All Forum Posts by: Debasish Bhattacharjee

List has the details. Touring July 1st onwards available. Move-in ready July 3rd. Tenants are flexible with that. I just gained experience the background check report and credit report Zillow provide. I do check credit score, utilization, any late payment, any collection. From BG document checked clear status, eviction/felony etc. Regarding W2 and recent paystub, I get company name, SSN, I plan to verify through the work number since none of the HR or email tenants provided in their application doesn't get responded. That part I am struggling with. Rental check I am reaching out to the previous renter+ prop. manger. I don't know if those tenant provide me a credit report and background check report by themselves over email, will it not be good?

Hi Experts,

I have posted my rental listing in Northern California /Bay Area location using zillow and avail.co. Both has tenant screening and I posted in my listing clearly to apply first followed by touring after shortlisting potential prospects. 7 days listed, 50 application till now, 7+ applicant are prospects, 4 weeks I have before tour, as of today there are 7 homes available in the market for roughly same moving date (first week of July).

Given this above statistics, there are few applicants they are personally emailing me. 

Type 1 category: their request is to meet me in person, then look at the property, if they like then they submit the application. 

Type 2 category: They are hesitant to submit application through zillow, instead they want to provide me W2s , credit report in person to me. 

Should I not consider those applicant since touring is only available after a month and by that time who knows the shortlisted ones as of today might have changed their plans?

I don't want to loose those applicants who doesn't want to apply through zillow. What should I do? Should I take their document for review or should I always go through zillow? If they provide recent credit report will it not work? Need some input here.

Thanks

-Debasish

I am currently searching for tenant for my rental home in Tracy, California. I have two applicant applied both of them are self employed. I am using zillow background check and verified both of their BG is clear, have gone through their credit. 

First couple has excellent credit - both has above 815+, had a home purchased in 1990 and credit doesn't show up with any mortgage which I assumed they have paid off by now. I have run tax accessor property check and they were on time for last 15 years. Rent to income ratio is 6.4X. Rental is 5bed 3 bath single family and rent is ~$3K, and their income is ~20k/ month. They are 100% on time, no eviction, current auto debt is 42K, no bankruptcy , no collection, 0% credit utilization, longest credit length is 31+ years. They run a child care in their own house which they need to expand. I looked at the property they own which 2 bed 1 bath and they mentioned they want to extend their business and thats why they are relocating to 5bed 3 bath home. I am wondering how could even they manage 2 bed  1 bath and now they are moving to 5 bed 3 bath. Is it resonable? Should I take care of that or not?

Second couple doesn't have any home, but for last 10 years they have been renting out. They are also self-employed and their rent-to-income ratio is ~4X (13.5K). Truck driver and self employed. One person has credit 720+, second applicant's name is there but no info. 100% on time payment, but credit card utilization is 32%, has 100K debt (auto + student loan)

I have informed them to provide 1) 2 years 1099, 2) 1 year bank statement (personal + business), 3) 1040 tax return for last two years, 4) if they have any profit & lost statement. This part I don't know who provide? Is this a third party company always provide for self employed business?

Is there also a way to check the status of the company in California business registry?

This is my second time hiring / screening for tenant for self employed.

I do have third applicant with w2 with 700+ credit, 6 years employment in Kaiser, and 6 years rental history but with rent to earn ratio is 3.2X.

Whom should I choose and all three of them applied with-in an hour after listing.

Thanks you very much for all the info.

I have a rental property in northern California. Current tenant's lease is expiring on June 30th, 2021 and they are not renewing.

1. What would be your recommendation to list the property. I still have another 5~6 weeks to go. If I list the property, do you think any future / prospective tenant will finalize before in-person visit? ( Even though the listing will have all pictures ).

2. Generally how much buffer time a landlord needs after an existing tenant moves out and before a new tenant moves in? 

3. Current lease mentioned an existing tenant to clean up the property before handing over the key. If the tenant cleans up and it is not satisfactory, the landlord needs to clean up the house again by professional cleaner. Can the landlord deduct the amount from the security deposit of the tenant?

4. For New listing, what should be the security deposit? Is it gonna be one month's rent or 1.5X or 2X rent?

5. Do you know where should I get a rental lease document including an addendum?

6. For e-signature / do you have any recommendation for free e-signature. I see docusign and a few other charges. If you happen to know, please let me know which are free and good.

