All Forum Posts by: Heidi Kenefick

Thanks Matthew- there are four other tenants in the house and they haven’t seen her. I feel like a phone call, text, email, and message on FF is pretty sufficient. I’m wondering if something happened to her- because I mean, it seems strange that someone that was very responsive and paid the deposit weeks in advance would ghost me. Doesn’t make sense.

Thanks Theresa that is EXCELLENT advice and I will do that. It’s not a large deposit, only $100 for travel nurses. My longer term tenants I charge $1000. I might increase it going forward in case this happens again. 

My lease states that if the tenant breaks the lease early- they need to pay the rent owed until I am able to secure a new tenant for the space. So technically, she would owe me $850 for the room for May- assuming I can get someone in there this month. I’m never going to see that money. I have no way of enforcing it without going to court which would cost more money. I think going forward I am going to add a clause that if the tenant does not show up the lease will be considered null and void with in 7 days, and any paid fees will be forfeited. Technically I don’t need to evict her since she isn’t there. 

Is there a legal notice I need to send her or is just an email stating since I have not heard from her and she has not paid rent or moved in the lease is being canceled? 

Yes I told her in the email that may rent is late and if she is coming she needs to pay it prior to arrival. If I don’t get a response by Monday I’m going to allow the other tenant to move into the larger room and send another email that I’m canceling her lease. 

i just hope she is okay, this is so strange.

Hi-

I have a house that I rent out by the room, and usually a couple of those rooms stay full with travel nurses. I have a RN who paid the application fee, and paid the cleaning fee and security deposit and prorated rent for April (one day, move in was the 30th), but then did not show up. She has not paid May rent, as it was not due until May 1. The other tenants say they have not seen her. I have called, texted, messaged on FF, and emailed her, all without a response.  She did sign a 3 month lease (I require this of everyone). Am I obligated to keep the room for her for 3 months in case she comes? Should I assume she is not coming and re-list the room? Never had a tenant no show, especially after paying some of the fees in advance. Any advice on how to proceed? One of the tenants in a small room would like to move to the room she had rented as it is much larger.... 

@Alex Ng

If you have 150k to work with why not buy 3 properties using financing for around 200-300k each and put in 50k for down payment and closing costs?

I think you’ll find a higher quality house, since you want turn key, with less Maintence, and probably better tenants.

Buying cheaper for cash is more risky. You will probably get an older house with a lot of Maintence and probably not so good tenants.

I buy in a tertiary market in NC and have found great turn key for under 150k, but I used to live there, know the market and have friends in the area for when **** hits the fan and it always does!

@Richard F.

There is not an HOA master policy because this isn't a condo. It's a townhouse. Every owner is individually responsible for everything on their units on the inside and outside. The HOA just does lawn care basically.

@Greg M.

Thanks that’s helpful.

I live out of state, and have never been in the unit. It was inspected prior to purchase and I replaced everything old or worn out. It was the hot water heater that leaked and it was while vacant. The HOA manager turned the water off, I spent 4 hours calling not only the emergency maintenance line for my PM but when I failed to get a clear time line of when they would arrive hired a locksmith to unlock the unit and a water mitigation company to come. However the PM did get my emails/messages/calls and sent the maintenance man over and the locksmith found him inside after popping the back door open. I was literally willing to drill the locks to get this cleaned up asap. There was no way this could of been predicted. The HOA manager told me the area of water in The adjacent unit was very small.

Now that owner is talking about mold could grow etc. the unit was dried so I doubt that will happen.

My insurance doesn’t cover leaks from water heaters- I checked. And my unit had no damage, which I was grateful for since I just put in new LVP floors in July. If I file a claim, my rates will go up for all my rentals and all future rentals for the next 5 years. Plus it is not covered, and the area of concern will cost less than the deductible to fix.

I do feel bad, but I also need to be smart when it comes to business and filing a claim when it’s actually listed in the excluded clause on the insurance documents seems like a bad business decision.

A unit I own out of state, which is vacant at the moment, had a leak. I wasn’t initially able to reach the PM, but eventually did and they went out and dried up the water. There was no damage to my unit so I did not file an insurance claim.

The water went through the wall into the neighbors unit (she called the HOA) which is how I learned of the leak in the first place. She is afraid mold will now grow and says the baseboards are coming off the wall. She would like my insurance company to fix it.

My insurance company says without filing a claim and having an adjuster do an investigation they cannot tell me if 1. The leak is covered or 2. If her unit is covered. The leak most likely is not covered based on the source of the leak and what I read in my policy documents.

I suggested to the neighbor she contact her own insurance as I am not filing a claim. She was not thrilled because she says she will have to pay $1000 and it’s my fault. While I do feel bad, and if the shoe were on the other foot might even feel the same, I am not sure how to proceed or if I am liable or if this a just a risk of living in a town house?

Thoughts? Advice?

@John Morgan

Thanks for the advice. I was 1/2 and 1/2 about accepting him or not, but he was up front about it and agreed to smoke outside and not on the property at all. The benefit of accepting him is that he wants a longer lease and the majority of the leads I have had have been dead ends or for only 3 months. I’m still learning so we shall see how this goes.