# Renters... Blahh



## squatting dog (Nov 28, 2020)

So, I mentioned I had a friend who just passed away last week. Well, he has a house that he had renters in up till 2 month's ago. They have been there for 2 years. Look at the before pictures and then the after photo's. (taken just this week).   
My buddies dad wants me to repair this mess. I don't know.
 What the heck is wrong with people?


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 28, 2020)

That's the problem, when people don't have to invest blood, sweat, and tears into something, they have little to no respect for it. No appreciation for the hard work, effort, and time that others invest in purchasing things such as homes.

Then there is also the crowd today that will never own anything, and in my opinion, they're bitter and full of resentment because of the fact, so why not trash other people's stuff as a form of contentment.

It's obvious to me the renters of this place were pigs, and I hope some form of legal recourse can be brought against them.


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## Jules (Nov 28, 2020)

What pigs.  

That’s going to be a major job if you need to take it on.  

Are they going to sell the house now?

Was this used as a drug house that will need special remediation.


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## Gary O' (Nov 28, 2020)

Not a good time to be a landlord
Hopefully there was a substantial deposit to recover at least some expenses


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 28, 2020)

Gary O' said:


> Not a good time to be a landlord
> Hopefully there was a substantial deposit to recover at least some expenses


I believe therein lies the problem.

My opinion, charge renters of homes $10,000 (or more) for a damage deposit. When people have to come up with a large sum of money with knowledge that their money is up for grabs, I believe more respect would be extended to the properties they rent.

But the old saying... "easy come - easy go" rings true on this one. When someone with zero respect or interest has no vested interest in such rental properties, they have nothing to lose.


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## RadishRose (Nov 28, 2020)

That doesn't even look like the same bathroom. Nothing to compare it to but the second one is  horror.

It looks like there was a leak on the kitchen floor. Toilet leaked, too. UGH


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## Gaer (Nov 28, 2020)

I once heard of a family who were evicted for non payment.  I guess ajudge said they had to paint the entire interior of the house.
They DID!
floors, ceilings, walls, everything!
BLACK!


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## Pepper (Nov 28, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> That doesn't even look like the same bathroom. Nothing to compare it to but the second one is  horror.
> 
> It looks like there was a leak on the kitchen floor. Toilet leaked, too. UGH


Why do you think the renters didn't report a leak, so that the landlord could fix it on his dime?


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## Chet (Nov 28, 2020)

Those former renters I'm sure will be long gone and never found. They know what they did and will not hang around.


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## Pepper (Nov 28, 2020)

Chet said:


> Those former renters I'm sure will be long gone and never found. They know what they did and will not hang around.


Did you write that as poetry or is that accidental?


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## Gary O' (Nov 28, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> My opinion, charge renters of homes $10,000 (or more) for a damage deposit.


There's where it gets sticky

Some investors/owners are a bit extended
They *'need someone in there now'*
Rental management will do just that

and

$10K is a bit much, unless you're buying


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## MarciKS (Nov 28, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Why do you think the renters didn't report a leak, so that the landlord could fix it on his dime?


Some landlords won't repair the stuff even if you report it. Some are slum lords and they just milk the properties for all they're worth. You should've seen the first apt I rented when I moved here. Roaches, bed bugs, a hole in the ceiling of the shower because the neighbor upstairs had a leaky tub pipe. They did the walk through with me with the light of the gals cellphone. Once the light of day hit I about died. But I couldn't drive an hr or more both ways in the winter weather. So I took it.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 28, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> Some landlords won't repair the stuff even if you report it. Some are slum lords and they just milk the properties for all they're worth. You should've seen the first apt I rented when I moved here. Roaches, bed bugs, a hole in the ceiling of the shower because the neighbor upstairs had a leaky tub pipe. They did the walk through with me with the light of the gals cellphone. Once the light of day hit I about died. But I couldn't drive an hr or more both ways in the winter weather. So I took it.


I would have circumnavigated the planet seven times over before accepting a roach and bedbug infested unit.


