Bad Renters

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I've made mention of the drunks across the street before.  Last spring, summer and fall, if I had to make a guess, I would put the number at 40+ visits from Grand Island's finest.  Some of the visits were instigated by us, some by other neighbors and some by the officers when they drove by and saw open containers in the front yard and the music blaring.  It was a horrible situation, made worse by an absentee landlord.  It would have done no good if he came by as his English is bad and I know just enough Spanish to get into trouble.

I've made countless calls to zones and was told to just keep calling.  I think their thought was the renters would get tired of the constant tickets/summons and would move.  The lack of options for the home owners in the vicinity watching their property values tank was incredibly frustrating.  The house next door to us is identical to ours.  It was on the market for over a year and didn't sell.  I expected that as every time it was shown, the "boys" went into high gear with music, singing, cursing, drinking, etc.  Finally, they auctioned it off and it sold for $30,000 less than we paid for our house 9 years ago.  Thanks "boys".

We've been cautiously optimistic the last month.  We started seeing more and more garbage come out of the house, the pit bull that frequently got loose and tried to tear down our storm door disappeared.  Finally, the truck started being loaded with furniture.  This became a 3 week process to get the furniture out.  They left a variety of old tires in the yard along with two trash bins that were overflowing with garbage.  Last Tuesday was their pick-up day (they use the same garbage pick-up service we use) and no one came back to put the trash out.  I immediately called zones to get something done as this is a great way to have a rodent problem.  Also, we knew that anyone who wanted to could come and go as they pleased as one window was left open wide enough for people to climb in.  Great!

I went upstairs about an hour ago to make a glass of ice tea and saw the landlords van in the driveway so I went over and had a very frustrating conversation with him.  Frustrating because of the language barriers.  I think he said that his "woman" will be coming by and she speaks better English so he's going to have her come over and talk to us.  I did point to the garbage and then to the house and he nodded and said "mucho" and then everywhere.  Kind of what we figured as they skipped putting out garbage 3 of every 4 weeks basically.  I asked him if the dog was gone and he gestured to me to follow him to where the kennel was set up.  The dog had tipped the house over (it was pretty sturdy) and dug a hole through the house (siding, drywall, etc) so it was doing business in the house as well.

I cannot feel sorry for the guy as it has been at least 2 years since he's been by there.  I am going to call the City again tomorrow and explain the situation about the house as I seriously think that the only option is to condemn the property.  No way is this guy going to put the kind of $$$ that he needs to in order to make it a decent place to live and if he doesn't, he'll get another drunken bunch of bums that will tear the house down even further.

A few years ago, I read that home owners are prejudiced.  Not against any specific race but rather against renters.  I was pretty taken aback at that as I rented a time or two in my life and always took pride in keeping my place tidy.  Now I understand the prejudice.  These guys have been a nightmare and it is going to continue until this property is torn down.

Virginia

[Darren Henry]

he said that his "woman"

Frustrating because of the language barriers

Just sayin'

I am an absentee landlord. IT SUCKS! I don't know what the laws are down there, but here I'm  screwed, blued, and tattooed. The other half had already booked, I still wanted  to move back  after my parents died,and after a year of listing we couldn't get 75% of what the place was worth. So I rented it to survive. First tenant was a f$^^king Indian. I could not find a reason to not rent the place to them without a lawsuit. They have more rights than a centipede. TRASHED THE PLACE because I wouldn't let them out of their agreement early and used my house as a "party house". Current tenant--Accused by neighbours of selling dope, I am not allowed to walk into my house (which BTW has been a seas-pit every other visit) without 24 hours notice. What does one do ??

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I don't know.  My in-laws had about a dozen trailers that they were doing rent-to-owns on.  Occasionally, they would have to move one out but it was a long process.  Certified letters, then a 30 day wait.  The last two were still being "paid for" when I started doing mom's taxes.  I forcefully requested that she sign the titles over, cancel the insurance and wash her hands of the entire process.  One lady, she was actually paying to live there as she wasn't paying mom enough every month to cover insurance/lot rent.  Then to add insult to injury, this waste of a human being actually would have the nerve to come over and borrow more money from mom.  When I heard that, I went off on this woman (renter) big-time.  Mom finally told her that I had taken away her check book and wouldn't give her any cash.  Glinda saw me in a store one day and told me I was horrible for doing that to my MIL.  I smiled and told her not nearly as horrible as someone perpetually borrowing money with no intention of paying it back. 

Just talked to the owner's daughter who has very good English.  They gave Jose and company 30 days notice because they wanted to use the house for something else.  Good luck on that one.  She told me that every door (closets and so forth), including the storm door, will have to be replaced as they have holes from being kicked or punched in.  Plus cockroaches bad.  WHO HOOO.  We're across the street so I hope we're ok but we will be keeping a sharp eye for those miserable creatures.  I have a serious phobia over cockroaches.  They totally creep me out.  Bob wants to get some spray and spray the perimeter of the house which I think is probably a good idea.  I think the house next door to this house is in much greater danger of getting the roaches once they spray than we are but caution is not a bad idea.  She said they got a letter from the city on Saturday, giving them 4 business days to get back up to code.  Again, good luck!  Though I think the City is concerned with the exterior deficiencies.  This will be interesting at any rate.  This was really a cute little house when we moved in.  The kids that lived there really maintained it well and had great pride in how it looked.

