2 bad tenants gone in 2 weeks time.

[fastfredracing]

My partner made this mess, he did not heed my advice. I told him that I would not help him when the sheet hit the fan, but we were starting to bleed money, so I had to step in.
I started the formal eviction process, but really wanted to get rid of this trash, so I just pestered these people non stop for days. I called, text'd, stopped by, mailed them letters, taped letters to the door, had buddy's stop in on them, I just would not quit until they were gone. The ones I just got rid of today were total trash, and in 3 months time, had really torn up a nice little house. not to mention burnt us for all of the money, and moved in 3 pitbulls.
Right now , my partners head is on the chopping block. He went against my will, and things turned out to the letter of how I told him it would. I have some past landlording experience, and some horror stories of my own, but, I think he just learned his first real good lesson.
I am pretty sure that I did not break any laws, but I was for sure guilty of persistence.
They threatened to sue me, threatened to get their biker friends to pay me a visit, threatened to sick their pit bulls on me, Threatened to personally teach me a lesson. I told them that no matter what, they were evicted in 30 more days legally, but that they would have to kill me to make me go away for now. I could not stand by any more and watch my place go to hell.
I used to be a nice guy. Nice guys don't last in this biz.
I am going down in a couple of hours to lock the place down like for Knox, I can finally get a good night's sleep.

[azasadny]

I'm sorry for your trouble and I hope things pick up for you...

[motion]

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

Nice guys don't last in this biz.

You got that right! Good luck with everything.

[fastfredracing]

Thanks Art. There is good news, the first tenant we got rid of was actually a fairly decent guy. He just fell way behind, and we ( mostly my partner ) but I accept blame as well, let him slide far too long. He left the place as clean as the day he rented it, and we all talked after he moved out, and there are no hard feelings. The last couple were total lowlife's , they made my stomach sick.
The first house is our nicest place, is in a great location, and will be a quick re rent. We have some serious cleaning up to do on the other one.
I am sure we will be at full steam again by fall, this time with clearer heads, and better tenants.

[masraum]

Well, sucks that you have to put the place right again, but congrats on taking out the trash.

I'd like to eventually have some rental properties, but I don't know if I can be the necessary hard-arse.

[126coupe]

Horror story. I have been a landlord for over 30 years, explore commercial RE vs. residential. If it has to be residential do serious screening or hire a well established management company

[fastfredracing]

I have become a son of gun when it comes to screening, and would rather let a place sit than go through this kind of stuff, but my partner wanted the reigns for a while. I tried to give him advice, and downright told him that I was 100% against the last tenants. I am still kicking myself for letting him let these people in. I have voiced my displeasure at him now for days.
I think this really is a positive though . He used to be real easy going with the tenants, but I can see his skin starting to thicken a little now.

[fastfredracing]

Becoming the necessary hard ass came real hard for me. I am an easy going guy by nature, and like to give people a fair shake, but a couple of bad tenants can really open your eyes.
I almost quit 5 years ago, I was just burn out on dealing with all the issues, but I am getting better at it. It has to be run like a business with strict rules, if you break them for people, you will almost always loose.
There is no way I could do it by myself. I am glad to have a partner, even if he makes the occasional oops.

[gshase]

Trash? We had some that still lived there with no utilities and continued to use the toilet for 9 days. Oh yea I found out where they moved to and delivered them some of their own PROPERTY. Brother I feel your pain.

[craigster59]

Good riddance. I've got some stories, but it's dinner time and would just gross you out. I love how they are always going to "sue you", dude you can't even pay the fking rent, how you gonna afford a lawyer?

[Rick Lee]

My tenants are pretty good, but lately they've been complaining about the parking regs in the neighborhood, as if I had any control whatsoever over them. They have three cars, one of which goes in the garage, one in the driveway and a big truck they shuffle around visitor spots and leave there for weeks at a time. They got a tow notice from the HOA and are nagging me like it's something I can fix. I guess I should be happy to have such small tenant issues.

[red-beard]

My third tenant in my building was a help a "freind of a friend". What they didn't tell me was I was to be landlord #5 in 2 years for this guy. I ha a unit that needed renovation and he was supposed to help with the renovation in exchange for rent. He didn't tell me he had 2 big dogs, or that he was a paranoid schitzoid! He was also a fireman/fire inspector which, when I evicted him, he dropped the hammer on me on vioations. Of course, he was supposed to be helping me fix the apartment, which I hadn't planned to rent until it was fixed. So, by "helping" this guy, not only did I not get any rent, I ended up with thousands of dollars of violations I needed to fix. No mention of the laws he broke in changing locks, etc, without telling me.

Yup, he hardened me for what was necessary for being a landlord. Good it was my third tenant.

[Mark Henry]

This is why I quit the biz 10 years ago, tenants have more rights than the landlord.
I was lucky, but the writing was on the wall so I cashed out, took the money and ran.

A friend had a couple that successfully fought eviction for 9 months (on a house and shop rental), gutted the entire interior and then left over 2000 tires for him to get rid of @ $4 a pop.
He lost over $30K.