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## MarciKS (Nov 28, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I would have circumnavigated the planet seven times over before accepting a roach and bedbug infested unit.


I know how to get rid of bugs. *Grins* Ain't nothin lives with me for long.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 28, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> I know how to get rid of bugs. *Grins* Ain't nothin lives with me for long.


I was thinking one of those cleaning steamers would work well.


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## squatting dog (Nov 28, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Why do you think the renters didn't report a leak, so that the landlord could fix it on his dime?



Good question.  Until they vacated, and he and I went in, he had no idea.


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## squatting dog (Nov 28, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> That doesn't even look like the same bathroom. Nothing to compare it to but the second one is  horror.
> 
> It looks like there was a leak on the kitchen floor. Toilet leaked, too. UGH


For  some reason, they tore out the tiles, and painted the tub and stool grey. I'm sure the floor joists in the bathroom around that stool will be rotted, as well as the ones under the kitchen sink. 
Yes, the underside of the kitchen sink is soaked with water and mold, as is the wall next to it. 
Totally disgusting.


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## MarciKS (Nov 28, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I was thinking one of those cleaning steamers would work well.


they steam cleaned the carpets but bedbugs require special treatment to be rid of them that's costly. i put bedbug proof covers on box spring, mattress and pillow. then i bought 1 of these for every room.

they got rid of everything...in my apt. lol!


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## squatting dog (Nov 28, 2020)

Jules said:


> What pigs.
> 
> That’s going to be a major job if you need to take it on.
> 
> ...



I found no sign of drug use. The dad really doesn't know what to do at this stage. It would take major dollars even though I won't charge him anything for my time because his son was my friend. However, the materials alone will run into thousands. 
No way to sell the house the way it sits, so, I guess it's the old "between a rock and a hard place".


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## Ellen Marie (Nov 28, 2020)

I have heard some horror stories through the years about renters... but the worst, and one idea that is becoming very popular.... when people are evicted, they put cement down all the pipes.


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## Nathan (Nov 28, 2020)

I've had a couple rental properties over the years, pain in the neck!    Neither rental was profitable, although renting them out did help pay the mortgage until they were sold.   One was trashed several times by piggy tenants.  
I learned some lessons in life as a landlord, one was: "No act of kindness goes unpunished."


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## win231 (Nov 28, 2020)

I'm fortunate enough to have never been a tenant or a landlord.  But I handled my parents' rental properties & was a process server for many years, serving mostly Unlawful Detainers.  I can say that it works both ways.
As MarciKS said in post #12, many landlords only want to collect rent; not spend money on repairs.  And, even when tenants take reasonable care of the property, landlords often find any excuse they can to avoid returning security deposits.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 28, 2020)

win231 said:


> As MarciKS said in post #12, many landlords only want to collect rent; not spend money on repairs.  And, even when tenants take reasonable care of the property, landlords often find any excuse they can to avoid returning security deposits.


Very true. I've always rented, just never liked the thought of having to stay in one location longer than I might want to. I always left these places in great shape even going so far as to mow the yards, fill nail holes, and wash all the windows, because while I was there, it was my _home_ and I loved it. I never got the whole deposit back but I understood the owners probably painted the interior and shampooed the carpets. But this one guy refunded me a check for $11.42 (out of $1000) attached to an itemized list, charging me ridiculous prices for every single nail and screw, every glove, sponge, and bottle of 409. He charged me over $100 for new drapes even though none of the windows had drapes on them when we moved in. Not one. The livingroom window did have an old Holly Hobby sheet hanging on it, though (which I replaced). Maybe he upgraded to a DC Comics one. Anyway, I sent the check back to him with a note that said "You forgot to overcharge me for the postage stamp."


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## Knight (Nov 28, 2020)

I'm trying to imagine how a free home would look if this is the kind of damage done by those that have to give a security deposit to be able to rent. 

The recent riots with looting give me a clue.