Virginia

[kodydog]

The first shop we opened was in a strip shopping center with 6 other stores. When we moved in we installed commercial grade carpet and built a wall separating the shop from the show room. We signed a 3 year lease and the landlord loved us because we were very tidy and paid our rent on time every month.

When our lease was up we were in a position to buy a commercial building and gave our notice. We even found new tenants, a customer of ours who had a business taking school yearbook pictures. The landlords attitude quickly changed.

We scrubbed and painted the walls washed all the windows and cleaned the carpet we had installed. When it came time to do the final walk through the new tenants just happened to be there. The landlord very badly wanted to keep the security deposit and started pointing out things that were wrong. Like a hairline crack in a corner of the wall and marks left in the carpet from furniture. I quickly reminded him the crack was his building falling apart and the carpet was ours. The new tenant said they would take the space as is.

The landlord mumbled something about he left his checkbook at home and would send the check in the mail. I told him I would gladly follow him home so he could write the check now. And he did.

The house we own in High Springs had a drug house across the street. Cars would often come stay a couple minutes and leave. Those renters left but the new renters were dealers also. Their customers would drive around to the back of the house even though there is no driveway. They are now gone also. The house was foreclosed and is now for sale.

The house we bought in St Augustine had a drug house down the street. Our house was a fixer upper so I was often outside painting and fixing up the landscape. I would see all types of people come and go. Young and old. some in real nice cars and some in wrecks. A car full of high school aged kids pulled up. One got out. The rest waited till he got back then they left. It was so damned obvious I don't know how they got away with it. And yes the neighbors all complained.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Yup, we had some of that too.  One car was even an optometrist's as it had brag plates on it.  He was there for like 2 minutes tops.  And complaining doesn't seem to do any good.  Dunno.  Just glad they are gone.  Owner's daughter said they are moving in, at least until they get it cleaned up and everything repaired.  Don't know how they are going to get the holes in the house fixed properly.  But at least it will be quiet, no huge parties, no loud music, etc.  We'll enjoy it while it lasts.  I did get their phone number.  They're very upset at the damage.  I told the daughter that I would have called them but I had no way to contact.  She rapidly gave it to me then.  At least if it rents out and we have a repeat, I can call them right after I call the police.  : )

Virginia

[sofadoc]

We rented a house for 2 years before buying the home that we live in now.

When we were ready to move out. I fixed every drawer, caulked every hole, and cleaned every carpet. I left the house in way better shape than I found it.

But during final walk-through, all the landlord did was eat my ass out because the next-door neighbor had pruned a tree that hung over on his side of the property line. It was a tree that I had never paid any attention to, because it wasn't real clear exactly where the property line was.

I had left the home in perfect condition, but in that landlord's mind, I was no better than the renters who would let a Pit Bull take a crap in the living room.   

[gene]

The first apartment I ever rented way back when I first got married the landlord kept my deposit after I moved out. He had a long list of damages he claimed I had done. All lies. I sued his ass and in Ohio the judge can award triple the amount of the deposit. I was awarded triple the amount of my deposit.

My son and his wife have a house in the metropolitan area of the city of Cincinnati, Ohio - in the suburbs. Two blocks down their street the Bengals' quarterback Andy Dalton has his house.

About half way between their houses are two new houses: government subsidized housing! In that neighborhood the homeowners take out the trash and the city brings in the trash.

I've said for years that I will never live in the metropolitan area of a big city. I know many cops who retired from city police forces and they were fed up with the things that go on - like people having 2 Social Security cards to work on one card and collect benefits on the other - and no one is willing to do anything about it for fear of being called racists.

Federal law says if you pay $10,000 cash or more for anything, even a bank deposit, you must fill out a form to notify the IRS. This current administration made an exemption to buy a house. You can buy a house at any price anywhere with cash (drug money) and not fill out the IRS form. This allows more cash (drug money and other attained illegal gotten booty) to pump up the economy and also helps the housing industry look better than it would be otherwise.

Oh well. I need to get to work to help support the 51% who don't work. Just think: in 5 years it will be 61%.
gene

[SteveA]

Virginia
Property value declines - language barriers - open liquor containers - sounds like a no win situation. 
Sorry to hear that you have this aggravation. 

Hopefully  the new year brings changes

SA

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Virginia
Property value declines - language barriers - open liquor containers - sounds like a no win situation. 
Sorry to hear that you have this aggravation. 

Hopefully  the new year brings changes

SA

Thanks!

