All Forum Posts by: Tosha Revere

I appreciate all the confirmation even tho it seemed clear to everyone.  I have only done this once before and I know I need to stick with my process but sometimes I let my heart make me want to look deeper.  I need to let my husband so the talking and I do all the fact checking.  

The numerous addresses and living with family does not sit well with me for sure.  

Short story:

I have an application that I'm processing. The tenants said no when asked if they had any evictions. After running them through smart move one appeared. when I asked them about it he said he thought it was removed because he had paid it.  Can evictions be removed from one's background?

Long Story:

I'm a newbie and currently screening a potential tenant. The last 3 addresses they provide show they have been living with different family members.  3 family/friends in the last 2-3 years.  Neither one listed an address for an eviction that showed up on the credit/background check and there were several other addresses on it they didn't list either.  When asked on the application if they had any prior evictions, the response was no.   I have no evictions stated in the quals.  I don't know much about evictions to understand details on the smart move report or what the courts website provides.  I inquired with the management company and they basically showed me what was on the public records.  Case type is unlawful detainer.  They had the judgement on July 2015, writ in Dec 2016 and they moved out Feb 2016.  Sounds like they paid their debt of $308 when they moved.  I haven't heard back but I did respond to the management company asking the reason for the eviction.

1-Can an eviction ever be removed from someone's record if they have fully paid up whatever money owed?  He said he thought it was removed from the record which is why I ask.

2- the last 2-3 years has been living with family and friends and either no rent or no tangible proof of rent payments can be provided.  There are 4 or 5 other address listings on the smart move report that they never listed and all were with in the last 5 years.  Some for only 3-6 months at a time.  This is the second thing that makes me uncomfortable.  Is this a reasonable red flag?

Other info:

Credit/background shows some missed child support payments and a lot of traffic violations around the same time(2015-2018).  To his credit, He (the man/dad/fiance) has had a decent job for a year and I've verified he averages 3x rent in gross income.  I have many references to vouch for his work ethic.  He is a car sales person and I have found many online reviews that are 5 star for his service.    The mom I have almost no reference for other than the family they have stayed with.  It sounds like they have both have been delt a sour hand and took longer to start growing up.  His family member was telling me this.  She had a lot of history she provided and then at the end told me that she is his aunt and I she knows he has worked hard and is very proud of him.  She also followed that saying she is probably a little biased and that this home is my business and I should treat it as such.  

I apologize if this is put up in such a random fashion.  I'm new to this and find myself grappling with a decision.  I am leaning toward no.  I really would like to be more experienced in this but with one property, experience will take a long time.  Thanks for your feedback.

Our home is a nice one and a very good neighborhood with very desirable schools. while I would love to help the family if they are truly on the right track to getting to a better place I'm just not sure that I am comfortable with taking the risk.

All, 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the post and respond.  I've certainly lost sleep trying to make sure I'm do the right thing here given the covid stuff.   I'm not a softy but just doesn't want to be that jerk landlord either.  I've only cared to run this as a business and stick to processes as I plan to have more than this one property.  I feel much better having confirmation to not renew and it was helpful to hear your perspectives on showing the property.  My husband managed to find some masks and gloves.  I am cancelling all showings but I am going to go over there once to video and create a virtual tour as well as create a plan view type layout of the house to give folks a better idea of what it looks like in addition to the images already on Zillow of the empty house.

Form of nonrenewal was officially handed to her when I put the sign in the yard a week ago.  I spoke to her today and it sounds like they are already putting stuff in storage (great sign).  

I still have folks interested even though they can't walk thru it.

