All Forum Posts by: Jennifer A.

Good suggestion Mary, but she doesn't meet my screening requirements.  She was just evicted from another apartment within the last 6 months. 

Thanks everyone for responses so far!

I refused to dismiss the action against her so it goes to trial next Friday.

To make it clear, when I issued the 14 day notice, the actual tenant had given me money orders for about half of October rent.  I've accepted no rent after that (although Wisconsin law says I can without damaging my eviction case).  I have not been paid at all for November.

The unauthorized roommate is saying that she's paid through November because she paid all of September's rent and the half of October that I've received.  Essentially she's saying that my tenant has paid nothing since August and all the payments since then have been hers.  She thinks that if she pays her half I cannot evict her, just the actual tenant.

I didn't just do a 30 day notice to terminate because I have no confidence they would move out at the end of that 30 days.  Despite two notices saying their tenancy is terminated and multiple messages with them, they will not move out.  It would have resulted in me starting an eviction at Christmas and I would have lost another month. 

Long story short.  My inherited tenant moved someone in in mid-June without my knowledge.  No written lease as refused to sign one (I should have terminated then but was paying in full).  Only after serving the 5 day notice in September (which was cured) and then the 14 day notice for non-payment of October rent (only half was paid prior to my 14 day notice) am I informed there is a roommate.  As a result, I included the roommate's name on the eviction (even though I have no agreement with that person).  The roommate is fighting the eviction as she claims she paid rent through December by paying all of September and half of October. 

The law doesn't address whether or not she is actually a tenant.  To be safe, I included her on the eviction and she maintains that was improper and is trying to get it dismissed.  Thoughts?

On the other hand, she is now arguing that I can't evict her because she's paid her September, October and November rent.  Her allegation seems to be that I only have the grounds to evict the actual tenant who failed to pay his half of September, October and November.    Thoughts?

It is my opinion that both are ridiculous arguments, but the law doesn't address these questions.

We had a tenant of 5 years just move out.  I have a question about I can charge my former tenants for and would like your opinions. 

1.  Older windows in the home.  Several storm windows broken.  Several screens are ripped.  We have decided that rather than replace the storm windows we are going to replace all the windows.  Obviously we can't and won't charge them for the cost of all new windows.  Would you charge them for the cost of the broken windows?  Forget it since you are replacing all the windows?

2.  Stove.  The stove is blackened to the point that it probably cannot be cleaned.  The flat top is so black that probably cannot be cleaned either.  That said, we will try to clean it.  We just bought the stove/oven 4 years ago for them brand new.  If it cannot be reasonably cleaned, would you charge them the cost of the stove?

3.  There are old built in cabinets in the dining room/living room.  They have large square knobs.  A majority of those knobs are missing.  If I can find new ones, I'll simply charge them the cost of those knobs.  If I can't find them, what, if anything, would you charge them?

4.  The tub was reglazed before they moved in and was in pristine condition.  The tub is now so filthy I'm not sure it can be cleaned.  If not, do you charge them to reglaze it again?

We are not charging them for the siding which their children drew on or the walls as we will be repainting the entire home and residing the house (old siding and might as well do it since we have to do the windows).  We are also not charging them for new carpet (it was new when they moved in), but it's been 5 years and carpet only has a certain lifespan.  There are a ton of other damages that we will not be charging.  They did NOT clean before they left at all.  There is excessive dirt and cobwebs everywhere.   So, we will be hiring a company to clean and will charge them that cost (as opposed to doing it ourselves and trying to charge our time).

I have my first tenant turnover in 5 years and I would like some thoughts as I move forward.  First, prior to the tenant occupying the property, this house was majorly rehabbed with new carpeting in living room, new luxury tile in kitchen, new appliances, new bathroom (tile, floors, cabinet, toilet, etc.), hardwood floors were immaculate and the entire house was painted top to bottom.

These tenants have been very physically hard on the property.  Their kids have written on the walls with crayons, the vanity installed 5 years ago has been scratched to the point it needs to be repainted (it is white and a lot of paint has been scratched off), the caulking around the sink and tile has turned black, the hardwood floors are extremely dirty and will likely need to be sanded and stained and the carpet must be replaced.  Plus, the stove that was new when they moved in is filthy and has been damaged by their cast iron pots they sometimes use (gouges out of the surface).

That said, they've lived in this property for 5 years so some wear and tear is expected.  Of what I have explained above, what do you think is normal wear and tear versus excessive?  How do you draw the line?  My husband is livid that the carpet needs to be replaced and we will need to sand and stain the floors, but carpet isn't supposed to last forever anyway.

In my state an LLC must be represented by an attorney in court. You can't represent yourself. So in an eviction you might be forced to hire counsel rather than do it yourself.

Mine used to be $50 for late rent.  However, I had some tenants that once the rent was late and there was no ongoing late fee accrual, they felt not need to prioritize rent.  It didn't cost them any more to pay rent on the 10th than it did on the 5th.  Now I've got a $50 late fee and anything paid after the 10th of the month is a $50 late fee plus $10 a day thereafter.

In the last 6 years, I've only had 3 people leave:

1.  Getting married and moving to his house;

2. Built a house (only did a 3 month lease as we knew they just needed housing for a few months); and

3.  Job transfer out of county.

I have one tenant that uses Zelle and it’s great. Basically instantaneous. 

I have done this for a tenant in the past with cash flow issues. They couldn’t even keep up with that. It was the monthly payment amount plus late fees divided by 2. My tenants were paid twice a month not bi-weekly.