All Forum Posts by: Steve Nowak

Good point.  I guess it's harder to quantify the damage a tenant suffers from a missed appointment, whereas if a tenant misses an appointment and the technician send me a bill for the missed appointment, I have something actionable and can forward it to the tenant for reimbursement.

That said, if one of my tenants waited around for a long time for a no-show technician, I would probably offer some type of compensation, depending on the circumstance - even if the tenant didn't request it.

In my state, Landlords can flat out refuse subletting and/or assigning without having to provide a reasonable explanation.  As noted by another poster, laws about this vary by location.

One way to look at it: the tenant will pay more for the flexibility of a month-to-month tenancy.  That's not unreasonable, although in some situations the landlord rather than the tenant benefits more from such an arrangement.   The clause doesn't preclude you from later agreeing to a new lease for another fixed term at the same rate.

Some ones that I've added, based on experience:

Tenants are not to remove or disable smoke detectors, and are to test them periodically and promptly report issues.

Tenants are not to put grease, fat, or fibrous items in the garbage disposal.

No objects except toilet paper are to be flushed down the toilet - even items labelled "flushable."

Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the property, indoors or outdoors.  (If you are okay with outdoor smoking, maybe consider restricting it to designated areas, away from flammable material like mulch.  And require that butts are to be safety discarded).

No guests are allowed to stay over more than xxx nights within a year without prior approval.

If tenants fail to keep appointments with service technicians dispatched by me to the property, they will pay any missed-appointment fees.

Specify responsibilities for snow and ice removal, but consult with local laws and ordinances.

No subletting, and no Airbnb-type rentals.

I am not a lawyer, but it seems like a standard provision.  The last sentence means that if either the owner or agent don't honor the terms of the agreement and the other party is harmed as a result, then that party can sue the other party for damages suffered.  

As to whether the agreement is "safe to sign", only a qualified attorney should answer that after reviewing it entirely.

As others mentioned, be sure you are familiar with state laws governing residential leases.  A number of examples of California leases can be found through a simple Google search.  And consider hiring a landlord-tenant attorney to create a lease for you - it might be worth the investment.

I've never owned one, but I can share my experience as a former renter.  My first apartment was a garden-style unit.  Because it was partially in the basement, it regularly had a musty smell and eventually mold developed.  Granted, it was my first time living away from home.  I was a lot younger then and didn't have the best housekeeping habits.  But I would never want to live in one again.  If you're considering buying one, consider the potential maintenance costs.  They can be more prone to flooding, etc.

I have prospective tenants show me a copy of their credit report, issued in the past 30 days.  And then, after doing more research, if I feel strongly enough about someone, I'll pay for a background check.

If my tenants are reliable, I reach out to them four months before the lease ends and give them a month to decide. Lots of free lease extension forms and sample renewal offer letters can be found online.  But check what your current lease says about extensions: some leases automatically extend on their current terms unless termination notice is provided by s certain date.  Also, if you have exceptional tenants, you might want to consider foregoing a rent increase this time around.  

I have an HVAC technician come by one a year to inspect the system and perform the needed maintenance.