All Forum Posts by: Sandy G.

Hi Aaron!  

I've found asking lots of pre-screening questions is extremely helpful.  You would be surprised what responses you get just by asking why do you want to move?  This has helped me weed out so many potential nightmare tenants just by their responses to that one question.  I next ask how soon they need to move.  If they say the need to move right away, it's also a definite red flag.  I then ask if their lease has already expired.  They often answer yes and then you know you potentially have someone that is most likely a holdover tenant that no longer has a deposit due to non-payment that is planning on staying where they are without paying rent until their current landlord takes action.  They continue withholding payment of rent to use as a deposit on their next apartment.  Not the kind of tenant anyone wants.  

Explain your requirements for qualification so they do not waste your time especially about how many month's rent is due upon move in and minimum income requirement.  We ask for the first month and 2 month's deposit.  Be sure they are aware of that prior to showing.  Other than no-shows, another waste of time is someone that does not have the 3 month's rent.  We used to accept 2 months and then set up a payment plan for the third month.  We quickly learned that if they do not have the full amount you are requiring at the time of rental, they never will. I also ask for 3 months of bank statements and paystubs.  You can discover a lot about their financial stability in those statements.  I actually had someone apply a couple of weeks ago that uploaded his bank statements that not only showed an NSF charge that month but also indicated over $700 in NSF charges YTD which equaled 21 NSF charges so far this year.  We use TurboTenant for screening & processing applications and you can list your rentals through their platform and it is broadcast over multiple other sites.  Be wary of tenants that fill out and pay for the online application (which now costs $55) without even speaking with you and not even knowing if the property is still available.  They potentially are trying to hide something by muscling their way in.  

My best advice.. ask as many questions as you can and go with your gut. If in doubt, keep looking.  Create a list of questions (there a plenty online) and go through it with every call.  As I have read here multiple times, better to have a vacant unit than risk a potential problem down the road the will cost you more.  It is so true.  Best of luck to you! 

We have tenants that signed a renewal notice back in October agreeing to a rent increase and continue their tenancy.  Current rental agreement was set to terminate on November 30.  New rental agreement was prepared and given to tenants for review and execution.  Tenants did not return signed rental agreement.  The 1st of December comes and goes.  On December 3 at 10 am, I sent a reminder text that it was the last day to pay without a late fee.  This when the stories begin... husband texts back wife and the kids got COVID and she was unable to work for 1 1/2 weeks.  Promised to pay on the 7th including the late charges that are growing day by day ($75 on the 4th and $25/day until all paid in full).  Crickets all day on the 7th.  Had to send reminder text.  Received text he hadn't been paid yet and would let me know when he has the money.  On the 10th I call both of them.  No answer.  What a surprise!  Then I receive a page-long text about not being able to go back to work and claiming she was hospitalized with pneumonia.  Husband never mentioned hospitalization.  Funny how you can't take my call but have time to type a long-winded text.  I avoid texting back and forth and prefer a phone call or in person.  Long story short, they promised to pay yesterday (14th) and did not.  I had to reach out again and I was told over the phone among other things they can not afford to live there anymore, want to use their deposit to pay the rent and plan on leaving in February.  I informed them they cannot use their deposit to pay rent as stated in the RA.  Unfortunately giving people the benefit of the doubt is not always best.  Lesson learned.  My concern is that they do not pay thinking they have a 2-month deposit and I get stuck with costs for repairs/damage, etc. and they could possibly stay beyond that without paying.  My question is since they did not return the signed new rental agreement, they are actually holdover tenants, correct since they did not return the new signed RA?  I have a holdover clause in my RA for double rent.  At what stage can I demand payment of the double rent?  Can I include it in the 3-day notice or perhaps when the eviction is filed, or both?  Seems like the rental amount demanded would need to be the consistent.  Hoping to convince them to leave knowing they could be held liable for double rent.  I plan on giving them a 3-day notice tomorrow.  If they had returned the new RA, the 2-month early termination clause would kick in.  I'm sure that's why they did not return the new executed RA.  But we all know that no matter how strong of a RA you have, tenants will ALWAYS leave whenever convenient for them.  It's clear now that they only signed the renewal to buy them some time to find a place and withhold rent so they could put money down.  They are under the impression they owe the new rental rate.  It appears the 3-day notice would demand payment of the previous rent not the increased rent.  Would really like to find a better solution and avoid the hassle but all signs are pointing to serving a 3-day notice.  I know it is the foundation of the eviction process here in Florida.  Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.