All Forum Posts by: Sameerah Baker

@Carl Fredrickson @Colleen F.. Thank you for your response AND civility, which seems to be lacking in “others”. 

@Account Closed Wow..according to you I’m a liar, I’m stupid and I’m  delusional. I guess it must be true since you are clearly an expert in all of them. 

@Account Closed I implore you...go back and re-read my original post maybe 3, 4, 5, 100 times. If you do you will see that I wasn't looking for agreement; I was looking for suggestions. Maybe in the end the consensus is to just let it go. I can live with that. But what I can't and won't live with is some random climbing up on his high horse and talking down at me. Who died and made you landlord king? No one! You don't know me and I don't know you. Last I checked, this forum is for mature adults to exchange ideas, advice and suggestions about "General Landlording and Rental Properties". Clealy by your rants (in this post and others) you are neither mature nor an adult. And since your ignorance is showing, here's some free advice (no charge this time)....make sure you know what a term really means before you go using it in a sentence. The definition of slum lord is below for your reading pleasure; that way you sound somewaht intelligent when you go to use the term the next time. Now run along and have a nice life.

A slumlord is an unscrupulous landlord who milks a property without concern for tenants, neighborhoods or their own long term interests. Slumlords overcharge for property in poor neighborhoods that is kept in poor repair and allowed to deteriorate. Some indicators of property run by a slumlord include number of police calls, and city and county code violations on the properties.

The following is an example of a state statute defining slumlord property:

" 3. "Slumlord property" means residential rental property that has deteriorated or is in a state of disrepair and that manifests one or more of the following conditions that are a danger to the health or safety of the public:

1. Structurally unsound exterior surfaces, roof, walls, doors, floors, stairwells, porches or railings.
2. Lack of potable water, adequate sanitation facilities, adequate water or waste pipe connections.
3. Hazardous electrical systems or gas connections.
4. Lack of safe, rapid egress.
5. Accumulation of human or animal waste, medical or biological waste, gaseous or combustible materials, dangerous or corrosive liquids, flammable or explosive materials or drug paraphernalia."

In another example, one city defines slum property as having structurally unsound exterior surfaces, roof, walls, doors, floors, stairwells, porches or railings; lack of potable water, adequate sanitation facilities, adequate water or waste pipe connections; hazardous electrical systems or gas connections; lack of safe rapid egress; or accumulation of human or animal waste, medical or biological waste, gaseous or combustible materials, dangerous or corrosive liquids, flammable or explosive materials or drug paraphernalia.

The authority to designate a slum property rests with the city's building inspector.Slum property is subject to immediate inspection and to annual inspections for three years, with the inspection costs assessed to the property's owner. The city's law says that a slum property constitutes a public nuisance, and shall be abated by repair, rehabilitation, demolition, or removal. If the property owner fails to comply with the notice and order, and does not appeal the notice, the inspector will file a certificate of designation as a slum property with the County Recorder's office. In the event the property is repaired, demolished, or otherwise abated, the building inspector will file a new certificate stating it is no longer a slum property.

@Account Closed

@Account Closed *slow clap* for Joe Kelly. Give it up everyone for another fabulous installment of “Joe Kelly’s Lecture Series: Insolent edition”

Be careful stepping down off your soap box!

Thanks All for the suggestions. I figured that the lease would not be of any help in this situation due to the wording and that is why I was seeking suggestions. I will make sure to address this in my next lease with her. Just to be clear, this was a tenant I inherited along with her lease. She has 7 months to go so I can't make any changes until then. 

@Theresa Harris To answer your question, I dont live onsite and if a car was there, access would not be an issue ... this is a rather large boat and trailer, quite larger, wider and longer than a car.

@Account Closed "This kind of crap is a major problem with small time landlords and you give us all a bad name for nitpicking about stupid things"...with this kind of attitude, I would say you probably need no help giving yourself as a landlord a bad name... I wasn't looking for a lecture. Yes, I am as you say a "small time landlord" but I am also a conscientous one, not one who sits backs and does nothing more than collect the rent thinking it's all good...'til it ain't. I could care less that it's a BOAT. My main concern is safety. If it was a properly registered MAC TRUCK, I'd still have a problem if access was restricted or safety was compromised (if someone got hurt they can go after the truck ower/insurance). But with the truck, at least then someone could get the keys and move the truck if necessary. The boat....not so much. I work in a profession that makes me keenly aware of how "good is good 'til it ain't" ... I'm not trying to be THAT small time landlond (in your words) who is staring down the barrel of a lawsuit because of someone's (tenant) actions or lack there of. And before you think it, I have insurance on my property and my insurance will handle any issues that may arise but trust me that will not stop someone from trying to pursue the matter against me as the owner of the property. But hey, thanks for the lecture advice. 

