All Forum Posts by: Nancy P.

Depends on the person---personally I can smell a mouse for a loonnnnnnggggggg time.

I don't know how close your neighbors are,  but in my experience the other thing that makes a mouse show up in daytime?  It's been poisoned already (by said neighbor),  possibly by the kind that makes them seek water, bloat up, and die.  In which case the mouse may have just "passed on through"  by now,  is dead in the snow,  you'll find it's little desiccated body after the thaw.

@Dylan Mejo:  How does that work out?  If he gets paid every two weeks,  that's 26 times per year,  1/2 rent each, he's paid 13 months at the end of the year.  I've seen threads where landlords to that in order to get that extra month's rent per year,  basically calling it a late fee, but I'm not personally comfortable with that.  Do they just not pay you a third payment if it lands in a month?  (Which should happen twice a year?)

We own three,  on the same street,  they are called 1/2 duplex here.   Definitely worth it IMO, with caveats.  The first one,  the roof was bad,  but the design is that it's basically a townhome with a garage next to it,  so only the two garages shared a roof or wall.  It was so old there was no weaving a new roof into his.  He didn't want to reroof,  we asked if we could roof the entire garage as we truly had no other options. On OUR dime,  about $1800 we were offering him.  He said no,  so we were considering at least replacing the roof on the rest of it. And investigating other ways to separate our roofs,  but all would have needed his OK.    Then the rainy season came (he was also a new owner) and rain was coming in through his light fixtures.  Suddenly he was willing to reroof.  He wanted to go with the cheapest guy,  I didn't (been down that road before),  again offered him the price difference,  about $2K.   For some reason he decided to just pay his half on a reputable roofer.  The next two properties we made sure the roof was newer,  and I've made overtures to both owners that when they are willing to sell,  we'll be here.  I would far rather own both halves,  it's just not a thing here.

This thread reminded me of the contract law class I took in MBA school.  The professor said "You can see your neighbor for being ugly.  Ain't gonna go anywhere,  but you can sue".

Nathan:

If I ever had a smoker again I'd hire the ozone machine, I think. I washed with vinegar or TSP until the water ran clear. It just took about 8-30 passes to get to that point. We did replace (very newish) carpeting, but the main floor was hardwood and tile. A year after tenants moved in we decided to do the windows, when we did that the rest of the smell went away. Must have been more odor in the nooks and crannies of the windows (with those pane bar things) than I realized. Or just time.

Nathan:

What do you think rehab costs will be when the time comes?  We bought a smoke-encrusted condo and I spent over 150 hours personally washing walls, doors, ceilings. baseboards, everything.  THEN painted with Kilz and good paint.  Changed the carpet.  Changed the countertops.  Completely redid all three bathrooms. (MBR was incredible,  guy apparently smoked on the toilet. The white blind in there was black.  Moved out because he had lung cancer,  went to hospice.)   Painted kitchen cabinets. Cleaned the vents. New blinds throughout.   And still about 1/2 of people looking at it could still faintly smell smoke.  17 showings the first day on the market when we bought it,  we were the only ones making an offer,  we lowballed, they took it,  we thought we were so smart.  Never again will I make an offer on a place like that.  My eyes burned for three months.

Nathan G:

My husband and I were at a conference in Rotterdam yesterday. (well he was,  I went just for fun.)   When we arrived Sunday,  the room they gave us smelled horribly of smoke, and was cold as housekeeping left the window open.  We  politely requested,  and received,  a different room.  Actually a slightly nicer room,  and they also gave me 2 p.m. checkout so I could swim and sit in the saunas longer.  (wet and dry!).  We expected a nice room for the price paid,  and we got one.  I don't see that much difference between that and this tenant.  She pays rent,  she expects certain things.  Yes,  sure,  stuff happens,  but if she didn't cause it...why should she suffer,  anymore than I should have to stay in a smoke filled room?

I had tenants move in December 1 one year,  with a 2 year old and a 4 month old.  Next day tell me no heat.  THAT day I was replacing a furnace in another unit,  it was a cold snap and furnace guys were very busy.  My guy agreed to come in at 6 a.m. next day.  Furnace was 28 years old.   I brought four space heaters but they wouldn't use them,  fear of fire as they were still unpacking.   Didn't light a fire in the fireplace as opening flue when it's that cold is counter productive.  Stayed at the wife's mom's house.  She lives an hour away.  So, next morning,  find out the tenant had flipped a switch that TURNED THE FURNACE OFF.  But, my guy was there, offering me a decent discount,  I went ahead I replaced the furnace.   Space heaters were on while we worked,  but of course I turned them off as I left.  It was -20 outside.  When I left house was only 42.  They came back at 3 p.m.,  house was 57.  They threw a FIT and demanded a hotel because 57 could "kill their baby".  I laughed so hard when he called.  The husband was from Poland.  I said "I KNOW you know people with houses this cold in Poland,  and the babies don't die. That house got that cold because YOU TURNED OFF THE FURNACE.  Use the space heaters,  go to a hotel on your own dime, but I've more than done my duty."    Later the wife (the more reasonable one) told me it was 68 by bedtime.  I honestly am quick to offer help and relief,  and go beyond what the law requires.  But not in the face of stubborn idiocy.