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## win231 (Nov 28, 2020)

Murrmurr said:


> Very true. I've always rented, just never liked the thought of having to stay in one location longer than I might want to. I always left these places in great shape even going so far as to mow the yards, fill nail holes, and wash all the windows, because while I was there, it was my _home_ and I loved it. I never got the whole deposit back but I understood the owners probably painted the interior and shampooed the carpets. But this one guy refunded me a check for $11.42 (out of $1000) attached to an itemized list, charging me ridiculous prices for every single nail and screw, every glove, sponge, and bottle of 409. He charged me over $100 for new drapes even though none of the windows had drapes on them when we moved in. Not one. The livingroom window did have an old Holly Hobby sheet hanging on it, though (which I replaced). Maybe he upgraded to a DC Comics one. Anyway, I sent the check back to him with a note that said "You forgot to overcharge me for the postage stamp."


Perhaps that landlord worked in a hospital billing department.


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## fmdog44 (Nov 28, 2020)

The pics don't show the bugs and rodents that love living in filth.


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## Rosemarie (Nov 28, 2020)

People are outraged at the number of homeless, but how many of them are homeless because this is how they treat a property? This shows the other side of the problem.


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## Ruthanne (Nov 29, 2020)

I'd say they sure made a mess of it and feel sorry for whoever has to clean it all up.  I've heard so many stories about renters in the past and have also seen what some do.  Thanks goodness not all of us renters are that way!


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## old medic (Nov 29, 2020)

We had the same issue with the house we bought... and it was their great grand kids that trashed the place out...
Then their pissed at us for "STEALING" it after they let the bank foreclose on it....


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## Liberty (Nov 29, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Why do you think the renters didn't report a leak, so that the landlord could fix it on his dime?


Perhaps because they didn't want the owner to see what a mess the place was in?
We owned a house that was rented out.  What a mess, the master bathroom shower was filled with trash and I can't tell you what a rehab job was needed to sell it!


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## MarciKS (Nov 29, 2020)

Nathan said:


> I've had a couple rental properties over the years, pain in the neck!    Neither rental was profitable, although renting them out did help pay the mortgage until they were sold.   One was trashed several times by piggy tenants.
> I learned some lessons in life as a landlord, one was: "No act of kindness goes unpunished."


Not all tenants are bad.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 29, 2020)

Murrmurr said:


> Very true. I've always rented, just never liked the thought of having to stay in one location longer than I might want to. I always left these places in great shape even going so far as to mow the yards, fill nail holes, and wash all the windows, because while I was there, it was my _home_ and I loved it. I never got the whole deposit back but I understood the owners probably painted the interior and shampooed the carpets. But this one guy refunded me a check for $11.42 (out of $1000) attached to an itemized list, charging me ridiculous prices for every single nail and screw, every glove, sponge, and bottle of 409. He charged me over $100 for new drapes even though none of the windows had drapes on them when we moved in. Not one. The livingroom window did have an old Holly Hobby sheet hanging on it, though (which I replaced). Maybe he upgraded to a DC Comics one. Anyway, I sent the check back to him with a note that said "You forgot to overcharge me for the postage stamp."


You definitely have the right mindset for such, and I commend you for being able to let it all go.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 29, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> they steam cleaned the carpets but bedbugs require special treatment to be rid of them that's costly. i put bedbug proof covers on box spring, mattress and pillow. then i bought 1 of these for every room.
> View attachment 136146
> they got rid of everything...in my apt. lol!


Good on ya, and so glad to hear it!


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## Chet (Nov 29, 2020)

Pepper said:


> Did you write that as poetry or is that accidental?


Purely by accident. I'm a poet and didn't know it.


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## Gary O' (Nov 29, 2020)

squatting dog said:


> the underside of the kitchen sink is soaked with water and *mold*


Mold.....black mold?
Gotta tear out all/any wood that has the black mold
...and wear a mask when doing it
and be quick about it
That stuff is nasty


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## Nathan (Nov 29, 2020)

MarciKS said:


> Not all tenants are bad.


