All Forum Posts by: Account Closed

Found out today I have an infected tenant in a duplex. Funny, for all my thoughts towards the impact of the virus, I never thought to wonder how I was going to handle an infected building - duh. I guess I'm much better at fixing a door than I am at herding people.

So, I called the other tenants of course and let them know the building was confirmed infected and so far, have left it at that. I suspect the infected tenant will quarantine themselves but really, there is no way to know if they do that and probably I ought to expect they won't.

I am happy they had the courtesy to inform me they tested positive. To me that shows they are considering the safety of others and one better, are not so sick they can't even make a phone call. I pray they will get well very soon.

I need to send over some soup or something.

Man...

I have the same problem. I get stuck between being realistic about people and what they do and then what I want and know is right - lol.

For me it really comes down to keeping the property safe and personal items down to an amount I can fit in exactly one pick-up load.

As an attempt to make that happen, I built storage units that are specifically the size of one truck bed-full. But, that's just not enough for some people.

My particular problem tenant is good with pretty much everything else so...I've let them get away with it...which of course is the slippery slope that makes the inevitable showdown all that much harder. However, the showdown must happen.

Hoarding is a real thing. MOST people are hoarders if we count anything that gets used less than twice a year. I try very hard not to be hoarder and somehow my house fills with crap I really don't need, or really want either if I'm honest. The difference is a hoarder thinks they want all that stuff when in reality they only want to own it, not use it. People fail to recognize that at that point property becomes an expense, not a useful benefit to their lives.

Hardcore hoarders are an entirely different animal. You need a therapist to crack that nut.

Good luck. Expect a long story about how precious that property is to them and how you are just not a good person for asking them to put it in their bedroom closet if they think they want to keep it around - lol.

only made it through the first page...sorry...

I have zero problems with pets, I have serious problems with pet owners.

The problem is animals do not have the same rights as people and so then some people treat animals with cruelty, which happens to be their right to do so in many instances.

The result is if I were to allow pets, I would inevitably find myself in a moral argument with my tenant - no thanks.

I consider animals at a residence pets and animals kept in the barn livestock. Pets are family and livestock is food.

But the truth really is, if we get hungry enough, our pets become livestock - lol.

Me? I just say no. Didn't even have to get to the part where I consider the aspect of property damage.

But hey, if society decides to turn our urban residence areas into rural agricultural areas, I suppose I wouldn't object to that either. I think that means we live in the smell of poo, but I'm farmer blood so I'm good if that's what we need to do to make it all work. Perhaps the landlords can start marketing space for chickens and gardens and goats too! My neighbor has some chickens and they're actually adorable (pets for now - lol). I always wanted some goats myself - cut the grass for me.

Carpet is gross. People are realizing that more and more. That said, fresh carpet is 1000 times better than used carpet. I'd either not put carpet in and maybe match that adjacent room if possible or match the other carpet in the house - consistency throughout the house is never bad. Are people fussy at that price point? That buys a very nice house around here - one without cheap Berber carpet.

Happy Sales!

A lot has been covered already...

I suppose my biggest time saver is staying organized. I know where each and every tool I own is at all times. I also have what I call discipline bins, one for painting, one for plumbing, one for electrical, one for tile, etc. I find the higher-quality plastic bins work great for this - I can stack them and they're pretty inexpensive.

One of my favorite tools is my toolbox. It's a Rubbermaid and I can't seem to find them anymore. It's the right size and durable plastic, strong enough to stand on and light enough to lug around (it's still heavy). I put all my general hand tools in it. I'm not a fan of metal or anything fancy - one simple top tray with a deep bottom section is right for me.

In addition to my toolbox I use a job bag. I fill it with the specific tools and parts I need for task so I don't have to lug around my toolbox if I don't want or need to.

I have a drill bag that has my drill, drivers and some bits. I organize that with smaller Klein bags - one for hand-drivers and one for specialty bits and drivers. In this way, I can throw my main bit driver into my main bag and I never have to spend time looking for it because it is not mixed in with a bunch of other small things. 

