All Forum Posts by: Jacky Johnson

My tenant has given me a 30-day notice on 10/1 to move out by tonight (10/31). However, when I went to do a final inspection tonight, he still hasn't finish packing and moving his belongings. After I questioned him why, he told me he still has a lot to do and will store his belongings at a self-storage space and then start to appeal to emotions and say how he has been paying rent on time for almost 10 years, how a faithful Christian he is, how he has been paying contractors to fix problems instead of me paying them (he never notified me when he did it), how he has replaced my old worn mini blinds with his new mini blinds at no charge (but without notifying me when he did it), and tell me to give him some more time. After touring the house, I consider he probably cannot move all his stuff out by tonight and so I gave him two days of extension (until 11/2) but will start deducting his security deposit at a prorated basis starting 11/3 if he still can't move out by 11/2. We both verbally agree and confirmed via text messages. What do you all think about my approach to this situation?

Won't the utilities be paid in full by the tenant for the time they used them until they move out? The services are under their name right?

Hello I have tenants who gave me a 30-day notice and is about to move out in the next 2 days. I know I need to do a final inspection and tell them to return the keys and I return the security deposit. Do I need to tell them to stop all utility accounts like electricity, water, garbage...etc. When should I start my own utility accounts if I (the landlord) want to move in immediately? What other considerations should I be aware of? Thank you!

I'm not responsible for any of the tenant's utilities. I just don't want to slap with a like $400 garbage bill after he leaves?

I have a long-term month-to-month tenant who gave me a 30-day notice 2 days ago in writing to voluntarily terminating his tenancy at the end of this month (10/31). I know I need to give him back his security deposit minus any repairs within 21 days after he leaves, but is there anything else I need to beware of? How should I tell him to terminate his electric, water, and garbage bill? Should I send him a letter now saying that he has the right to an initial move-out inspection so landlord and tenant can be present so landlord can point out what he needs to repair for he to get more of his security deposit back? What else do I need to do besides the tasks above? Thank you.

I have a single family home rented out. I want to know what should be the minimum amount of rental property coverage an owner should have. What is the minimum amount of coverage for dwelling, structures, personal property, fair rental value, personal liability (each occurrence), and medical payment to others? I currently have 1 million for personal liability (each occurrence) and $1000 for medical payment for others. My policy currently includes extended replacement cost coverage and building code upgrade coverage and also includes premise liability, workers comp, personal injury, and water backup and sum discharge or overflow. In addition to these, what other coverage may an owner need for single family home rental property? Thanks!

If I (the landlord) haven't increased the security deposit for a few years now after increasing the tenant's rent annually and now I want to increase it to match the amount of tenant's current monthly rent, how should I do it? Should I send the tenant an email describing it that constitutes a 30-day notice to increase the security deposit? Or should I send a certified mail or deliver it in person? What other requirements do I need in this situation to increase the security deposit? What if the tenant refused to pay? Thanks.

I have had a tenant who installed several wireless surveillance cameras and motion detectors on the property without my approval or express written consent. Does this situation fall into the clause on the lease "Except as provided by law, no repairs, decorating or alterations shall be done by Resident without Owner/Agent's prior written consent. Resident shall notify Owner/Agent in writing of any repairs or alterations contemplated."? Has he breached the lease? What should I do in this situation?

I recently plan to have a residential project done by licensed contractors. I've read some books on how to hire contractors and some of them taught me that besides checking contractors are licensed, bonded, and insured, I need to have a contract that has written terms allowing the owner/agent to supervise the job, cancel the contract within 3 days, a start date, completion date, model number of appliances, late completion penalties, statements holding contractor responsible for obtaining all necessary permits and inspection approvals, cleanup procedures, payment schedule, waiver of mechanic lien...etc. It appears that contractors don't even have these statements on their contracts these days, or they only have estimates and terms regarding those estimates that don't include these statements. Some personnel working under their owner's contractor's license has never heard of mechanic liens and if I inquires about the above requirements, they're saying I'm asking too many questions and asked if I want the job done or not. 

I'm not sure if I'm going too much by the books because the reality deviates so much from the books. How should I handle this situation when hiring contractors? Thanks!

I'm a new landlord and I'm not sure how assertive I should be as a landlord. I felt sometimes I have to wait for the tenant's response to make decisions and sometimes if the tenant takes a long time to respond, I felt stressed. Or should I make most of the decisions and tell the tenant "hey, this is the way it is."?

For example, recently the tenant called pest control to trap, poison, and got rid of rats suddenly taken a living under the house without me knowing and later he requested me to pay for his invoice but in the lease it clearly says “Resident shall refrain from making service requests to maintenance personnel unless Resident is directed to do so by Owner/Agent”. I and the tenant don't have a pest control agreement so I'm not sure if he is breaching the lease. 

How assertive should I be in this situation or as generally as a landlord?