Absolutely, I had a retired couple renting one house, they took care of it like they owned it.  They would call and profusely apologize if they thought there was a _chance_ that the rent check they mailed *might* be late.


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## Jules (Nov 29, 2020)

@Murrmurr, don’t you have a Landlord/Tenant government board that will fight for either side?


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 29, 2020)

Squatting Dog. What's your take (opinion) on renters and damage deposits?

$10,000 (too much) for a damage deposit?
$20,000 (too much) for a damage deposit?

_How much is ones home or investment property worth that they are looking to rent out_, would be my first question to someone looking to rent-out an available property.

My next question to someone looking to rent-out a property would be, _what is your home or rental property worth to you._

Speaking for myself, renting to anyone is out (plain and simple), not an option, never has been an option, never will be an option, however, if I were looking to rent out, you can bet your bottom dollar a perspective renter looking to rent a property of mine would pay through the nose, and not just once but twice.

Once with the deposit which would be in the five-figures, and again each month to cover their rent.

I would also do monthly, if not weekly check-ins, and failing my standards, renters would be out! Not now but right now.

*Seems a vast number of people who rent out to others are slow learners from all that I see.*


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## squatting dog (Nov 29, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> The pics don't show the bugs and rodents that love living in filth.



Oh there was plenty of bugs, and rodent signs.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 29, 2020)

Jules said:


> @Murrmurr, don’t you have a Landlord/Tenant government board that will fight for either side?


We can take our complaints to civil court where it's cheap (sometimes free) and easy to file a complaint and get a hearing before a judge, but I was leaving the state so I just said screw it. 

I did take a landlord to court once. I'd moved out of an apartment he owned on the 15th of a month even though I'd paid rent to the 30th. I left the place ready-to-rent, but left earlier than he expected so I called him like 5 times but he never answered so I left a voice message (no smartphones back then) each time. Well the place got broken into by some kids who partied in it and majorly tore it up - ripped up the carpeting, broke all the mirrors, poured glue all over the floor, graffitied the walls, and tried to pry out the AC unit - and the landlord not only refused to refund my deposit, he sent me a tally of the damages and threatened to sue me for it. He lost his case because I had taken pictures before I left (and in the old days, Kodak film time-stamped your photos) plus the neighbor lady testified about the kids partying in there 5 days after I left her my key (to give to the landlord).


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## squatting dog (Nov 29, 2020)

Liberty said:


> Perhaps because they didn't want the owner to see what a mess the place was in?
> We owned a house that was rented out.  What a mess, the master bathroom shower was filled with trash and I can't tell you what a rehab job was needed to sell it!



That's my thought. I don't think they wanted him to see that they had torn out all the shower and wall tiles and painted the fixtures a shade of gray for some reason.


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## gennie (Nov 29, 2020)

I had one experience with residential renters and learned my lesson.  Never again.  

However, I did fine with commercial property renting to reliable businesses.


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## squatting dog (Nov 29, 2020)

Gary O' said:


> Mold.....black mold?
> Gotta tear out all/any wood that has the black mold
> ...and wear a mask when doing it
> and be quick about it
> That stuff is nasty



Oh yeah, that stuff is black mold. I already know that there will  be studs and floor joists that will have to be replaced. I told his dad that we'll need a giant dumpster brought in and I'll have to strip the house to the bare studs and large chunks of the floor just to ascertain the extent of the damage.


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## squatting dog (Nov 29, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Squatting Dog. What's your take (opinion) on renters and damage deposits?
> 
> $10,000 (too much) for a damage deposit?
> $20,000 (too much) for a damage deposit?
> ...