I too love my oscillating tool - I don't leave home without it. We call it the "fine" tool around these parts. Probably because it does fine work, but maybe because Fein makes one too - who knows. Love it for all sorts of stuff, especially making surgical cuts in drywall. Mine is a Rockwell and I've had it for years without replacement.

Full circle back to being organized, the best tip I might give is putting tools back right away and always. I take time to reorganize and clean up a job site multiple times during a day. I suppose some guys are more like a tornado and just clean it all up once at the end of the day or even at the end of a job, but those guys are always looking for stuff - I enjoy laughing at them while they call me slow.

As a tiny-tip, I use a scratch awl to make a small starter hole for screws when doing precision work where it's important the screw goes in an exact spot - like installing a small hinge for instance. Depending on the task, sometimes it works as the starter hole and sometimes it just marks the exact spot for the pre-drill - keeps the screw or pre-drill from getting squirly too. Fantastic when drilling into metal.

Finally I might say the thing that saves me the most time is knowing what I'm doing. I work half as hard and get more done than the young peeps.

I suggest you require proof of insurance and have a contractor fill out a W9 before hiring.

Get off BP and call the cops.

Out of control is right.

Some serious hypocrisy going on. All over. In this thread too.

I keep hearing this word...reasonable, reasonable, reasonable...hmm...I hear it, I hear it, but I sure don't see it. Too subjective perhaps?

Perhaps you require your tenants be tested as covid free? Would that be reasonable?

Perhaps have them sign a hold harmless document towards others that may infect them when they enter. Would that be reasonable?

How about something that they will take responsibility when you catch it? Would that be reasonable?

Then only after all that, buy a unit at lowes, have it ready at the curb, and go install the damn thing yourself. Or better, buy a couple junkers off craigslist and keep them in the garage. Probably get 5 for $500, maybe 10 for $500. Then keep replacing them and leave them in the yard to pile up. Paint them pink or green or purple or all three. Or even better, spray paint FU on them. Or Lawyers Suck. OOOO, even better, No Renewal 4U.

Some people say "high class" tenants are better. Nope. They suck too. Maybe more.

Most people would be "reasonable" by hanging a line in the laundry room and drying clothes old-school when all reasonable efforts to replace the dryer and stay safe were exhausted during a global pandemic. I have a friend who is washing his clothes in the tub, but he can operate a toaster too so...

I feel for ya. Best of luck. It'll work out. Hope I at least made you feel better.

Well, I was starting a thread on this stuff, like a comprehensive resource sort of thing, and just before I posted it thought to maybe check to see if there already was one. Well, here it is, started by BP no less (bravo) and nobody is participating. Sigh. I'm not sure what to think of that. Bad title perhaps? Thread/forum dynamics? I dunno. This site is full of blowhards? LOL

My thread was going to start here and hopefully it would work from there, I'm sure BP has this one already, but will post it anyways.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/

And the link to my state

https://www.wisconsin.gov/Pages/Home.aspx

Personally I find the information that has been offered so far from pretty much all sources has been vague and leaves a lot of questions. Questions like what can be done when a person falls between the cracks or is having trouble receiving aid.

Some great replies IMO. What stands out to me here is he called you without worry that they were calling you. That suggests to me that they in fact just had a relapse and (for now) do not intend on doing more meth. It might not mean that at all though. That said, now you know you have a person willing to do illegal drugs, and hard ones at that, and one of the worst when it comes to property damage, and one of the worst when it comes to kicking the habit. This would be a massive red flag for me. Meth/Opium/Cocaine - in that order IMO, are the ones that really get people into the sort of trouble that spills on to other people easy.

All said, he is reaching out to you for help. I would try to help if it were me. I would help as the right thing to do for a person I came across and who asked for/needed help, and I would help because it would put me in a position to protect my property. I would also understand the wisdom of a landlord that would take a hands-off approach too. Both approaches require their own steps.

LOL - I don't do stuff like that but I do know the up for three days thing is real with meth. The other thing that is real is they might disassemble your property. My brother had a meth head that disassembled the furnace and could not put it back together right.