Long post warning....New landlord here, my first tenants (mom/daughter) moved in Oct 2018. Daughter is 63 and Mom is 85. Mom had just enough income to qualify for 3x rent and good credit.  Daughter had bad credit and no income.  As a newbie, I was a little unsure if I should go for it.  Mom could tell and offered to pay the full lease worth of rent up front(18 months) and double deposit .  Well that certainly took a lot of risk out of the equation, didn't it.  I consulted with a local experienced landlord I knew and ended signing them up.  Mom passed away after 4 months in.  Okay fine, rent is paid.  Daughter had been a peaceful tenant but isn't good at communicating at all.  Then things here and there would happen.  She didn't tell me when she cut off her phone and the only way to contact her was to go to the house.  Not a big deal.  The ditches and flower beds are never cleared.  Still not a big deal but it is in a really nice neighborhood and it's a condition in the rules to keep them clear.  I learned in January this year that she decided to move her daughter and granddaughter in.  No call or notification and no asking if she could.  It was a breach of the lease agreement.  They are not disruptive but again noooooo communication.  She only told me about it when I came knocking on the door.  (I already had a heads up from a couple of the neighbors tho)  No permission asked or can we sign her up on the lease.   Then in the county the property is in, the county utility bill for trash and sewer must have the tenant and owners name on it if it is too be paid directly by the tenant.  If the tenant doesn't pay.... Ultimately the county will place a lien on the owners house. The amount is every other month for 101 bucks.  When I would check the status online, this was often late by one or two cycles.  Keep in mind her rent is already paid, she hasn't had to pay anything from the start, her mom prepaid.

Feb 22nd, I sent them a notice asking their intent to renew or vacate, however there are conditions if they were to renew.  I was willing to overlook moving her daughter in as long as they all get on the lease and can qualify.  They also had to show proof that they made the utility bill current.  I gave them 11 days to address these issues or by March 2nd, 2020(60 days before the end of the lease).  I heard nothing until the evening of March 2nd.  I got a text from a number I didn't have on file, saying that they want to renew.  I still had no proof to qualifying income and no proof the utility bill had been paid.  I decide to be helpful and drop off a couple applications with minimum requirements on March 5th.  I hear nothing and finally decide on the 13th to list it and put a sign on the yard.  Same day, I also

 gave them a notice telling them that since we haven't heard from them and have not received any documents to mitigate the issues, that we can only assume they will not be renewing and we are sorry to see them go.  As I handed her this notice, she tells me of all the happenings, problems with social security, death in the family....

Now I'm really wondering if I was fair enough and should I lighten up on the qualification standards.   March 16th, I call to leave a message to learn what her real financial situation is and to see if we could work with that.  Come to find out, not only is she and her daughter shy of the 3x rent, they don't even have 2x the rent. So then I looked at, should I drop the rent.  Even if I went down to the mortgage payment for their rent, they were just at 2x rent.  She mentioned her daughter is in food stamps and she has an appointment with social security in May.  Lease is up April 30th.   So even with those considerations, we decided to not renew.

Now I understand she is older and has health issues and amidst all that is going on with COVID19, caution should be taken.  I told her, I would not do an open house, I restricted showing the property to 2 hours on Saturday and 2 hours on Sunday with one appt at a time and no children to walk thru the property. I mentioned, I will have sanitizer and cleaners for all as well as discuss no touching anything and covering coughs to interested parties.  All of this to reduce exposure and will sanitize all for knobs I touch after they leave.  She was adamant about not showing the property for another week (I've already waited 11+16 days to give them a chance to stay.) She also is demanding everyone to wear masks and gloves!  I get it, but NO ONE is going to find a mask anywhere right now!

Was I too harsh in not renewing?  Am I being inconsiderate in showing the property with all the virus stuff going on even with all of the restrictions I'm already putting in place?  I feel like I've really tried considering everything to help her stay.  I'm willing to fully refund their double deposit if they leave with out damaging anything...even though she moved in 2 additional people.  

I'm glad to see others have thought of this.  We about to rent out out first home and I'm not really fond of the idea of a tenant being in the Attic either.  It's got a light and some boards but not much.   I've been reading and looking around to see what others do it don't have in their lease.  Clearly some do have restrictions on the attic.  Thanks for having already posed the question.