My tenant has a boat in the yard. This is a single family residence. It has a smallish driveway (1.5 cars deep) and smallish yard. The boat (which is not covered) is at the far back of the driveway but since the yard is so small and driveway so narrow, the boat and trailer basically blocks access to the back yard - I have to step over the hitch on the trailer to squeeze by to get into the back yard. Literally, if there was a fire the fire department would not be able to get their equipment or people in the backyeard without issue. I see this as a safety hazard if nothing more (fire depratment issue, stray animals taking up residence. someone playing in it and getting hurt, etc).

I've checked the lease and there is nothing in there about not storing boats/vessels. It only says "Any vehicle on the property must be legally registered and insured or it will be towed." My state defines a boat as a "vessel" not a vehicle (vehicles are defined as land conveyance). I asked her about the boat when I first saw it back in September, she said that it was her son's boat and it was just temporary and she assured me it would be moved by October 1. October 1st - "he just needs a few more days to move it". November 1 - "he was going to move it but his truck broke down and it will be moved in a few days". The boat is still there. My state does not include a boat/vessel in the definition of a vehicle. Aside from this, I've not had any major issues with this tenant. Looking for suggestions on how to get her to move this boat. Thank you!

Hello. We have a SFR that we are in the process of acquiring from a family member who is no longer interested in being an out of state landlord. We have been managing it for several month now and we in the process of tranferring title from her to us. I've been all over BP and the web and still debating on whether I should do SMLLC (me) or MMLLC (me and DH). I'll say that it will NOT be held in any individual name, for a variety of reason that would probably be too time consuming to address in this forum so that can be completely removed from the equation - the issue is single member vs. multiple member. I have been taken the lead on the day to day operation of the property since we started to "manage" it (tenant interation, Section 8, city, etc.). I'm leaning toward single-member but wondering if there is a way to make sure that DH can still have a legal say in the operation if something were to happen to me and I am unable to handle the day to day operations. Basically I want him to have a say in the LLC as a back up option although he always defers to me on 98% of the decisions. Would this be accomplished by a formal operating agreement listing him as an person authorized to handle affairs of the LLC even though it's a single member LLC? It would detail who assumes responsibility if I am unable to. Or would it be best to do it a multi-member LLC? Or maybe a power of attorney for the SMLLC? The extra tax documents for the multi-member LLC are a total turn off FWIW.

If it helps in the analysis, we are not in a community property state and we file a joint tax return.

Any insight would be much appreciated! Thanks!

@Mark Fries

What seems to have gotten lost in my original post was "How to address this particular lease violation?" As I noted, I wanted to take the "Non-eviction" route from the start. I just wanted to see if the Non-eviction approach would lead to later issues or if I should just stand by the lease. Maybe I should have omitted the part about us planning on adding the hookups later, seeing as how she "did me a favor". I've read some other BP posts on tenant violations and alterations and the general consensus was the tenant violated the lease and/or altered the unit so it should be addressed accordingly (read: demand the unit be returned to its original condition and if not done, proceed to evict). It's all fun and games until a tenant burns the property down and/or floods the property by doing something that they should not have been doing. Plus she does not have renters insurance. I am not one of those LLs that sits back and just collects the rent. I take pride in our property, it's been fully renovated and make it a point to inspect it regular.  As I previously mentioned, all she had to do was ask - I could have at least noted it in her file and we would have been on the same page in terms of installation and this looming water bill. I recall a time several years ago, I was a tenant. I wanted to change a light fixture. I asked the LL first. Why? Because my lease said I had to get permission first. 

@Jim K. @Susan H.

Thanks for the input. I plan on addressing it accordingly and coming to some sort of written agreement regarding the installation and the water bill.

@Dennis M.

Thanks all for the helpful information. I have decided to go forth with letting the tenant know that this is a violation but will work with her on preventing situations like these to arise in the future.

I really appreciate all of the responses and suggestions. Don't get me wrong...I'm thrilled that it's one less expense that I have to pay for in putting the hook-ups back in. But the unit was advertised as having no hook-ups (NONE!! - all the plumbing for the washer was removed when the original copper theft repairs were done and all new plumbing installed WITHOUT accomodation for a washer; breaker(s) for prior washer and dryer removed and now both are back). If she had've asked, I would have gladly given her the okay to add the hook-ups at her expense assuming it would be done correctly. Plus we pay for water as per the lease, so now I am potentially facing high water bills from the use of this washing machine. My plan was never to start eviction proceedings against her, my concern is her flagrant violation of the lease along w/the fact that the violations are no small things - it's plumbing and electrical, which done incorrectly can result in serious issues (water leaks, mold, fire, etc.). Just wanted to know if it would be an okay idea to just move ahead with the set up and just have it inspected to make sure it was in order vs being rigid on the lease. Also, I don't want to set the tone of her violating the lease and thinking the we don't give a crap which just encourages her to continue as she desires.