[Langers]

My partner made this mess, he did not heed my advice. I told him that I would not help him when the sheet hit the fan, but we were starting to bleed money, so I had to step in.

I started the formal eviction process, but really wanted to get rid of this trash, so I just pestered these people non stop for days. I called, text'd, stopped by, mailed them letters, taped letters to the door, had buddy's stop in on them, I just would not quit until they were gone. The ones I just got rid of today were total trash, and in 3 months time, had really torn up a nice little house. not to mention burnt us for all of the money, and moved in 3 pitbulls.

Right now , my partners head is on the chopping block. He went against my will, and things turned out to the letter of how I told him it would. I have some past landlording experience, and some horror stories of my own, but, I think he just learned his first real good lesson.

I am pretty sure that I did not break any laws, but I was for sure guilty of persistence.

They threatened to sue me, threatened to get their biker friends to pay me a visit, threatened to sick their pit bulls on me, Threatened to personally teach me a lesson. I told them that no matter what, they were evicted in 30 more days legally, but that they would have to kill me to make me go away for now. I could not stand by any more and watch my place go to hell.

I used to be a nice guy. Nice guys don't last in this biz.

I am going down in a couple of hours to lock the place down like for Knox, I can finally get a good night's sleep.

Just get a property manager and landlord's insurance and calm down!

[dienstuhr]

Originally Posted by red-beard

My third tenant in my building was a help a "freind of a friend". What they didn't tell me was I was to be landlord #5 in 2 years for this guy. I ha a unit that needed renovation and he was supposed to help with the renovation in exchange for rent. He didn't tell me he had 2 big dogs, or that he was a paranoid schitzoid! He was also a fireman/fire inspector which, when I evicted him, he dropped the hammer on me on vioations. Of course, he was supposed to be helping me fix the apartment, which I hadn't planned to rent until it was fixed. So, by "helping" this guy, not only did I not get any rent, I ended up with thousands of dollars of violations I needed to fix. No mention of the laws he broke in changing locks, etc, without telling me.

That sucks... but I wonder what your tenant's boss at the city would have thought about his antics?

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by dienstuhr

That sucks... but I wonder what your tenant's boss at the city would have thought about his antics?

He was friend #1...It soured our friendship a bit, since he already knew that this guy was a flake.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by Mark Henry

A friend had a couple that successfully fought eviction for 9 months (on a house and shop rental), gutted the entire interior and then left over 2000 tires for him to get rid of @ $4 a pop.
He lost over $30K.

1). Police report.

2). Service by pro company/sherriff/public advertisement in paper sometimes,

3). Judgement by default if they don't show. Must show legal proof of service or proceedure.

4). Collection agency (they will take a huge slice, but more money=motivation)

5). Report to credit bureaus. As a youth, I had my financial reputation ruined for 11 years by a appt complex after I moved early with their blessing.

6). File 1099 so they'll owe a third of that in taxes at least.

One step at a time. Make the system work against them.

[Zeke]

I've worked for a lot of landlords in renter occupied spaces. You can feel the difference in the people vs. owners. And way too many times you see it firsthand.

I wouldn't rent a dog house to a pedigree. Renters are a different class of people. I know that will offend a lot of nice people on this BBS.

Everyone gets pissed off now and then. With renters it's taken out on the landlord, the natural enemy. If I get pissed off what am I gonna do, take it out on the bank? No such easy luck. Even if I rip out the walls, it's not even a blip on the bank's radar.

Of course there are a few landlords that behave that way.

One of the very basic problems with the financial meltdown in this county was that renters were now buying houses. If they had stayed in rentals, we would not have suffered as we have.

But we can blame the banks for letting the dogs out.

[David]

I don't have the patience to be a landlord.

One of the funniest stories I've heard was from a friend that was fed up with tenants destroying the rent house so they thought they'd try an ad in a local gay magazine. The guys that moved in first wanted to paint the house so the owner bought them paint. Then they wanted new carpet. The owner said sorry that's not in the budget, so the tenants paid for new carpet! When they moved out the house was in better condition than when they moved in.

I lived in a few rent houses in my younger days. Being a DIY'r, I always did my own maintenance and deducted the material cost from rent and threw in my labor for free. Needless to say they loved having me as a tenant.

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by john70t

1). Police report.

2). Service by pro company/sherriff/public advertisement in paper sometimes,

3). Judgement by default if they don't show. Must show legal proof of service or proceedure.

4). Collection agency (they will take a huge slice, but more money=motivation)

5). Report to credit bureaus. As a youth, I had my financial reputation ruined for 11 years by a appt complex after I moved early with their blessing.

6). File 1099 so they'll owe a third of that in taxes at least.

One step at a time. Make the system work against them.

Shortly after moving in they went on welfare, you can't get blood from a stone(r).
They were experienced, buddy was not.
Most of that (within legal limits) was done but this is Canada and in the mid 90's all the rules went in favor of the tenant.
Personally I had good luck for the most part, but that's why I got the the hell out of the biz.