All Forum Posts by: Bettina F.

Be sure to post your 24 hour notice to enter (or whatever is required by your state laws) before you show up to change the locks. I had a inherited tenant who complained about mold in her bathroom. I took her at her word. Gave her a 30 day notice, since I did not want to chance my tenant or her children getting sick. We did a total remodel of the unit, fixed the leaking toilet and rotted sub floor. Raised the rent and got an awesome new tenant. You should consider doing the same. Can't take any chances with anyone's health! ;)

Originally posted by @Susan Goldthorp:

I have just downloaded the forms for Florida as I have been thinking for a while my forms and lease need updating. The paragraph on cannabis has me thinking. Possession of Medical Marijuana has been approved in my county and I am wondering how a landlord could ban a tenant from doing something that has been medically approved based on what the lease says? If the tenant produces a medical form showing they have been approved to purchase it would it make sense to have an addendum for their specific purpose?

I have not read the form, but you still are able to ban smoking on your premises.  Medical marijuana patients can use edibles.

I stole mine.  We looked a several different multifamily properties before we purchased.   We received copies of the  leases during the due diligence portion of the negotiations. It is amazing what you learn by reading leases.  One lease was far and above the best.  I took this lease, modified it for our situation, and entered it on our business computer so we have a fully editable document.  Last year, I finally had an attorney review it.  It passedreview and he even said he was going to steal some of my clauses.  

Originally posted by @Account Closed:

For me it's been bathtubs clogged from long haired females. In all honesty I am not as tough of a LL as many of you on BB, some of these problems I bring on myself being too damm nice.

Teach your tenants how to use a Zip-It tool and leave them with a supply.  I have fairly long hair.  In my personal residence i have to pop out the drain screen in the shower, and sweep the inside of the drain with an old toothbrush.  The amount of nasty gunk I get out is gross.   I wrap the gunk in old newspaper and dispose of in the trash.  I have to do this about every six months, but never have to call a plumber. 

I have surprised myself with my ability to fix appliances by looking at the videos at Appliance Parts Pros.  So visit this site, see if you can get a good idea of the problem and potential fix.  You will get the cost of replacement parts.  I am willing to try to fix any appliance that I can unplug!

However, I would probably just replace a 10 year old oven.  

See if you can get copies of  the move-in condition reports, if they exist.  We did not get these when we bought our building 4 years ago, and therefore could not charge for damages.

I would expect slow pay/no pay tenants if I were you.  This property sounds poorly managed if the "old school" LL is true to form based on what you describe.  I would not let this discourage you -- just expect it.  Sometimes upgrading tenants is the easiest upgrade of all.

We bought a poorly managed building 4 years.  Now the landscaping, common areas and 4 out 6 apartments are rehabbed/upgraded.  We raised rents and got much better tenants with the upgraded units -- but those first two years were busy.    Our two remaining inherited tenants are elderly and in poor health.   Keep all your inherited tenants on month to month rental agreements, and non-renew the no pays.  That will determine your remodeling schedule.

The laws in my state differentiate between a shared house/roommate situation and LL/tenant law.  Do some research and see if actual NY landlord/tenant law pertains to your situation.

Now you know why we do not rent to family and friends.  They just get take advantage of you -- especially when substance abuse is thrown in the mix.

Your email sounds fine to me.  Where you could get into trouble (if the tenant decided to make an issue of it) is going into his room to put his clothes on the bed, without proper notice to enter.  In the future, I would buy an extra laundry basket and just leave clean clothes from the dryer in the laundry basket.   Respect your tenant's privacy.  Did you actually remove the sheets to inspect the mattress?  

Damages should be billed as they occur.  The security deposit is for damages discovered after move-out.  If you do not bill damages as they occur, the SD could be used up, leaving you with nothing to cover any damages beyond normal wear and tear discovered after move-out.

You would be wise to make your rental space as tenant proof/friendly as possible.   Is he using his mattress to hide his valuables?  Consider buying and installing a small safe in the closet, like the kind they have for hotel rooms, where the tenant sets the code, or a locker where the tenant provides a small padlock.    If the safe has a master code, do not share that info with the tenant.   Just be sure that you have a way of accessing the locker or safe if the tenant moves out, leaving the safe/locker locked.  Bolt cutters can cut padlocks.

I am not independently wealthy. I am independently middle class.

Portland is LL hostile. Get informed if you are considering buying in Portland,