Renter's demands

Parent Cafe
81

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<p>Why should this even be relevant if the tenants concerned are of enough sound body and mind to not only agree to the initial rental agreement, but also be medical students with its demands on both time, intellectual capabilities, and stamina to withstand a heavy schedule??</p>

<p>Unless there’s something really different about the OP’s local/state housing laws, the ones I know of regard tenancy agreements as a matter solely between the landlord and the tenants named in the tenancy agreement. Not landlord and tenants with parents et al.</p>

82

<p>Since no doubt you, your friends, relatives and/or cousins’ cousins all know someone who this relates to, then you hopefully understand that I am not talking about their being incompetent to talk to the landlord, but rather that the landlord is under no legal obligation to speak to the mother or anyone else not on the lease unless the lessees specifically give permission for someone to speak on their behalf/represent them.</p>

<p>** To clarify: Its merely a matter of authorizing someone/giving permission for communication to occur.</p>

83

<p>In this case, jym(re:80), I speak from personal experience. I have had moms, dads, ex-husbands, and even past landlords call me to discuss terms/problems of a current tenant. None of those callers were on the lease. In op’s case, I can picture kid mentioning problem then Mom saying - well I have some experience, let me call.</p>

<p>It may not legally the best way to handle it, but then again we know speeding laws too, andyet sometimes people go over the limit. Though I can see the possibility of how it may have come about, I stand by my post on page 3 that said it would be inappropriate to speak with those not on the lease.</p>

84

<p>Its certainloy kind, and probably good diplomacy to be willing to talk to someone not on the lease, but when they cross the boundary from being reasonable to unreasonable, as inthe OP’s case, it is , IMO, fine to then shift to talking only to those whom the landlord is authorized to talk to.</p>

85

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<p>Every landlord and experienced real estate lawyer I’ve talked with has told me that barring rare extreme cases such as sudden incapacitation of tenant(s), it’s a bad idea to allow third parties such as tenant’s(s’) parents or anyone not on the lease to be involved in landlord-tenant matters. They’re strictly to be between landlord and tenants on the lease. </p>

<p>Some of those landlords learned that lesson the hard way. The old saying about too many cooks spoiling the broth has some applicability here.</p>

86

<p>No need to once again get second hand advice, cobrat. Listen to younghoss and the others who are landlords. One can initially be polite (good idea), especially if they answer the phone and don’t know who is calling or why, but then if its unreasonabloe, fall back on the “only talking to those I have written permission to speak to” plan. I have had rental property but disliked it and sold it. One needs a strong backbone to be in that business.</p>

87

<p>More advice needed here. My husband and I email the all three tenants stating what we were doing and not doing and included the mother’s letter as well as our email correspondence with her. I asked in the letter that the boys remember to change the filters monthly, and as I thought they were getting low on filter, to please email me with the sizes; my husband and I were not 100% of the size. I was just going to order a box for each furnace and ship directly to their house. I also asked if they would take pictures of the mold so I would know what we were dealing with; all 3 have iPhone, so an easy task! This email was 11 days ago; I haven’t heard a word from any of them.</p>

<p>Monday of this week I finally hear back from the man that is going to inspected the house for us; checking for any foundation issues and the basement. I emailed the boys again asking what their schedule was this week and the first of next week as I assume they will come home for Thanksgiving. I explained that the man would need access to the basement and I needed to know when one of them would be home, or if they were comfortable, they could leave the basement unlock. The basement is unfinished and the only access of from outside, so it isn’t like this man could get into the house. I told them I could schedule the appointment or if one of them would rather be the contact, to let me know.</p>

<p>One of the boys seems to be the main tenant and was taking care of paying the yard guy and deducting it from his rent. Since the yard guy was doing the gutters, I asked if that had been done and what was the charge. Asked again about the filter size. Yet again I have not heard from any of the boys.</p>

<p>Two of the boys have gmail, so I can see when they are online in my gchat. Both have been online for a lengthy amount of time and one was online when I sent the emails. I can invoke my right to inspect the house with 24 hours notice, so I could have my neighbor leave a key out for the inspector, although I hate to bother him. I can text them and request a reply which is how the main guy usually contacts me. I hate to text or call as I don’t want to disturb them during class or lab, but emails don’t seem to be getting replied to. I would love to email the original mother and say, your son doesn’t seem to want to respond so guess he isn’t too concerned :wink: No, I won’t really do that as I don’t want her involved, but boy would I like to stick it to her!!</p>

<p>As I want a reply as this involves my house, I want to try to get them to answer. I don’t care if this waits longer to get solved, but while this man says he will come, I want him to do the inspection; of course he said the end of this week, first of next and I haven’t heard back from him!</p>

<p>So, should I email them again or call the main guy? I would like to let them know I am upset with the lack of replies, but that is just the mom in me :slight_smile: Interesting, the one that is paying the yard guy, his rent check did not arrive today. All 3 are on auto pay and rent is due on the 15th, late on the 20th; I have never received a check late and one parent even pays on the 1st. This late check may be due to the holiday Monday or because he is changing his amount to cover the yard guy; we will see if it shows by the 20th. This is also the only one of the 3 that pays his own rent, the other two come from the parents.</p>

88

<p>I would call one of them. I know that for me, my emails come to my phone but I seldom reply on my phone and sometimes forget to actually get on the computer to check email…</p>

89

<p>Is the one who hasn’t paid the one whose mom has been calling you? If its on autopay, the bank holiday shouldn’t be a factor, I wouldn’t think.</p>

