All Forum Posts by: Bettina F.

Originally posted by @Kim Herrick:

@Bettina F. you are right I just checked the registery only because it was mentioned to me.  The tenant will most definitely mention it to any new or potential tenants. 

Since I was told I am assuming I have to disclose this to tenants right? I would want to know. 

No, you do not have to disclose.  It is up to the applicant to check the registry.  I have never had this come up from one of my applicants,   I only thought to check the registry AFTER I bought my building.  I don't know how your state's system works, but mine shows a map.  Every neighborhood has at least one or two dots indicating a sex offender.  You can click on the dot and see the offender's face and read what they were charged with.  You stated that this duplex was near a school.  He probably did not do a crime against children if he is allowed to live near a school.  

These sex offender registries give people a false sense of security anyway.   Just provide adequate locks that you change between tenants and adequate lighting and you will be fine from a LL liability standpoint.  You biggest problem will be the nosey tenant -- sounds like she is already acting as though she owns the property.

Originally posted by :

The tenant tells me the next door neighbor is a convicted sex offender but hey don’t think he did it. His girlfriend has a track record of getting her exes in trouble...Oy vey! I’ve never had to deal with this before. That is a pretty serious charge that will definitely discourage tenants with children maybe even single woman.  Any advice? 

I seriously doubt that your applicants will even check the registry.  When was the last time YOU checked the registry for your address?  This is nothing that you have to deal with, other than make sure you provide secure locks and adequate exterior lighting at night.

Originally posted by @James Barnhart:

This is another reason why I ONLY rent to anyone on a month to month basis.  Either the tenant or the landlord can terminate the rental agreement with a 30 day written notice. .....  

Please tell me again why people think leases on houses are a good idea for a landlord.  I have seen many reasons on BP that convince me otherwise.   They mostly benefit the tenant.  

I agree.  We also only rent month to month. Focus on making your places easy to turn over rather than trying to keep tenants who do not want to be there.  We have not found that we have increased turnover with month to month arrangements.

Originally posted by @Glenn Kopensky:

Thanks everyone.  Even if I pay him (not on the lease) to leave, I still have to go through the eviction process against the person on the lease. She is in jail.

Get the tenant to sign a release of possession.  Then you will not have to evict.

Yes, we have "shown grace" for single instances for long term tenants -- but we never do it without letting the tenant know we are doing him/her/ze a favor this ONE time.   The key is letting the tenant know you know about the damage or violation and are not afraid to address it.  That way you stay off that slippery slope!

Of course you are free to go" no pets" but have a dog for yourself. When we bought our building, several tenants had pets. As the inherited tenants moved out, we upgraded the units and went no pets. We explained to new tenants that some tenants in unimproved apartments, had grandfathered pets. People accepted this without complaint. If it becomes an issue, you can always call your dog an ESA!

I am not in Pennsylvania, and have never heard of this particular program.  I am, however, married to a man who worked in a Community Mental Health Center for 40 years.  His agency had programs like this that would come and go depending upon funding.  The general pattern is that 1) the state has an incentive to close beds at the state hospital in order to save money, 2) a new program (usually associated with a university) is written about in the research journals that purports to save money and have great outcomes for the clients 3) the state wants the local mental health agencies to start this program, but the state does not provide the budget to adequately staff and resource the program like the university did 4) the program is instituted with great fanfare and many promises.  There is usually a glowing story written about the new program in the local newspapers. 5) the program limps along with inadequate resources and poor outcomes.  Landlords start dropping out, then there is a scandal when there is a murder, or suicide among the poorly supervised mental health clientele. 6) the program quietly dies, the patients go back to the state hospital.  A few years later, a new program is written about in the research journals, and the cycle starts again.

My husband was particularly incensed at the bureaucrats insistence that the chronically mentally ill are employable.  A "good outcome" is having them stay on their meds and keep out of the hospital; expecting them to be employed and self supporting is unrealistic.

I would not participate in this program unless my lease was with the (sue-able) mental health center -- not the client.   Expect high levels of property filth and damage.  Have regular inspections written into the lease with damages paid by the agency -- let them try to collect from the client.  Use an attorney and make sure your are protected if the client never is able to sustain employment.  Make the agency responsible for eviction costs and for finding a new home for the client.  Have hold-harmless language written into the lease to release you from liability if the client causes problems in the neighborhood. Be very well compensated for the extra risks and costs you will incur.

Church. In my area, we have repurposed theaters, retail space and bowling alleys into churches. Space is easy to repurpose and more adapted to current styles of worship.

Originally posted by @Johann Jells:

Sounds like the landlord is scamming the kids. You don't clog a drain with hair in 6 months. The clog from hell below took like 10 years!  My wife accused me of contributing with my short scalp and body hair, I say BS.

 I think I will post that photo on my refrigerator to help with my diet.  That is one of the most disgusting things I have ever seen.

I know some LLs do an in-home inspection of their applicant's current residence, knowing that their rental will look and smell like their current residence in 4 months time.  Some LLs come up with an excuse to stop by to have a form signed or something, just to get a peek at the yard and inside the house as they stand on the front steps.  Some LLs are very up front and just tell applicants that there will be a quick inspection.  Things do not have to be white glove clean, but you should feel comfortable eating a sandwich prepared in their kitchen.  This is also a way to find out if they lied about being non-smokers, forgot to tell you about their 10 kids, or their pit bulls.

If you plan on doing Section 8, you should check out the responsiveness/ reputation of the Housing Authority.  I have heard that some are horrible to work with, others are OK.