tenants and landlords
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Topic: tenants and landlords
Posted By: Bombshell
Subject: tenants and landlords
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 7:58am
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well there is often threads on here about how bad landlords are etc etc...and i am sick of landlords being given the bad rap....well our tenants have given us a treat this past week so here is a landlords perspective...they rent a unit from us in a lovely area and we live next door to them!!!
they are sth africans who are a nice young couple with a baby...no worries there...their parents convinced us to rent to them (we didnt know any of them) as they seemed so nice etc....BUT -had to remind them twice to put rent on AP - it missed two weeks! -had to ask them (and then in writing!) to mow lawns as done once in 12 weeks!!! and edges etc still not done -they have given notice as they have had change of circs (thats ok) and they gave TWO weeks....had to tell them it was 21 days! -showed someone thru and discovered brand new nets have holes in them where toddler has done stuff! -at same showing discovered that the toddler has dropped milk or juice or ??? ALL (and I mean ALL!) over carpet (which was steam cleaned before they came in!) and there are spots everywhere! -they havent paid any of the water rates! -they told us they didnt smoke BUT she does and she sits outside which then has smoke rising up towards my bedroom (there are reasons we dont take smokers - asthma etc etc - so they blatantly lied to us!) hmmm....so as landlords we are out of pocket when they dont pay, have to keep putting stuff in writing, and now have tenants moving out after 4 months cause they rented at a price they coudlnt afford! not to mention wondering why i was coughing until I saw her smoking outside one evening! luckily we have found new tenants (it is pretty sought after area luckily) but coming into xmas it may not have been so easy and we have mortgage to pay also....they are far from the worst we have had - far from it!!!! but even nice young couples with babies arent the ideal tenants for some of us! it aint easy being a landlord! 
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Replies:
Posted By: MissAngel
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 8:11am
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Here Here!!
We're going thru ANOTHER tenant who's not paying rent, not caring for the property and not returning calls or answering letters! i'm absolutely sick to death of it. The one before him destroyed our flat and owes us 3 grand. She's gone into hiding and no amount of detective work can find her :/ pisses me right off! Least she was smoking outside, bombshell, Our other tenants in the main house (its a 3brm with a 1brm studio attached) busted the bugger smoking inside! ------------- Alex, Thomas and Lily http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> 
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 8:52am
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You will be pleased to know we love our landlords!!! I think landlords do get a tough rap sometimes, ours are totally fantastic and because we've earned their trust, they in turn give us leeway with things like our pets etc.
I think some of it comes down to swings and roundabouts....you're good tenants and in turn (hopefully) the landlords will in turn be awesome! Hope that all makes sense. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: LittleBug
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 9:09am
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Sounds like a tough situation.
Paws, I'm with you... I love our landlords. Ours are just great. If something goes wrong they just say to call up a plumber/electrician/whatever and get the bill sent to them, which is AWESOME because things get sorted straight away and there is no messing around. They even sent us a little pressie both times when I had my two babies 
It does go both ways though, we cut the hedges for them so they don't have to hire someone, and we said if they got a lawnmower for us we would mow the lawns so they didn't have to hire someone, which has worked out well. In return they said we can do whatever we want with the garden, and let us have a cat, etc. ------------- Chloe (4 years) and Oliver (3 years). |
Posted By: Treen
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 9:41am
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Yeah, my husband keeps suggesting we buy a rental property as an investment but I keep saying no as I don't want to chase rent and have the place trashed.
To be honest Bombshell, I think you got off pretty light. With a toddler, I'd expect a lot more damage than holes in the curtain netting and sippy cup stains on the carpet. At least he/she hasn't drawn all over the walls as well. I always used to say I was a non smoker when I was renting. Like your tenant, I figured that there was no harm in smoking outside. I wouldn't take it too personally, she probably doesn't realise the smoke's drifting into your room. Perhaps ask her to go around the other side of the house till they move out. I've heard of rental properties with holes in walls, a year's worth of garbage backed up in the garage, tenants smoking inside, DIY home "improvements", landlords out of pocket by 2 or 3 months... I sooo wouldn't want all that stress. I hope you find the perfect tenants, Bombshell. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 10:05am
| we have a rental and iv just found out that one of the guys living there has his girlfriend there most nights....we specified just him and my BIL living there......im wondering if im being to fussy and overbearing telling him his GF cant stay???... i dont know this girl, have never met her... |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 10:08am
yup someone i know had tenants like this and that was only the half of it!!! there were sh*ty ADULT nappies EVERYWHERE! including in all the gutters!! and loads more disgusting things!!! 
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Treen wrote:Posted By: clover
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 10:11am
Personally if I was a tennant I wouldn't think it had anything to do with my landlord who I had over to stay. Unless she is damaging something I can't see it being a problem? ETA: The way I wrote that makes me sound very harsh, I didn't mean it to be....
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Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 10:22am
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LOL believe me we have had a LOT worse....it just annoys me when people think they can do this when we were specific eg NO smokers! it is a bit different for us as we live on the same property as this one....so were very clear - they just lied to us! Im not going to do anything about that now as they move out soon....