<p>I agree that picking up the phone is a good idea. Its certainly easier to have them available to let the inspector in, but if you don’t get a response, its nice that you have a neighbor to fall back on, and can notify the tenants in advance that they will be entering.</p>

<p>Interesting that 2 of the 3 med students are still having their parents pay their rent. My s’s and their roommates always handled their own bills in unergrad. Seems surprising that these med students are not handling their own bills, though it fits the pattern with oneof the moms calling, that they are deferring to their parents to handle these things.</p>

90

<p>No, the one that hasn’t paid yet is my main renter; the one that found the house and then as his frat buddies to join him. He is the one I general hear from; the other two are just along for the ride, until mom got involved!</p>

<p>My kids have always paid their own bills since college; actually, they both got checking accounts and a credit card at 16 and we taught them how to hand both. While we may have supplied some money during college, they were responsible for the bills they created. In medical school my son paid all house related bills, including the house note with his loan money. As the house is in my husband’s name also, he paid for the repairs, but my son was responsible for the monthly bills, just like if he were a renter.</p>

<p>I will most likely call my main guy tomorrow; I want to see if the check comes tomorrow and give them another day to respond. I do understand checking email on your phone and forgetting to reply later as I have been know to do that; I now flag my emails so once I am on the computer I see them. That said, when I sent the second email that should been a light bulb moment that no one had responded. I suppose they each could think the other replied, but this last email directly asked a question of the main guy and requested a reply.</p>

91

<p>Permit me to disagree.
All correspondence needs to go by mail for purposes of documentation.</p>

<p>There is a possibility too that this is merely a trumped up claim because the fellows aren’t getting along, or if one or more wants to move out. This happens too.</p>

<p>I say, send an email that:
explains your numerous attempts to contact them to resolve the problem, and their unwillingness to respond. Then I’d add that since they have not responded, you will assume the problem is corrected, and you will expect all rents in full, on time.</p>

<p>I’d also send an email to the “main tenant” that all rents are not yet received. I assume your written lease says that all are jointly and separately liable, tight? That way, all are responsible for the actions of one.</p>

92

<p>younghoss- Rent is due on the 15th, but not delinquent until the 20th, so he still has a few days. I only mentioned it here as it has always arrived by the 15th, so it was unusual for it to not be here today. I don’t think this is a deliberate attempt to avoid paying rent, more likely a busy student that forgot to take care of it. </p>

<p>Even if there is no mold or allergy issues, I want to have it checked out as I don’t want to have a bigger problem later. I do want the pictures of the suggested mold before I do anything else.</p>

<p>As the boys all live in my area, I might ask to meet with them over the holidays assume they are coming home. As they don’t have classes after Wednesday, unless their families go out of town, I would guess they will be here for part of the break. Just a thought.</p>

93

<p>snowball, I think you need to consider having a more businesslike, arm’s length relationship with your tenants. You’ve been very nice to “the boys” and they are not responding well to that. I think you should exercise you right to inspect the property in order to determine if there is an actual mold problem in order to protect your investment, using the neighbor’s key. You can also get the inspector to gather the filter sizes. I’d then send the tenants a letter regarding changing the filters in a timely fashion, and consider reinspecting in a few months to see if they have actually been doing so. (Count the number of filters left!)</p>

94

<p>in re post 93: fine. have it checked out. but that desire does not change my advice in my post 91. After you send the- since you haven’t responded… letter, wait a month then send them notice you will be inspecting the property, and in that letter don’t even say what you may be loking for; just that you will be inspecting.</p>

<p>My personal experience is that when renting to friends(or those treated like friends) tenants often expect more leniency/courtesies than from someone strictly business. I recommend you not put yourself in this position. Please strongly consider advice in post 93. It is sound advice.</p>

95

<p>Consider setting your emails to notify you when an email has been read. That can be printed out as easily as the email chain itself and should be adequate documentation.</p>

96

<p>^ This is not reliable, there are lots of email programs that don’t support this, and many people like myself off those notifications.</p>

97

<p>“should be adequate documentation” is not necessarily “is sufficient documentation.” Your lease (a legal contract) should spell out how communication should be delivered. Make sure you deliver your communication in a way that meets whatever requirements are spelled out in your contract. E-mail, phone calls, voice-mail messages are great if they work, but they may not be sufficient if you ever need to go to court.</p>

98

<p>jym626–we have already told our DD that we will help her with rent if she goes to medical school. She will pay for everything else though–loans and lots of them–but we said we would help with rent. She is mostly paying for her UG too. Med school is expensive and they can’t work while in med school.</p>

99

<p>I have been in a situation where the documentation of emails and the email chain was perfectly acceptable in the legal system. I posted this from experience. Others may have had other experiences. As for paying for college and grad school or med school, we all make our individual family decisions. Even though we helped our children pay for school, the point is that We gave them some money and they handled all of their bills themselves.</p>

100

<p>To clarify, short of sending something certified, possibly return receipt requested, sending correspondence via regular mail is no guarantee that it was received by the recipient. I am not suggesting that one should not send a letter, as that is certainly advisable, but if time is of any concern and one wants to document every effort to reach the tenants, then having the email documentation is extremely helpful.</p>

<p>** eta** having confirmation that an email was read provides additional documentation.
In the OP’s case, she has made many efforts to reach the renters in a reasonable method, and can print emails and cellphone logs. Certainly if she doent get a response and especially if the rent is late or not paid in full, an certified letter, return receipt requested, is in order.</p>