The problem is you'll never get any sizable deposit from renters. If they had 10-20 to put down, they'd be able to buy a house of their own. (that's around here of course. There are still small houses you can by for 20-30 grand).
As for myself, when my mom was ill and I had to go to Florida to care for her, I had to rent this house out. Big mistake. After I returned, I needed the sheriff to get the crack heads out and it cost me over $20,000 and most of a year to put the house back in livable condition. 
I will never rent anything out to anybody again...EVER.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 29, 2020)

My son owned a rental property for over 10 years. He lived about 60 miles away from the rental so he hired a property management agency to deal with finding renters and ...well, managing the property. This agency did monthly inspections while the house was occupied. These were cursory inspections because there are laws about invading people's privacy and whatnot, but they were enough to alert the inspector to any red flags. The agency evicted tenants twice and my son is sure that saved him a ton of time and money for repairs. He paid monthly for their services but he says it was well worth it.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 29, 2020)

squatting dog said:


> The problem is you'll never get any sizable deposit from renters. If they had 10-20 to put down, they'd be able to buy a house of their own. (that's around here of course. There are still small houses you can by for 20-30 grand).
> As for myself, when my mom was ill and I had to go to Florida to care for her, I had to rent this house out. Big mistake. After I returned, I needed the sheriff to get the crack heads out and it cost me over $20,000 and most of a year to put the house back in livable condition.
> I will never rent anything out to anybody again...EVER.


I'm surprised there isn't more strict laws that protect owners of properties damaged so badly by renters.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 29, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I'm surprised there isn't more strict laws that protect owners of properties damaged so badly by renters.


There's a big fat book titled something like Landlord-Tenant Laws that gets updated and reprinted every few years (give or take) that every rental property owner should read before they rent. The laws do tend to favor the tenants. There's a huge section in that book that's all about squatters. That alone would put me off ever owning a rental property...or even renting a room or having a room mate.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 29, 2020)

Murrmurr said:


> There's a big fat book titled something like Landlord-Tenant Laws that gets updated and reprinted every few years (give or take) that every rental property owner should read before they rent. The laws do tend to favor the tenants. There's a huge section in that book that's all about squatters. That alone would put me off ever owning a rental property...or even renting a room or having a room mate.


I've heard some real horror stories related to squatters, and some I even had a difficult time believing they were so off-the-wall.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 29, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I've heard some real horror stories related to squatters, and some I even had a difficult time believing they were so off-the-wall.


According to this book there are laws that protect people who literally seize your property and live in it. It's crazy!


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 29, 2020)

Murrmurr said:


> According to this book there are laws that protect people who literally seize your property and live in it. It's crazy!


Now that's insane and unacceptable!


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## Jules (Nov 29, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I'm surprised there isn't more strict laws that protect owners of properties damaged so badly by renters.


It’s no different here in Canada.  

We were landlords once - and only once.  

Some people buy many places for decent prices and know how to screen & deal with tenants.  There’s a lot of risk in that business.

During Covid times, tenants have even more power.  You can’t kick them out even if they’re not paying the rent.


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## Aunt Marg (Nov 29, 2020)

Jules said:


> It’s no different here in Canada.
> 
> We were landlords once - and only once.
> 
> ...


I'm such an anal person when it comes to cleanliness and properness, I wouldn't make it in the landlord world.

There should be a black list that follows disrespectful renters for life. It would be listed in a national/international data bank, where landlords could login and view a list of renters who left properties damaged, filthy, and caused more trouble than good.


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## Jules (Feb 21, 2021)

@squatting dog   What did your friend’s father finally decide to do with that place?


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## jujube (Feb 21, 2021)

Chet said:


> Purely by accident. I'm a poet and didn't know it.





Chet said:


> Purely by accident. I'm a poet and didn't know it.


....but your feet show it, they're Longfellows.


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## squatting dog (Feb 21, 2021)

Jules said:


> @squatting dog   What did your friend’s father finally decide to do with that place?


Found someone who thinks they could fix it up. First he made them sign a disclosure that they went in knowing there would be a mold problem. Explained to them that it needed all the work I told of early plus when I went into the attic, I found the roof had leaked a bunch and there was soft spots. 
We wished them luck.


