All Forum Posts by: Marcia Maynard

I'm not a flipper, but I know appliances. Dishwashers are the one appliance I would not buy used. Been there, done that. You don't need to spend much to buy a new dishwasher. Used ones are risky and usually don't last that long. Installation of a new one is easier too. I'd rather install one new one, than do two installs on two used ones. But I'm not much of a gambler.

We received an inquiry email that was overly wordy, red flags, etc. I checked out the person via internet sources. They had a history of frivolous law suits. Their thing was to get to "see" the property and then have an "accident" on the property and sue. Trust your instincts.

Something to note, you need to have the proper range hood to match the appliance. Typically a range hood for a gas range will need to draw more CFM than that for an electric range, so get a good range hood. We have never had a problem with carbon monoxide in our units, from the ranges, furnaces, or hot water heaters. We always buy quality appliances and have them professionally installed. In addition, our natural gas utility company is quick to share resources and check out the gas appliances if there is ever a suspected problem.

If the WLA meetings did not conflict with my work schedule (my full time professional job) then I would. However, I do regularly attend the CCRA monthly dinner meetings on the last Tuesday of the month. You can find out more about that on the CCRA website. I get a lot out of those meetings. There is always a presenter... fire marshall, landlord-tenant law attorney, drywall repair specialist, pest control specialist, etc. I also like to hear the legislative updates on bills being voted on in our state legislature. I donate to the lobbying effort to keep Washington State laws landlord friendly. Hope to meet you at one of these events!

This happened to a friend of mine. Tenant had relatives living in a RV in the back yard and hooked up utilities from the house. City code enforcement got wind of it and it triggered a huge code violation. The tenant had significantly messed with the plumbing and electrical. I helped my friend legally evict the tenants.... oh, they also had 3 pitt bulls... without the tenants doing any further damage. Also helped my friend work with the code enforcement office and rectify the damage by coordinating licensed plumbing and electrical contractors. Whole house had to be rewired and brought up to current code because tenant had spliced into the electrical panel and aluminum wiring that had otherwise been intact. Cost the owner about $6,000.

It is our policy to not allow contractors into occupied units without either the tenant, owner or owner's representative present. We would never leave a key. We have a duty to keep the keys secure. We will however leave a key in a lockbox on an empty unit. We change locks upon new tenant move in.

We too designate an order by which we apply payments. Ours is:

"PAYMENTS. All payments made by Tenant to Landlord after the tenancy commences, no matter how designated by Tenant, will be applied as follows: First to any outstanding amounts for damages/repairs, utilities, etc.; second, to any outstanding service charges and fees from prior months; third to any rent outstanding from prior months; fourth, to any service charges or fees due in the current month; and lastly to the current month's rent."

I serve the notices in a timely manner. If the tenant is attentive and makes good on the amount due, they get to stay. If it goes past the 15th of the month or they are avoiding me, playing games or disrespectful, I move forward to get them out. I tell them, it's not personal, it's business. I also give them information on community resources and we talk with them about a move-out plan. Note, we use month to month rental agreements and our state allows for tenant or landlord to give the other party 20-day notice prior to the end the rental period tenancy to end tenancy, no cause required. We can move forward sooner with 3-day (pay rent or quit) and 10-day (non-conformance) notices when we can show cause. Of course if there are extenuating circumstances why the tenant is late and we put in place a solid plan for repayment, then we may be more lenient.

At the start of tenancy did you and the tenant sign a disclosure on mold and moisture hazards?

Did you give the tenant the EPA booklet "A Brief Guide To Mold, Moisture, and Your Home"? The booklet is an excellent resource and costs only 50 cents a copy. I give a copy to every tenant. A pdf of the booklet is available on line for free. Check it out. Also available in Spanish.

You have responsibility to provide a habitable dwelling. The tenant has responsibility to take action to prevent mold and mildew. Also to clean on a regular basis.

In Washington State, at the time the lease is signed, the landlord must provide the tenant with information provided or approved by the department of health about the health hazards associated with exposure to indoor mold. (see RCW §?59.18.060). That's law in Washington State. Any similar requirement in your state?

The Washington State Department of Health publishes a free two page form "Got Mold? Frequently Asked Questions About Mold" with signature/date lines for Landlord and Tenant. Quite informative and gives instructions on clean up. It's not state specific, so you may find it helpful.

All of our rental agreements include this Mold Warning Statement: "Mold may grow and exist in any structure where there is, or ever has been, a presence of moisture and a food source for mold to grow. Its presence may exist without the knowledge of the structure owner and may be concealed from the untrained observer. Some varieties of mold are toxic and may cause adverse reactions in certain individuals." With our signature, we attest that we have no knowledge of mold or moisture hazards in the unit. If there were, then we would have to disclose what we know.

You can be proactive from the get go and you must do what you can to prevent and remediate mold in your units. Good luck!

Hello Chris! Welcome. My husband and I have been in the biz for about twenty years here in Vancouver. Single Family Homes and Duplexes and an 8-Plex. We may want to sell one of our duplexes in the Rose Village neighborhood of Vancouver. Looking for another property closer to our home for the 1031 exchange. If we decide to sell it I will let you know. Do get involved on Bigger Pockets and also network locally. The Clark County Rental Association is a good organization, you are welcome to come to one of the monthly dinner meetings; we have good speakers. There is also the Washington Landlord Association. So many opportunities to network and learn and share! All the best to you!

The most effective rent raise letter is short and to the point with the option for the tenant to call if they have any concerns. We have a few versions depending on the situation. A raise rent letter is bad news to the tenant and belaboring a landlord's rationale only makes it worse. We choose not to raise rent every year and we do so only if we need to. The tenants know that and respond well when we do need to raise rent, even if we need to make a significant jump in the amount.

Here's my wording:

"It has been well over a year since the last increase in your rent. You may be aware that rental rates have increased significantly in our area during that time. We have experienced increased costs for maintenance, repairs, utilities and taxes. Therefore, we must increase rent for the dwelling you occupy. This notice is given on the date of:______ Effective date of change in rent:_______ New rent: _____. We value you as a tenant. If you feel you have special circumstances that you would like to discuss with us, please call our office."

This letter works every time and no one has ever called us to discuss their "special circumstances." We also give them 60 days notice instead of the required 30 so they can plan better for the adjustment.