Rents I say, Where are the RENTS
Good thing I wasn't counting on timely rents to make my first mortgage payment. On July 1st, I went trotting happily to the post office to pick up my shiny new rent checks. Having served a "quit notice" to my one deadbeat last month, I naively figured word had gotten out and folks would know I was serious. I do have one tenant with a split payment arrangement and he did pay his first half timely. Otherwise - Hah.
July 2 - no rents except first month from a new tenant I had just leased to. Posted a letter on each door and got carried away, adding a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
July 2, later. One tenant called and said he had the rent but no car could he please just this one time give it to me. Sigh. Yes.
One tenant called, couldn't pay til the 15th. Me, "I'll give you a one-time pass but you need to include the late fee of $25.00. I know you were paying your rent late to prior owners, that's not ok, you need to find a way to get caught up. You will be receiving a pay-or-quit notice to conserve my right to evict"
One more tenant called and said "I pay my rent on the 5th, Miss Prior Owner said that was ok. Looked at lease, there is a mention of this in a separate note, ok, will allow that if they're timely.
July 3 - no rents.
July 4 - Holiday
July 5 - no rents. Oklahoma allows 5 days late then you can drop the boom.
July 6 - two rents! YAY! Posted 4 "quit" notices, including for the guy who was going to pay on the 15th. I now, on the 6th Day of the month, have three of seven rents from inherited tenants. Not a great batting average. Later on July 6th, tenant calls sounding panic-stricken "it'll be in the mail on Monday." Final tenant remains unheard-from.
July 7th - no rents, no calls
July 8th - no rents, one call from final tenant "I mailed it today, I was out of town and didn't get to it, included late fee."
So. It's July 8th, my first month and I have collected three full and one partial rents. I'm halfway there. It's enough to pay the bills but really? I guess if it was easy, everyone would do it.
Comments (8)
Update, please. .
George P., over 10 years ago
Dear all - I absolutely will update when this reaches it's final conclusion. Richard Pretlow , In Oklahoma, and probably all states, it is ESSENTIAL that you file all the proper documents in the proper order. I was in court last week and all three tenants that showed up to fight it won because not one of the landlords had proof of notice on the initial quit notice. We are a very easy eviction state but at the same time I think the judges know landlords have the advantage and are happy to school landlords that don't follow the rules.
Deborah Burian, over 11 years ago
Deborah, I'm very interested in how this turns out, please keep the blog going. A few years ago it took me more than 3 months to evict a tenant in Oklahoma, including three separate trips to court before the sheriff served the tenant.
Richard Pretlow, over 11 years ago
Please create another blog post and tell us of your adventures collecting the rents. I'm tuned into the Deborah channel and really enjoy reading your posts!
Dawn Anastasi, over 11 years ago
Way to go Deborah, be stern yet fair, and leave compassion to the poor saps who think being a landlord is easy (and buy their properties at a steep discount when they run to get out). If the tenants can't be trained then definitely move them out. The one idea I would add with inherited tenants, especially when dealing with a small number, is it can be helpful to have a one on one meetings with each one in the first month to go over the lease with them just as if they were new tenants (as they are new tenants to you). Even if you are stuck with existing leases it provides an opportunity to lay down the ground rules of the relationship.
Greg Potter, over 11 years ago
I feel your pain. Land lording can be tough.
Todd Carel, over 11 years ago
Hey Dawn A. - I'm CONSERVING those suckers, I'm going to need more, lol.
Deborah Burian, over 11 years ago
Deborah, since this is the first months, it's going to be the toughest. The tenants don't yet respect you. Once you post those notices AND follow-through, they will get the picture. Sometimes people think if they can walk over the prior landlord, they might be able to walk over you. (And I think on the one paragraph you meant "You will be receiving a pay-or-quit notice to RESERVE my right to evict" not CONSERVE.)
Dawn Anastasi, over 11 years ago