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## peramangkelder (Feb 21, 2021)

My word don't these people have ANY self respect?
During my childhood we were renters and we always left properties as good or better than when we moved in
I don't understand Squatter's Rights either? The property is not theirs to begin with
There are often horror stories on TV of shocking conditions Landlords find when renters vacate


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## Aunt Marg (Feb 21, 2021)

peramangkelder said:


> My word don't these people have ANY self respect?
> During my childhood we were renters and we always left properties as good or better than when we moved in
> I don't understand Squatter's Rights either? The property is not theirs to begin with
> There are often horror stories on TV of shocking conditions Landlords find when renters vacate


It's a broken system (plain and simple), where landlords aren't doing enough to pull together as one and see to sweeping new rules, measures, regulations, and penalties associated with the abuse of rental properties.

There's a whole lot of complaining going on, but at the end of the day the destruction of rental properties continues, and without any legal recourse to recoup monies back to fix and repair damaged properties.

Re: squatters and the removal of such societal scum, call up every friend and neighbour one has and see to it that everyone has a wooden baseball bat in their hands at the time you go to cleanse your property of such.


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## Jondalar7 (Feb 21, 2021)

I have managed up to 16 rentals and owned three of them. I dropped in every couple of months asking for a list of anything that needed to be repaired. I did the repairs and that gave me a chance to view the home. I never collected or mentioned rents at that time and offered small upgrades whenever I could. If I pulled nice things out of a remodel I added them to one of my units. The worst thing I found was needles and bongs in a basement room and as a friendly reminder, I cautioned the renter that if the police raid the house everything she owned goes into impound. My next visit found the place cleaner.


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## OneEyedDiva (Apr 23, 2021)

OMG! That is un-freaking-believable!! That is totally disgusting.  If anything, I would take better care of someone's property.


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## Rosemarie (Apr 23, 2021)

Perhaps certain people will look at those pictures and stop feeling so horrified by the number of people living on the streets. Many of them are homeless simply because they cannot look after a home. They have been evicted so many times that they have no choice but to live in shop doorways.


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## SetWave (Apr 23, 2021)

Thanks for the great ideas on what to do about my abusive (I refuse to refer to the jerk as any kind of "lord") owner who actually had the nerve to break into the house last night as I slept to "See how I'm doing" ?!?!?!? Threw him out on his ass and told him he's very lucky I do not own a firearm.   Shoulda called the cops.


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## Jules (Apr 23, 2021)

SetWave said:


> Thanks for the great ideas on what to do about my abusive (I refuse to refer to the jerk as any kind of "lord") owner who actually had the nerve to break into the house last night as I slept to "See how I'm doing" ?!?!?!? Threw him out on his ass and told him he's very lucky I do not own a firearm.   Shoulda called the cops.





SetWave said:


> Shoulda called the cops.


Yes, you should have.  Don’t you have laws in California that require the landlord to give notice?  

What time of night was it?


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## SetWave (Apr 23, 2021)

Jules said:


> Yes, you should have.  Don’t you have laws in California that require the landlord to give notice?
> 
> What time of night was it?


OH yeah, notice is required.  It was after 8pm. 
I'm in the process of getting out and now that will go into hyper mode.


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## squatting dog (Apr 23, 2021)

In the interest of fairness, here are some pics of his other rental house when that renter left.   Stunning difference. Guess which renter will get a referral if they need one.  
Almost renewed my faith in humanity.  I have never seen a renter leave one this clean in my life.


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## MarciKS (Apr 23, 2021)

not all tenants are bad. if i know i'm getting my deposit back i'll clean. np. what bugs me is going into some of these rentals and they're dirty when you move in and they won't clean or take any money off the rent for making you do it.

i've only left two places with no notice. one was because the ants had nested in the entire house and had just started coming in one time and it was so bad they were coming out of every orifice in the house and dropping on me in my sleep. the landlord refused to take care of it so i left. i was not a dirty tenant nor did i leave food out on the counters and stuff. these ants were like a freak show.

then i lived at this apt building run by a slumlord. they have a rep of not giving back deposits and i had to load the car to move in the middle of the night because of the druggie neighbors.

otherwise i clean and try to make sure things are right before i go.

