All Forum Posts by: Deanna McCormick

First review your landlord tenant laws for your state.

I'd go over in depth the language, even if it's only on  notebook paper of thier rental lease / agreement... it has some terms that you should be able to really enforce,, if it's not stated on that paper that a sublease is permitted then "GOLDEN TICKET" .. you have cause (in my view) to file proper notice of lease violation and get them out.

To have a attorney to review this is SMART money spent.. I'd have no further dealings with them in person. and get an attorney that is familiar with landlord tenant law.. 

I'd fence the area, put in low shrubs and make it a no mow, no maintenance area, and no access.

You should have notified your insurance company and told them of the fire, the injury and you should probably still do this.. the tenant could still file a claim, you state the damage wasn't that great, but knowing there was a injury you should have notified them.

If the cause of the "socket fire" was due to overuse by tenant, or bad wiring it needs to be addressed and you should probably have a electrician check it out completely.

A fire caused by tenant in my game is given notice of non-renewal and or notice to vacate.

You have insurance for a reason. If you notify agent of injury and no claim is filed ... fine... your rates would not be affected,, if you have a fire and chose to do the repairs yourself,,fine,, but the fact the fire dept was called out makes it reason to notify your agent of the situation and then make a qualified decision on how to proceed. 

If its a shared space for laundry and you have a utility hook ups that permit that you can install and run the machines on landlords dime for water and power PERFECT.. for 4 units it would be a big plus to have the option to do it on premises,, 2 washers and 2 dryers would probably be best.. that way if one dies you'll already have a back up and it's faster to do 2 loads at a time.. of course.

As far as charging tenants more money for rent.. you should be within market rent period.. so check out what others are charging in your area.

Laundry isn't free so what ever the locals are getting at a laundromat you should be within a 50 cents of the same for price.. make sure you empty the machines regularly and a good used set you could probably find on craigslist.

The machines will pay for themselves in no time along with utilities.  Make sure proper ventilation is done for the dryers,, and inspect the vents often,, lint builds up faster than you would think in multiple users and the dryers will run better with regular cleaning of the vents..

Even if it isn't required in your area I would suggest and Implement a Crime Free/ Drug Free

Addendum.. It highlights , suspicious activity, High Traffic, as a Zero Tolerance lease violation.

If it were me I'd give them a mutual lease termination notice,, give them a week to move, return the deposit, if apartment is left broom clean and they are out. If they don't agree to this then let them know you will file for cause, High traffic, ... business based, or not,, it's wrong and not part of I bet anything in your city code as far as running a business out of an apartment, even if it's not in your lease,, city code would be enough to use as reason.

In the mean time,, post parking lot no trespassing unauthorized cars towed,, give out parking stickers for tenants,, no one in the lot that doesn't live there, and watch that lot.

Call police ask for drivebys, any reports from tenants to you have them also call police, 

In this business sometimes you have to yourself camp out in the building,, I'm serious,, grab a chair sit by the entry door inside.. and protect your asset,, If they don't belong there don't let them in.. Change the buzzer code,, change the entry door lock key,, so copies aren't out there.

JUST plain make it so uncomfortable for them that you interrupt what they are doing until they leave.

YOU either have same terms for both tenants or you say NO.. your not a gate keeper,, sounds like a open door policy and who's in and who's out.. 

Fine accept addtional with proper screening,, but both on same lease for same terms,, if they decide between themselves one has to go.. then do a roommate off lease agreement. 

list in your ad No compensation to brokers, but if they call and want a showing sure,, their client would pay them.

First do a test on the paint to see if it actually has lead in it or not. IT might not....

Second we did a 10 building complex 2 story builidngs, that had paint on the brick,, we sand blasted the paint off as much as we could.. the look of the exposed brick with partial paint on it had a old European look which is WOW really popular now.. the owner did copper clad trim on windows and copper color lighting to make it really look awesome. Put tarps down on the ground before you blast to collect as much of the paint chips as possible,,mow the yard short first,, then after tarp is removed, mow again with bagger to get up the rest of the paint chips.. 

could depend on if there is a drain field also with the septic tank,,, a new mound system could be 20 to 40 K depending on size.

like others recommended get at bid now for before you get any further down the road. 

And we wonder why our insurance rates are so high...

I've had several crime scene cleanup's to deal with, but bodies removed within reasonable time frame, and some were just bloody not bodies.. 

Blood from gun shots,, we let it dry, cut out damaged sheetrock,, flooring carpet & pad cut out and wrapped up like a buritto,, plastic gloves, face masks,,  

one guy died in bed,, put the mattress in a tarp and rolled it up and out.

 Not much different than someone falling and cutting themselves and bleeding all over..

wear gloves and properly throw the stuff out.