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All Forum Posts by: Stephan K.

Stephan K. has started 19 posts and replied 137 times.

Post: Tenant not signing the lease

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39
I sent him an email confirming our conversation we had along with a (signed by me) month-to-month lease for his signatures.

You should really stop to email him. Start a paper trail. In court you need letters, not emails or text messages.

Also, do not send out contracts that you sign first. Let him sign first and than you can decide to accept or not.

Now any time he can sign it and has a fully legal copy, without returning it to you. (Your copy got lost in the mail ....)

Besides getting a lawyer to handle this guy, find a good book about the subject and work it through. (The one from Mark Wada is for Florida only.)

Post: Tenant not signing the lease

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

Looks like you have a "professional" tenant in your unit. I guess it’s time to get a lawyer before this goes on forever.

On the utilities: I was once burned with a similar situation where the tenant did not switch utilities as agreed in the contact and the water company (city) and the power company refused to turn it off when I asked them, as they knew somebody was living in there.

Now we give the tenant detailed written instructions how to turn water & power on when signing the lease. 5 minutes later we call to get both turned off. If he is fast enough, the just switch it - if not, he has to have it turned on. Not a big deal for them.

Post: Signing first lease tomorrow, couple of questions.

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39
Originally posted by @Stephanie Dupuis:
Month to month can be good for the landlord. You can stop the lease if it "doesn't work out" by giving the tenant notice. A much better situation than an eviction.

Giving notice and having the tenant evicted is something completely different. If the tenant causes trouble, he will cause trouble no matter what contract you have.

Post: Securing a property during rehab

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

The minimum thing that I always do, even if I do not install an alarm, is to put some light on a timer that makes it look as if someone is home. In a bathroom or so, that you do not see from the outside that the home is empty.

Post: Eviction

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

I googled this really quick, it looks like you need a 5 day notice.

http://www.illinoislegalaid.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.dsp_content&contentID=645

Keep in mind that you only incude rent, no late fees.

Post: Eviction

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

Have you given them proper notice?

Posting proper notices has so far been the most successful think for us.

99% of late paying tenants pay right away.

Also, don’t even allow them to be “late”. They will use the money for other things if they figure out that you don’t do much if they do not pay you.

Post: Tenant not signing the lease

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

Oh, what a mess.

Why do you require the lease to be notarized? You should at least have him signed one copy.

I make a copy of the ID and just have the tenant sign it.

I never give out keys without payment and signed contract.

The contract will not become valid without him signing it. He is on a verbal contract now; I guess I would consider him on month to month.

Make sure you do not text and e-mail but leave a paper trail.

Send him a letter saying that you will consider him on a 30 day if he does not sign the contract by a specific date and that you will give him a 30 day notice after that date. Than he would not be on a contract anymore and you could evict him.

Stephan

Post: Design Software

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

Hi,

We bought a house with a garage conversion that was done a few years ago. There is enough space to turn that bedroom into a master suite with a bathroom. The house is a 3 BR with only one bath.

I am looking for inexpensive software that can help me creating that bathroom.

I am a computer pro, but I have never worked with such software. Any recommendations?

Thanks

Stephan

Post: umbrella policy

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

@Donald Stevens

Thanks.

I work with my local Allstate agent so far.

As far as I know is Citizen the only option we have right now here in Florida.

Post: umbrella policy

Stephan K.Posted
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Clearwater, FL
  • Posts 146
  • Votes 39

@Patrick L.

Yes, you are right, it is only $100,000 with Citizen.