that's a beautiful house SD


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## chrislind2 (Aug 9, 2021)

My neighbor in the other half of my duplex had a rat problem. I never did and still do not. Our buildings are separated by a garage which means we do not share the crawl space under the house. The landlord started inspecting for rats in my crawl space which is inside my clothes closet and I have to clear out the closet on one side for them to access the crawl space door. They informed me 24 hours before they would inspect. Eventually my neighbor moved and the rat problem was taken care of. They started inspecting once a month and sometimes would tell me 24 hours in advance and more often they would not. I would get a knock on the door and I had to tell them I have not been told in advance and I cannot clean out the closet right now. Starting last week the inspector told me they will be inspecting once a week. I cannot believe they have a right to make me clean out my closet and give them access so they can find nothing, once a week. Not to mention the Oregon law states they have to give me 24 hours advanced notice to do so. I appreciate not having rats, but I believe they are taking this a little far at weekly. Maybe once a month, but even that seems a little too much.
Just ranting. I enjoy my privacy and am really getting tired of this unwelcome intrusion. Now that I retired I do not have the "I am at work" excuse. It's one thing when they follow the rules and inform me 24 hours in advance, but to get an unexpected knock on the door really gets me going.


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## win231 (Aug 9, 2021)

chrislind2 said:


> My neighbor in the other half of my duplex had a rat problem. I never did and still do not. Our buildings are separated by a garage which means we do not share the crawl space under the house. The landlord started inspecting for rats in my crawl space which is inside my clothes closet and I have to clear out the closet on one side for them to access the crawl space door. They informed me 24 hours before they would inspect. Eventually my neighbor moved and the rat problem was taken care of. They started inspecting once a month and sometimes would tell me 24 hours in advance and more often they would not. I would get a knock on the door and I had to tell them I have not been told in advance and I cannot clean out the closet right now. Starting last week the inspector told me they will be inspecting once a week. I cannot believe they have a right to make me clean out my closet and give them access so they can find nothing, once a week. Not to mention the Oregon law states they have to give me 24 hours advanced notice to do so. I appreciate not having rats, but I believe they are taking this a little far at weekly. Maybe once a month, but even that seems a little too much.
> Just ranting. I enjoy my privacy and am really getting tired of this unwelcome intrusion. Now that I retired I do not have the "I am at work" excuse. It's one thing when they follow the rules and inform me 24 hours in advance, but to get an unexpected knock on the door really gets me going.


In that situation, I would reply,
"Sorry, I'm busy now."
"Sorry, I need 24 hrs. notice."
"Sorry, I'm not feeling well.  Contact me later."


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## Jules (Aug 9, 2021)

@chrislind2  Do you have a really good rental rate?  Maybe they’re trying to convince you to move.

I’d contact the state/local rental board to check out the rules and see how often they’re permitted to do an inspection.  Once a week, or even monthly if there hasn’t been an issue, seems excessive.  Seems like they have ulterior motives.


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## chrislind2 (Aug 13, 2021)

Jules said:


> @chrislind2  Do you have a really good rental rate?  Maybe they’re trying to convince you to move.
> 
> I’d contact the state/local rental board to check out the rules and see how often they’re permitted to do an inspection.  Once a week, or even monthly if there hasn’t been an issue, seems excessive.  Seems like they have ulterior motives.


In Oregon, and often many other places too, it's an owners market. Meaning the rents are high and there are not many places even available to rent. It makes it really tough on the renters. If I had options to find another place I would. But it's the problem I was having when I moved where I am now. I felt lucky just to get this place, but it is not a neighborhood I would choose if I had a choice. I have enough money for a comfortable retirement, but not enough to buy a house in the current market. I have been here for 2 1/2 years, I pay my rent on time, I follow the rules, I do not bother my neighbors, and I never thought my worst nightmare would end up being weekly rat inspections. Monthly was not welcome, but weekly is really going too far. I have to put my foot down on the 24 hour notice. I am positive that is a hard and fast rule. At once a week I am effectively loosing all use of my closet where the foundation access door is. I cannot put things in that closet and take them out every week. It has to be either my landlord is very paranoid about rats, or the inspection company has talked him into monthly and now weekly inspections.


