All Forum Posts by: Damon Duperre

Why would you rent to a lawyer? If it is legal in Ohio put a clause in your lease about no jury trials. That won't help you now though. I guess this is your first professional tenant? No matter how many horror stories you hear you can't truly appreciate how bad it is to have a professional tenant in one of your houses. It's not just the money and time wasted either. It will take a toll on you mentally. Just try not to take it personally and you will suffer less. You will still suffer a lot but  it will be less than if you take it personally.

Also I feel stupid saying this because it is so obvious but get a great lawyer who specializes in landlord-tenant law. not just real estate law but landlord-tenant law specifically. It might seem expensive but it will be cheaper then not having one.

I don't know for sure if this is true but another landlord once told me that he has a question on his applications that says "Name of your lawyer____________________. And when anybody answers it he finds a reason not to rent to them.

Hello DaLissa,

I am also in Fort Worth. I rent and flip single family homes.  I am hoping to get some kind of single family home landlord group together for Tarrant County.  Something like maybe a website or maybe have actual meetings where we could compare notes, share stories and blackball deadbeat tenants like the apartment landlords do. Would  you be interested in being part of something like that? 

Walker, If you use those Kwikset smartkey locks sooner or later a tenant will rekey them. Go to Landlordlocks.com. They are made by Kwikset but you get one master key for every property but each properties tenants have different keys and when the tenants move out you only have to replace the cylinder instead of the entire lock.

It will save you a lot of money over time and make your key chain a lot smaller.  You can also buy entry handles there that do not lock. That means you never have to replace them and your tenants can't lock their keys in the house.

All good ideas but another one would be to make her sign a lease addendum. As an example this is one I used for a tenant who didn't want a double keyed deadbolt on her back door and wanted a large "doggy door" installed.

"In addition to the lease previously signed on February ____, 2015, the Landlord and Tenants agree as follows:

Tenants acknowledge the Texas Property Code may require a keyed dead bolt on each exterior door of the dwelling. Landlord intends to install and/or replace a keyed deadbolt on each exterior door of the dwelling. However, Tenants specifically and expressly request Landlord not install a keyed dead bolt on the back door of the dwelling. Tenants make this request with full knowledge of the Texas Property Code requirement, that the back door of the dwelling has a window above the dead bolt and in lieu of Landlord’s recommendation to install a double keyed dead bolt on the back door of the dwelling.

Tenants also request they be allowed to install a “doggy door” in the back door of the dwelling.

In consideration of Landlord foregoing the installation of a keyed dead bolt device on the back door of the dwelling and for consenting to the Tenants installing a “doggy door” in the back door of the dwelling at the Tenant’s own cost, Tenants hereby waive any and all rights and remedies they may have against the landlord for violations of the Texas Property Code and for any and all damages which the Tenants may suffer as a result, or in any way relating to, a keyed deadbolt not being installed on the back door of the dwelling or as a result, or in any way relating to, the allowance of a “doggy door” to be installed in the back door of the dwelling. These causes of action and damages waived include, but are not limited to negligence, conversion, theft, trespass, assault, or any other cause of action under Texas statutory or case law. TENANTS ALSO WAIVE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST LANDLORD, ITS AGENTS AND ASSIGNS FOR GROSS NEGLIGENCE. Tenants further waive any subrogation claim any of their insurers may have for collection of any losses paid to the Tenants.

Finally, in further consideration of Landlord foregoing the installation of a keyed dead bolt device on the back door of the dwelling and for consenting to the Tenants installing a “doggy door” in the back door of the dwelling at the Tenant’s own cost, Tenants hereby agree to indemnify Landlord, its successors, agents and assigns for any and all claims, causes of action and damages which could be or are brought against Landlord, its successors, agents or assigns which are in any way related to the keyed dead bolt device on the back door of the dwelling not being installed or the installation of “doggy door” in the back door of the dwelling.

Tenants shall provide Landlord proof of payment in full for the installation of the “doggy door” in the back door of the dwelling.

Add a signature line and date – remember the lease should be entered into with the LLC as the landlord.

Fred, I like the way you said legal opinion when you referred to having to give a prospective tenant their application fee back but the law is written very clearly (in Texas) that iF they request a copy of your requirements and you don't give it to them then if you reject them you must return their application fee. However it is possible that any particular justice of the peace might rule differently and even more possible that a jury in JP court might rule differently unless you have a clause in your lease that says "no jury's" which I highly recommend. 

If they don't request it then you don't have to return their application fee if you reject them. However I always return the application fee if I don't end up running a credit report and I do that last so many people get weeded out before I get to the credit report so most of my prospective tenants who are rejected do get their application fee returned.

Damon Duperre

DBM LLC

Why would you call the police on your own tenant?   Of course they will wreck the house and never pay you a dime for it. I can see trying to avoid getting tenants like that in the first place but once they are there the last thing you should do is call the police on them. Besides that they won't be in jail forever and might not appreciate the fact that you snitched them off.

Regarding Mark Fotzpatricks quote :

"This kind of stuff is a good reason to network with other investors in your area. The area where I invest has a private Yahoo forum where landlords can ask other landlords about certain tenants and alert others about deadbeats and troublemakers. It's a good system that saves us all a lot of grief and helps keep trouble out of our neighborhoods. The local police department is also involved in the online discussion because they know that keeping out deadbeat troublemakers reduces crime."

I am wondering if anybody in Tarrant County Texas is interested  in doing something like this.

I have only had experience with one home warranty company but everybody they sent out was terrible.