When dealing with your own fears and with groups of people, I find the best way to combat the negatives is to have1.

; )Jon, I do have other things to do besides BP, like the implementation of strategic planning to combat Ebola, assist the Kurds with tactical support against ISIL, advise NASA on how, at this point, to resupply the Space Station, all while I'm writing RE and note investing books to practically give away, then making sure my accountant gets all the information he needs and, to top it off, get ready for Christmas.......well, there's only so much I can accomplish, man, even for me!

,My big fear is FIRE, if someone dies or gets injured on my property, i hate lawyers with a passion.... we combat this fear with adding a ridiculous amount of smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, not 1, but 2 fire extinguishers, and safety ladders for 2-story houses... just spent $1K on extra supplies last month!  

The way to combat your wear and tear is, one, to properly screen your applicants, the other is to charge a premium price.

The city combats this by restricting STRs as there are more non-investors (locals) than there are investors. 

But, even without a contract, it's still - reasonable - to put responsibility on a tenant who is responsible to pay all utility bills, to have to notify her landlord of a problem if she then wants to make him/her responsible for the problem.There is a way to present this to the tenant in a non-combatant way. 

She got combative, stating that her business manager and attorney told her that I must accept the check.Seems odd to me.

@Terrell Garren As a combat veteran .11b and paratrooper, I must say that your comment is the absolute perfect response.

(and if not a member already,  consider joining RHA or other landlord groups in the area that, among other things, are working to combat or at least moderate rules like these)

If anything the tenant should be trying to work with you to figure something out but they sound super combative...