All Forum Posts by: Alex Johnson

@Matthew Fassett lmfao

@Account Closed This is great information, and I will definitely utilize all of it and more moving forward.  Sometimes you have to learn the hard way to truly be as careful as you have to be.  

Now all I have to do is get her out of here so I can apply all of those lessons... lol

@Ray R. That is a brutal story... Damn.  It's funny, no one thinks it will happen to them until it does.  I was more worried about vacancy issues than tenant issues... but moving forward it will always be the other way around.  I'd rather an extra two months of vacancy and find a great tenant before getting someone in and risking a disaster like this.  

Good point, we definitely have to be a little more consistent with the cops and mental health professionals. At first we felt bad bothering them about this stuff... but its at the point where we dont care anymore.. we have to do what we have to do!

@Shannon Conklin Great points man.  Its tough though, she is very crafty, and has a lot of time on her hands.  Its tough to find a happy medium between making it uncomfortable without also "poking the bear" and having her want to get back at us 5x worse... Especially since we all live in the same house. 

Based on the responses in this threat, I think we will:

1) Ask her nicely to pay the rent and try to extent an olive branch

2) Offer her cash for keys if that doesnt work (or some sort of a deal to get out without the eviction process)

3) Go through with eviction process if that doesnt work... although that might take a while

4) Have an immediate family member to move in to expedite the process, although that will lose us money for a while

*All the while documenting everything and involving cops and mental health specialists every step of the way.  And Hopefully finding a way to limit her basement access. 

@Scott Kimberly lol exactly, this will definitely be a story for the future... and I feel like I'm getting an expedited PHD in dealing with bad tenants.  

Serious question to people out there though - I've seen a few people saying I do not have to give her access to the basement.  Her laundry is down there, and also we told her she could use a few pallets in the basement for storage.  She doesn't have much down there (anymore) , but she is CONSTANTLY down there... even when she is not doing laundry.  Just roaming around the basement (very creepy).  Someone mentioned having specific laundry hours, and then locking it.  Even if we could lock it past like 7 or 8PM I would be comfortable... since shes usually down there very late at night.  I would love to be able to have more control over the basement because we are nervous about her tampering with electrical wires, utilities, piping, etc.. 

@Brian Boyd the BOH head inspector 100% has our back on this and knows for a fact our tenant is tampering with things.  She seems hesitant to get involved in legal things like this though, she is kind of giving us advice off the record.  I might have to go there and see if something like this can be done.  She was at the house when our tenant was lying to everyone about feces coming into the tub after the department of public works proved that wasn't possible. 

@Colleen F. Ok this is a great idea!  Are we allowed to do this?  Can we set laundry hours like that and lock her out of the basement?  I am going to have to talk to the lawyer about that.  Not having her in the basement would give me a lot of peace of mind!  

@Andy Luis Thanks man, I agree.  I came in wondering if there was any hack that I was missing... but I dont think there is.  I do have an immediate family member that could move in (but couldnt afford the same rent money) ... so that might be a faster way... but other than that, I think its just going to be a slow and steady game. 

@Jonathan R McLaughlin Yeah that is what my brother was saying.  Her most recent landlord had a HORRIBLE time with her.  She made us think he was crazy when she was first moving in, but now its obviously the other way around.  I am going to try and get in touch with him specifically to figure out what happened.  I think that's a great idea... plus maybe testimonials from previous landlords will eventually help us in the eviction case (whenever that finally picks back up)

@Brian Ellis Great points, and great advise!  We talked to our loan officer, and we will be able to refinance after 210 days which is only two more weeks.  We will definitely look at those options.