All Forum Posts by: Brian Hellenbrand

So we bought a duplex that has tenants already living in with a lease agreement until July. They were friends of the old owners so I do not think there were a lot of the normal procedures done when they signed the lease. The lease is current and legal (done by an attorney from our state's Realtor association). There was not however, a move-in/move-out check list. So far they have been great tenants. As we get closer to signing a new lease I am getting nervous that if they decide to not renew it is going to be difficult to fault them for any damages to the property without that checklist. My concern is they have two black labs and I know that the carpet is going to need to be professionally cleaned or replaced (most likely the latter). Hopefully someone on here has similar experiences with this.

So my question is if they do not renew, how would I go about assessing damage and then putting them at fault and using their security deposit?

Or if they do renew, can you do a checklist or build in other things to the lease that will put them at fault (i.e. the carpet must be professionally cleaned and if deemed unusable their security deposit will be responsible for a certain % of replacement costs)

Thank You

For the toilet, you dont hear the water flushing down the waste drain but the actual flushing mechanism from the toilet, I just dont know if it is coming from the toilet from the master bedroom (farther away from the shared wall, but less walls to go through to make noise in master of other unit) or the main bathroom (opposite issue of master bath).

I believe the dog bark is coming through the wall in the basement and then through the floor to the master bedroom. You can hear everything in the basements, which are unfinished, so there is no insulation between the units down there or in the floor from the basement.

What type of company would do a sound analysis? I have no idea where to look.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience with this. I have been reading up on it and it seems there are many issues that could cause sound from one unit to be heard in the other. The main sounds we are hearing are their toilets flushing. The toilet is really close to the common wall. They also kennel their dog sometimes in their basement right next to the common wall and his bark is like he is in the same room as our master bedroom. Hopefully that makes sense.

I have looked into using Green glue product and adding another layer of drywall but I am worried the sound is flanking through the basement or the ceiling. There is a fire wall between the two units that goes all the way up through the attic.

I am looking for a company that comes out and does a sound analysis to see where it might be coming from, has anyone done this?

Thank you!

@ Jon Holdman: I feel like I should raise the rent at a minimum of $100 because they are adding a dog as well as 3 part time children to go along with a full time adult.

If I would do a new lease I would only want to do it for the current length that they are going to be there, because then I want to raise the rent to current market prices and not at a discount (which would be a 1,000/mo +). It would be fine to do a lease from beginning of November to the end of June correct?

So I just bought a duplex, living on one side, and inherited a lease on the other. Our tenant approached us asking if she could add her boyfriend and his family to the lease. All I have told them is that we will have to amend the current lease. At this point I have collected a rental application from him to start to writing the amendment.

Here is what they are adding to the lease: He will be full time living there. He also has three children from previous (1 or 2) relationships that will live there every other weekend. He also will have a dog that will live there full time.

I would like to amend their lease but not add any more time on to their original one because I would like to make sure since I didn't screen them originally I would like to have a shorter time to evaluate them as tenants than a year. Their lease currently runs until the end of June.

Fair market value for rent is 1,000. They are currently paying 830 because the previous owner gave them a discount for maintenance. Obviously we do not need them to do that anymore since we live on the other side. The owners supplemented us at the closing for the discounted rent.

I would like to raise their rent to 980 because I feel like 1 full time adult, three part time children, and another dog (two black labs in a 1200 sq. foot apt) will definitely add to the wear and tear. Do you believe this is fair? It is still under market value for rent but it is a significant increase. The boyfriend pays a month to month at 1100 so I feel like we will be saving them a ton of money doing this as is.

Also does anyone know where I can find the proper forms to fill out amendments or do you just do it with a word document and signatures? I found a website: lawdepot.com that I believe might be a free one, but I assume after I fill it all out they will make me pay to print it.

Sorry for this being so long and I appreciate whoever responds that you took the time to read it. First time landlord so looking for all the advice I can get!

So we close on 9/16 on a duplex. I am just wonder what are some things that I should do as soon as we own the place? I know I will be changing the locks on all the doors to make sure no one has kept keys from previous ownership. I will also be replacing all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Just looking for other general tips. Thanks!