All Forum Posts by: Todd Powell

@Wesley W. unfortunately the therapy animal rules in Oregon and no docs are even needed at all. I have been checking laws and with other PMs. And, I definitely screen hard up front like @Steve Vaughan stated. 

My issue is after they move in months later I have been hearing their need due to depression, and college tenants are saying they need a therapy animal to cope. I don’t see a way around it. These folks have leases, but even with month to month I believe retaliation lawsuits could follow if I need to “rehab.” And my units are all rehabbed and the nicest around, and these tenants pay on time and no other issues whatsoever. That’s the  dilemma. 

@Terrell Garren Actually that makes a lot of sense! I do 12 month leases for my student campus properties, and that works as they are 100% committed and no one has ever bailed. However, my other properties I do month to month for your same reasons. My only thought is when the "animal" topic comes up, I think legally we would be greatly exposed with bouncing them once we find out. I think they, or their lawyer, would have my field day as its totally legal for them to have that therapy animal. Its a frustration as my places are all new and very nicely rehabbed, and pets never make them better! That's my issue, more tenants are trying to play this card.

@Terrell Garren I think that is great BUT if they pay on time, how you bounce them out ?

  IF the tenant can prove that their therapy animal was the real issue you would have winnable lawsuit against you in Oregon! Thats the issue, how to address when you do discover their “plan.”

@Nancy P.  Your point number one is VERY interesting if that's the case in Oregon. Does the chicken or the egg come first and how does one enforce this? Great input

@Leo Poon actually in Oregon you cannot charge ANY more deposit. Of course, you can use their security to cover any damages upon move out.  My concern is that legit "service animal" I believe is a one dog. A "therapy animal" can be any type of animal. I flipped one property years ago that had a Baboon, no joke! Anyone know Oregon well? I feel tenants are learning the "work around" for this law just to bring in their pets later.

@Leo Poon I have learned recently that for “therapy animals” they do not need any paperwork at all now in Oregon, just their verbal to you. Its amazing how laws are slanted in the direction of tenants, and not the property owner. 

@Stephanie Pieri Oh yeah, that first flip is worth around $350,000 today! My wife had told me to keep and refinance it as rental. Boy, I wished I had listened to her, but I recycled the same money over and over again, using my personal home HELOC. Those were my steps.

@Stephanie Pieri Started flipping manufactured home in 2001 two weeks before 911! I would not advise this, but had a brother in law running a dealership and their was an opportunity to bid their trades and he would sell. So, cannot really count this one.

But, beside my first primary house in 1992, my first fix and flip was in 2002 and I ran across a auctioneer who was at the courthouse steps literally that same day and he said, "wow, I saw 20 people there to bid on this house on Arthur Circle but it got called off, and you should check that one out."  I drove by and noticed it was severely run down, but in a very nice neighborhood in my city. I searched and found the name of the owner, and he happened to work at Hewlett Packard, so I left messages at his home and work. Finally, one random night he called me while we were watching "Survivor" and I ran to the phone as the VM was being left! We made a deal over the phone for $80,000 if we could do paperwork the very next day and I could close fast. He actually showed up at my work as planned, and we made a deal. I vividly can tell you, that my first rehab was just so-so and was all in with costs of $103,000 and sold to a fellow employee for $129,900 with no realtor. I honestly left $10,000 on the table, but it felt good to make $27,000 in 90 days and I caught the bug forever, doing about 30 fix and flips or so, and eventually saved up enough to buy our first buy and hold triplex in 2007. We now have 22 doors, and ownership in a 72 unit building across my OSU's campus in Corvallis, Oregon.

Get your first deal and light a match that will turn into flaming fires!! I love RE

I have owned and operated properties since 2007, and have always had a NO smoking and NO pets policy. As of late, I am getting a lot of requests for needing a "service animal" or "therapy animal". I don't know if this varies from state to state, as I live in Oregon, but it feels like people of finding the legal workaround the no pet policy

Obviously, if someone needs this therapy animal, I can fully appreciate it. But, why bring it up right after you get approved, or be sneaky later on? Anyone else have knowledge about this, or does it vary from state to state? Oregon seems to be "animal" friendly. Thank you!

@Julie Marquez This topic was on my mind as the older I get I am trying to minimize extra costs and avoid things I can up front when screening and doing paperwork.  In the past, I had a tenant caused fire due to her breaking my rental agreement and caused $25,000 or so of damage. One upstairs tenant wanted to vacate asap and was polite but asked me if I had any coverage to move her out.  Also, as of late, tenants are pushing the "therapy animal" legal get around for "pets."  So, when @Paul Enzinger brings up bites from dogs, like many others have in this thread, it really gets me thinking. I have seen many varying responses here:

1) I don't make them.

2) Its required in my state and I make them.

3) I have them sign, or acknowledge this in my agreement, but I don't enforce or monitor  (that's me!)

4) I make them have it prior to keys and enforce it.

5) I ask them to and see it up front but don not know if they ever cancel.

The thoughtful responses of the masses here show me that its more than a good idea, to get this coverage in hand prior to move in and also have the landlord be named as Additional Insured so you know when and if they drop it. I agree with this, but I would not want to evict over this as some as stated. But, I sure think covering your backside makes more and more sense. Tenants are always wonderful up front, but when the issues arise they seemingly can change colors.

Thanks for the feedback, love the thread! @Jason Powell