On the upside: I now have the daughter's name/phone number and her English is pretty good.  I know she said they were going to clean/fix it up but I am still going to talk to the City.  If I can get them to monitor what happens in the house, I'll be happy.  I just want to make sure the City knows that there are now holes in the siding that go all the way to the interior, state of the interior, cockroaches, etc.  The City may feel the house cannot be brought back up to code.  Frankly, that would make us happy campers. 

If the owners can bring it up to code, that's fine too.   If they end up renting again and things start to go South, I'll be much faster to start calling the City and getting them involved.  It was a lesson learned for us as well as the owners.  I will bet that the owner next time will not go over 2 years without looking in at his property.

Virginia

[mike802]

I used to be a landlord, but the laws are so stacked against landlords that I sold my property's.  I did have a few good tenets, but the majority were just awful.  It takes at least 9 months to get tenets out of your building, but then they can catch up some of the back rent and gain more time.  All said you could spend one and a half years getting someone out.  I have taken people to court for back rent, won a judgment, but never saw a dime and I'm not talking small change here, more like three and five grand.

The house I live in now was a three unit when we bought it.  We moved in on the first floor apartment and had apartments on the second and third floors.  The second floor tenet was good, but she had men coming and going all hours of the night.  The third floor tenet was such a busy body that the second floor tenet moved out.  Over the years we had tenets come and go, each time someone moved out we had to go through the apartment and paint, clean and repair damage and remove trash.  Some times tenets would steel appliances and expect me to store their stuff for free. 

I had people making drug deals in my driveway, tenets would get mad at me and back into my car.  My wife took a trip to our capital and talked to the legislators about how the laws put the landlords at a disadvantage and rental property's would soon become in short supply if they did'nt change the laws, all to death ears.

We turned our house back into a single family home.  The house next door to us is a rental and tenets there regularly steel eggs from our chickens and wood from our firewood supply.  The last tenets that lived next door stool all the copper in the house when they moved out, so it has sat vacant for the last two years, best neighbors I ever had! LOL 

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

I have been trying to get hold of someone in "Codes Division" to no avail.  Leave messages that aren't returned.  Have explained to the lady who answers the phones, she tries to get someone to answer the phone, blah blah blah.  So, I decided to make an appointment to talk to the Mayor.  He was just sworn in last Tuesday so I thought I'd see what he's all about.  I see him on the 29th at 10 AM.  Seriously, the absentee landlord is a problem all over town so I want to know what he and the City Council are going to do about it.  Could be interesting.

Virginia

[gene]

My landlord, where I rent for my business, also owns two apartment buildings. He requires a month deposit when renting his apartments. If anyone asks if they can put down less than a month's rent for a deposit he will not rent to them. He said these are the people who will pay one month's rent and then live there without paying rent for as long as it takes them to get evicted.

Even if they then agree to pay a month's deposit he said the discussion is over and he will not rent to them.

gene

[sofadoc]

Even if they then agree to pay a month's deposit he said the discussion is over and he will not rent to them.

I'm the same way with furniture.

When I inform a customer that a deposit will be required, they often say "Well.....can I go ahead and leave the furniture here now, and bring you the deposit next week?"

NOPE!

A lot of things can happen between now and next week. Things that cause people to lose their enthusiasm for having furniture recovered. A deposit is my way of making sure they stay enthused. Some customers drop stuff off at my shop just to save themselves a trip to the landfill.

[scottymc]

We have a holiday rental house next door and with Christmas holidays about to start my wife and I are dreading what we are going to have living next door for the next 2 or 3 weeks, being on the other side of the world it is our summer break.

It is a house advertised as sleeping 8, but quite often that is how many cars parked in the front yard, at $350 to $400 a night we very rarely get a family next door you can count more on 2 or 3 family's with an attitude of we pay top dollar we can do what we like (here for a good time not a long time), usually get half a dozen young couples playing music till the early hours, be okay if it was inside.

I talked to the owner one day and mentioned that we saw more than 60 people one day on his upstairs deck, he declined my offer to call him if I saw things such as that gong on in his absence, at first I was puzzled I would have been chucking a slab of beer over the fence with my mobile written on it if it was my place. But then I realized he was smarter than me and didn't want me ringing him up at 3 in the morning :)

   

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

But then I realized he was smarter than me and didn't want me ringing him up at 3 in the morning :)

   

I was shocked when the daughter gave me their phone number.  I guess she thinks I'm only going to call if the trash gets out of hand or something.  I'm sure they don't realize how many times the entire neighborhood was calling the police the last 2 years: loud music, fighting, trash everywhere, etc. 

Code enforcement has done as much as they will do.  I suspect building division doesn't give a rat's behind about the roaches, holes in the house and so forth.  The owners were working on the inside yesterday.  I don't care how much work they do.  Until they get rid of the roaches and fix the holes in the wall, they are not going to get decent renters and the same problems will surface.  I just don't understand why there aren't codes for rental problems that address these issues.  Our neighborhood is not the only one in town with these issues.

Virginia