Thanks!

I have been using cozy for my rental purpose. For rental renewal / addendum, I was already having template to use it and attach it with cozy for tenant to review. Any signing, I was using docu-sign. Is there any app which can provide different type of rental template, addendum ,  provide electronic signature and also get 1040 form for rental income reporting?

Primarily I was looking for free ones , not buildium / appfolio etc which charges as I have only 1 property to manage as of now.

Thanks

Being a first time landlord inspecting property for the first time raises few glitches and below are those. Need suggestion on how to communicate effectively to tenant by maintaining no law break. Property is located in  California.
1. Lease had a condition to maintain the garden, if not maintained, the landlord will hire a gardener at the tenant's expense. After 18 months during my first visit I have observed the backyard is not maintained, few sprinklers are not working etc. What should I be doing?
2. Lease also had tenants to mandatorily have renters insurance throughout tenancy. Tenant provided me 1 month's renters insurance before they moved in and after that I didn't ask for it, but during inspection, I do reveal that the tenant didn't carry renters insurance throughout the last 18 months. Other than my ask for them to carry future renters insurance, what should be done for the past period for which they breached the contract? Would that be treated as low priority to ask for?
3. They have placed a dish network (through dish tv) on the outside of the wall and I do see a very minor crack. What should I communicate? I have shown all those in front of my tenant, but haven't prepared an official report as of yet.
4. Tenant was provided with a few fire extinguishers, two carbon monoxide cum smoke detectors which were affixed to the wall. During inspection those were missing and the tenant was not able to tell where those fire extinguishers were and also have given a vague explanation of smoke cum carbon monoxide detector not working or was making sound and due to that they had to remove it without replacing batteries.
5. The garage was given with epoxy coating, now it looks like a lot of stains. Should I ask to be cleaned or not required.

Any idea / what should I ask for or what I described above can be ignored would be super helpful.

Thanks for all of your response. Today I have sent a check with the due amount and mailed him. I am definitely going to claim this money for my tax return and will see whichever best way I can deal this. 

Can I report this to contractor state liscense board? First of all I knew that he is not a liscense contractor, and I have searched for his name in the board and couldn't find it. I also read an article saying it is illegal for a non liscensed contractor to get money over $500. This info I came to know when I have been notified by the handyman that he will be taking this matter to the court. If anyway I can report about him not providing w9 or 1099 or anything, atleast this should not harm other people like me.

I totally agree at the time of selecting the handyman, I have asked verbally if he can provide receipt with tax ID/ssn and he said yes, but after work he is not, and there is nothing in writing which confirm he agreed upon to provide the same/tax ID.

Its my fault. Lesson learned. At the same time I am thinking if some way this can be reported and to whom as non liscensed contractor.

Thanks for all different input which made me more confident about what are the next steps I need to do and I chose not the bravest way to fight instead listen to what he said.

Debasish

Thanks for the update Eamonn. Today I have asked the small court to verify if a unlicensed handyman can file such complain to make sure if it's a threat or really he will file in the small court, the court says yes they can and it will be under "unjust enrichment". Also it seems for small court I can't hire any attorney. So at this moment I have no idea just by informing judge, saying handyman isnot issueing W9, I am not paying him the remaining 40%of the balance would be a valid reason I guess.

i know it's kind of side tracked and question is more towards small court case.

Any one has any input on this. Again I will not take anyone's idea as advice instead it will help me preparing myself.

Infact I tried to take help from attorneys and since no attorney can represent in small court case in California, no one is interested to provide any input.

Hey Bryan, thanks for the update. I have asked the handyman to provide me IRS -W9 form, again since he doesn't own a business he didn't have tax ID, on top of it he claims that this invoice is sufficient to file tax return, but he can't provide SSN to me. 

Since I have been negotiating with him to provide me a receipt with so and so info, he seems like saying me, to go to a small court for the money I owe to him. 

More over I have paid 60% of the money with check and the remaining putting on hold unless he provide me the receipt. Am I obligated not to do this or pay in full and then chase him to provide his SSN for tax purpose?

Its kind of weird, that he is taking this matter to settle in small court.

Any suggestion would be appreciable though I would not treat those as advise, anything I will do will be my sole decision.