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## Pepper (Aug 13, 2021)

@chrislind2 --You should speak with a lawyer who does rental agreements (leases).  You should never put up with such an invasion of your Private Tenant Rights, since they are preventing you from Enjoying Your Lease.  Then if you find out they are breaking a law or lease, you should not let anyone in without ample notice.

They are being nuisances to you.  Now go Report Them, Please!


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## charry (Aug 13, 2021)

The same happened to my sons bungalow he rented out.....
Both my sons had to gut the whole place out , re design and re build it ......
God knows what the agent was doing ,who was being paid a lot of money to keep an  eye on the tenants .........
The  bungalow is sold now .......!!


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## charry (Aug 13, 2021)

Rented accommodation here now, has gone crazy.....so expensive and loads of viewers ,
You can’t put holding deposits down, like you used to, and people are guzumping 
Offering more monthly money ....... ,


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## Nathan (Aug 13, 2021)

charry said:


> guzumping


?   I guess I could Google that...


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## charry (Aug 13, 2021)

Nathan said:


> ?   I guess I could Google that...


Tenants offer more than the monthly rent ...for example ....1500 a month, people will Offer
2000 a month etc etc ...


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## Jules (Aug 13, 2021)

charry said:


> Rented accommodation here now, has gone crazy.....so expensive and loads of viewers ,
> You can’t put holding deposits down, like you used to, and people are guzumping
> Offering more monthly money ....... ,


Same here.  Less than 1% vacancy and people offering more to get the place.


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## Pepper (Aug 13, 2021)

It just occurred to me, @chrislind2  that probably your landlord wants you out and you're not going fast enough for him.


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## Giantsfan1954 (Aug 13, 2021)

_As the spouse of a residential superintendent and later a landlord I just chuckle when people think it’s “easy money”
People are slobs!
We had some druggies being evicted in the apartment complex, they stopped the toilet with potatoes, threw a package of hamburger meat behind the stove and the place was generally a sty!
Our own home had a tenant that took the lightbulbs because they were hers.
You take them to court, get a judgment which is uncollectible because most don’t have bank accounts and if you’re really “lucky” the judge will give them time to leave, (30-90 days) especially if there’s kids so they can destroy the place on the way out_


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## Pepper (Aug 13, 2021)

Giantsfan1954 said:


> You take them to court, get a judgment which is uncollectible because most don’t have bank accounts


Isn't it part of a landlord's duties to check on the candidate for the rental?  Maybe not enough due diligence?


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## chrislind2 (Aug 16, 2021)

Pepper said:


> It just occurred to me, @chrislind2  that probably your landlord wants you out and you're not going fast enough for him.


My experience with this property management company is they have a very bad reputation. I have talked to many other renters who say they stay away from this company. It seems to me they are more just incompetent that anything. I will just have to comply with this as much as possible and ask the inspector if he can give me email heads up when he wants to inspect. That alone would help a lot. They recently put in a new sidewalk and made me park in the street for nearly a month. I actually use my garage and did not like the street parking one bit.  When the contractor told them I could drive over it, they did not tell me. Concrete is ready to drive over in about 28 days, so I drove over it and called the landlord and they said it was ready to drive on a week before I called. There is always a difference in dealing with an owner and dealing with a property management company. Not sure which is worse.


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## Alligatorob (Aug 16, 2021)

Pepper said:


> Isn't it part of a landlord's duties to check on the candidate for the rental? Maybe not enough due diligence?


Yes, but that is easier said than done.  And does not always work.  

I have had 2 horrible renters, one I did check references and job and he looked good.  However his wife left him and other things happened in his life that changed him...  Cost me a lot.  The other was an acquaintance of my wife, big mistake...

So was my due diligence good enough?  Obviously not, but it wasn't nonexistent.


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