.  He is in jail with a $750,000 bail amount so he will stay there.  His wife who is in college for a degree that will lead to a great job with great pay when she graduates in June, now has full rent to pay, plus the cost of raising 6 kids by herself.  She already works, but now will have her regular low wage job, schooling full time, and will be getting a part time job added to her schedule.  One child is serious special needs.  

She is checking with community services to see if anything is available to help her.  She wants to stay in the house.  It is rare to find really nice large houses that will take 6 kids.  They are now month to month, but with what happened there is no way I can ask them to leave.

Sometimes landlording is hard!

 Maybe I'm cold blooded but I don't let the tenant's problems become my problems. It shouldn't be rare to find a house since discrimination against kids is illegal. The only thing I want to know is if the rent is paid in full and on time, the house is not being damaged and they're not causing trouble. Anything else is noise for me. 

Just as much as you might feel bad for the wife, how might you feel if it turned out she knew about all of it? That's why I think you have to just keep things business and that's that.