It's unbelievable how people justify their own ethical lapses based on someone else's behavior.  

Once that 5-day timeframe lapses (again, timeframe might be different), store belongings for 30 days, even if it's just junk. 

So I know that I might have issues if there’s a lapse between tenants.

First and foremost, accepting even a partial payment after the cure period has lapsed is not a good idea unless you are in a state that specifically allows such.

It rewards personal stability and harshly punishes lapses in that stability.

Do what you want and then if its not for you let your license lapse imo.

I will post pictures of progress and plan to have a video log and hopefully a time lapse of the project. 

Didn't realize the time had lapsed on this offer - any chance this was extended? 

You see properties all the time that are lapsing on the market because of physical issues... ugly, bad layout, etc.

But where you see a shady character trying to squeeze your friend for more money, I see someone desperate and more than a bit foolish trying to make up for lapses in the contract's language to deal with a situation that has clearly gotten out of hand.If I were your landlord, I would still start the process of evicting your friend and let the magistrate decide how unclear the language of the contract was, and make sure that the case was in the record even if it cost me money and I lost.