All Forum Posts by: David M.

Assuming you up the rents accordingly, to cover the cost of utilities and effectively "re-billing" the utilities, why would you "never" buy a property where gas and electric were paid by the landlord? Also it can provide a value add opportunity in some situations to get it switched. - Just wondering what your logic is here.

There's no incentive for tenants to efficiently manage utility use. Financially, bills can spiral because tenants are insulated from increases in the price of electricity/water/etc. Environmentally, there's a lot of resource waste that, for those who are environmentally conscious, is not ideal.

0 Votes

Originally posted by @Jerry W.:

@David M., I can tell you have experienced the I cannot get the smell out problem. It probably cost me $3K before it was done and I used 3 coats of Kilz on a hardwood floor to seal the smell. I have in the past charged a small fee per month for pets and a larger deposit for a cat once, but the person got all of the fee back when they moved out because they cleaned it really well and there was no smell. That is what I truly wanted.

Yes, I've had to remove cat urine odor from a foreclosure we bought a few years back. I'll never do it again.

0 Votes

$25 monthly pet fee in addition to the regular rent for no more than one dog.

No cats allowed. Ever.

4 Votes

Only if the tenants are responsible for paying for the service.

1 Vote

Some property management software includes a basic website where you can advertise vacant properties, accept digital applications, and receive online tenant payments and maintenance requests.

Buildium is one of them.

0 Votes

Originally posted by @Wayne Brooks:

The treadmill shakes the house? Might say more about the house, than about the treadmill.

Or the person using the treadmill...

Can you negotiate a certain time of day that the treadmill can be in use so as to be less disruptive to you?

0 Votes

Originally posted by @Garrett Brunell:

If the lease that your tenant signed states that they are responsible for the electric and gas utilities does the start date for those utility responsibilities coincide with the start date of the lease? If it does and the tenant did not transfer the utilities into their name within a reasonable amount of time (say 1-2 days) then is it a good idea to try and get the utility bill pro-rated to the tenant for the additional time that they owe on the bill? Say the extra bill time amounted to 2 weeks and the landlord is paying the bill for that interim.

Does anyone have experience with making this a smooth financial transition? Advice for the next time...

I have a specific section of the lease that gives the date by which all utilities must be in the tenants' names or the lease is void and all monies forfeited. I emphasize this part of the lease strongly at signing.

1 Vote

What everyone else has been emphasizing is that it's illegal to make a decision on tenancy based on family status; that can't be a component of who you decide will "best take care of your house," but it appears to be the only factor you're considering based on your original post.

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Originally posted by @Matthew Paul:

Originally posted by @David M.:

Originally posted by @Matthew Paul:

And when they pay that year in advance , then move in 12 of their relatives , you will have a hard time kicking them out .

Why would this be more difficult than evicting any tenant who violated the lease terms but were current with rent?

Evicting someone for non payment is the easiest to prove . Proving additional tenants is difficult , when the tenants claim they are guests .

Right...but assuming they would pay their rent on time if they don't prepay an entire year, what does them having prepaid for an entire year have to do with evicting for additional tenants?

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Originally posted by @Matthew Paul:

And when they pay that year in advance , then move in 12 of their relatives , you will have a hard time kicking them out .

Why would this be more difficult than evicting any tenant who violated the lease terms but were current with rent?

0 Votes

All Forum Posts by: David M.

David M. has started 11 posts and replied 61 times.

Post: Landlord Friendly states?

Post: Pet Deposit...what do YOU charge?

Post: Pet Deposit...what do YOU charge?

Post: Transparency?

Post: To website or not to Website that is the question !

Post: Treadmill shaking house and making noise

Post: Tenant Utility Bill Obligation

Post: Which tenants would you choose- pets, kids or single young men?

Post: Rentor wants to pay a full year, currently on month to month

Post: Rentor wants to pay a full year, currently on month to month