Cohousing-L Mailing List: RE: Renter issues

[Rob Sandelin (floriferous]

You have just had a very valuable experience, that will actually cost you
very little. I suspect in the future you will approach your renters with a
different understanding of what you want, and   what is not acceptable. For
example, many landlords have a NO PET clause in their leases for exactly the
reasons you described. Others have carefully spelled out damage deposit
agreements that follow almost to the letter what was detailed in other
emails about professional cleaners, etc. In some situations, landlords have
asked for references even.  These things are pretty standard for landlords
and even in my own community, where there are several rentals, these details
are often spelled out in signed lease contracts. Community life assumes
certain relationship expectations and boundaries. As a landlord, you are in
a somewhat odd position in a community relationship, but this does not have
to be adversarial, and it can even be nurturing and positive friendship. So
don't give up on renters because of one bad experience, but do learn from
it.

Rob Sandelin
South Snohomish County at the headwaters of Ricci Creek
Sky Valley Environments  <http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm>
Field skills training for student naturalists
Floriferous [at] msn.com


-----Original Message-----
From: cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org
[mailto:cohousing-l-admin [at] cohousing.org]On Behalf Of Christine Johnson
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2003 1:40 PM
To: cohousing-l [at] cohousing.org
Subject: Re: [C-L]_Renter issues



While I am not (yet) a cohousing resident, I am a long time landlord.
  I would have a professional cleaning service come in, if the deposit
is sufficient, and ask them to deodorize the unit.  Suggest that you
carefully itemize, in writing, each charge against the deposit for all
the repairs & cleaning and refund the balance, if any, by mail along
with the list of itemized charges.  Keep a copy on file for yourself.
In Texas, tenants are required by law to provide a forwarding address
and that may be the case where you are as well.

Your neighbors, relatives of your tenant, are not responsible for
his/her negligence and it is unfortunate that they prevailed upon your
friendship to persuade you to lease to him/her.   As far as mending
your relationship with your neighbors, can only suggest that you sit
down and explain to them what transpired and express your wish that all
this not hurt your friendship.  You know, they may be embarassed by all
this and would welcome your explanation.

W/respect to leasing to friends and relatives, and relatives of
friends, we simply do not do it.   The landlord-tenant relationship is
simply too fragile to risk losing a friend or happy relationship w/a
family member to disagreements over contractual obligations.   Hope the
next tenant is conscientious and this experience can be put behind you
as "educational cost."

Christine Johnson
Bastrop, Texas

  WOLF1GDSFM [at] aol.com wrote:
> A recent renter left the apartment for hours with windows wide open
> when bad weather was predicted, cleaned his/her catbox so seldom that
> the whole unit (including my part) smelled bad, let her/his cats make
> holes in the screens, wanted out of the lease months early (gladly
> granted), left the stove, counters, sink and bathroom fixtures dirty,
> left
> various non-valuable possessions behind and didn't return the unit or
> mailbox keys.  The apartment still smells of catbox.  I have not yet
> returned the damage deposit.
>
> I am puzzling over how much of the deposit to return to this person.
> If I
> return too little, there may be a problem, since the former renter is a
> close relative of neighbor family.  Said neighbors have been rather
> unhelpful in dealing with this relative, even though those neighbors'
> advocacy was the reason I rented to this person in the first place.
> The
> situation has strained relations between myself and those neighbors.  I
> have not been able to talk of my difficulties with other neighbors
> without
> feeling like a gossip.  The whole situation has left me reluctant to
> try
> renting again, although I may not be able to afford to stay here if I
> do
> not.
>
> Are there suggestions for dealing with any of the issues in the above
> scenario?
>
> J.
> _______________________________________________
> Cohousing-L mailing list
> Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
> http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L
>

_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L
---
Incoming mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.332 / Virus Database: 186 - Release Date: 3/6/02

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.332 / Virus Database: 186 - Release Date: 3/6/02

_______________________________________________
Cohousing-L mailing list
Cohousing-L [at] cohousing.org  Unsubscribe  and other info:
http://www.cohousing.org/cohousing-L