Yes... we have put number of people in the property as a maximum writing too as a warning in other properties also - one was a land agent renting who sublet and moved her teenage sons partner in also! Ended up being a 2-3 person allowance on the agreement but with 6 people living there! we have a few rentals and some tenants are awesome - others take advantage (as I feel these current ones are) and others are plain disgusting! one of last ones left a pot of butter chicken on stovetop for over a week (rental agent was showing and commented on it) to point we had to replace stove top - and she wondered why!!! as for toddlers drawing on walls (and OMG I would be appalled if Ella did that anywhere!!) - we havent done inspection yet so who knows what we will find! ugh! and people wonder why they are made to pay a bond!!! |
Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 10:24am
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it shouldn't be a problem but I believe the landlord would have the right to say something.
------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Lizze
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 10:27am
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baaska, did you specify a maximum number of people on the lease?
it it's only 2 or 3 nights a week you probably can't say anything, they still have a right to have a life.. but if it's more often then i would consider it another person and it would depend on the lease agreement ------------- 
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Posted By: Lexidore
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 11:01am
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Sorry to hear you are having trouble with your tenants!! Just out of curiosity you mentioned they haven't paid water rates, I didn't think tenants had to pay water rates? Or is that up to the individual agreement? I've not paid any in the past 4-5 places we have lived in and would hate to think that I had been doing something wrong. ------------- 
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Posted By: Treen
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 11:09am
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Yeah, I'm not sure what the deal is with water rates, either. In some flats I've managed to dodge the water rates (especially when they arrive not addressed to you... return to sender!) but I know at least in our last flat DH and I paid them and I think I have in a couple of other flats, too. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: clover
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 11:24am
| bex, I think it is different in Auckland, our water is included in our council rates but in Auckland it is a whole different bill I think. |
Posted By: Lexidore
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 11:28am
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oh k thanks for that Summerlamb, whew! -------------
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Posted By: ooEvaoo
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 11:48am
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Yeah up in Akl you pay water rates...unless you're on a shared water meter I think. We love our landlords, whenever something needs doin they are on to it straight away. I just feel sorry for their carpet as it does get stained abit, but we regularly rug doctor it...would be good if the dining area wasn't carpeted lol. Anyways they don't bother us, have been here two years and only ever had one house inspection..and that was on the insistence of us! We never miss a rent payment, we keep the house and section spick and span. They gave us the opportunity to rent their house, two youngans and an almost 1 year old toddler at the time...with no references..so they deserve to have trustworthy tenants. ------------- 
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Posted By: lemongirl
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 11:54am
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My last landlord was the bestest ever.
Total queen but lots of laughs. He lived a few doors up and not only did he not mind the loud raucous parties we used to have but would actually come down and join in the festivities in his lava-lava. |
Posted By: caitlynsmygirl
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 12:25pm
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our landlord this time is pretty good .
My previous landlord was a bit of a tool , his kids go to C's school and every time they have a disco or production , there he is , drunk . What a winner . ------------- 
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Posted By: naysgirl
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 12:52pm
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We had a bit of fun with our tenants back in April when they moved out. The place was left pretty messy, oven was absolutely filthy, their kids had drawn on the walls, they left a whole lot of rubbish behind, the blinds where covered in dust, they hadn't vaccumed before they left so there was dust balls and hair etc everywhere and just general filth left.
Was pretty disppointing but unfortunately its the luck of the draw sometimes finding good tenants. Mind you they paid their rent on time, was more when they went to move out. I would never think of moving out and not giving the place a good clean. Have spent the past 4 weekends cleaning our rented place getting ready for when we move out next week. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 12:55pm
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I love renting privately, I have found when renting through a real estate agent that they are SO much more annoying when you move out. I mean we scrubbed the bathroom roof clean of mould when it was covered with mould when we moved in but we couldn't get the mould out of the shower and told me that we didn't clean the skirting boards never mind we vacuumed and mopped numerous times and wiped them clean, mum was there when we did it so they charged us $50 for cleaning whatever I just wanted to have it over and done with. We are looking for a new place to stay atm as DD is in the lounge because we only have one bedroom but are having trouble finding something. So if anyone in Central Auck has a 2-3brm to rent I'm responsible and always pay rent ontime we are quiet tenants who never parties lol as DP works nights and EVERY weekend so yep no chance of that one here lol. ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: tishy
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 1:00pm
We live in a rental. The landlady wanted to paint the inside before we moved in but we told her not to bother what with 2 toddlers 
Thankfully she lives in Auckland so we never see her. She is great if we need anything done. We own a rental in Ireland which we've been mostly lucky with out tenants. We had one family who's kid got at the hallway walls with a crayon. We saw this at a house inspection but the tenants commented on it and said that they would get it painted before they ever left which we were happy with. Also that's why there are bonds involved. I would not feel any bit guilty about using the bond to pay the carpet cleaning, replace nets and so on. |
Posted By: hcsmum
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 1:08pm
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we are in the situation atm that our toddler ripped up (already peeling) wallpaper in his bedroom, I went to the property manager and said that we would strip and paint it in the summer months (which we will) he has also managed to hide under the kitchen table and draw on the walls so thats being painted too.
We aren't the tidiest of tenants I will admit, especially atm - being prego and getting on the floor to clean sucks! HOWEVER we do try our hardest to fix things that have gone wrong - through our fault, or our sons. Hence why the rooms are being painted. But this has reminded me that we need to rug doctor the lounge carpet :D |
Posted By: jazzy
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 2:26pm
What is up with that? Does he not pay rent? Does he trash the place? Is yes, then kick him out, if no then butt out...or are you his mum???? |
Posted By: Lulu
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 3:29pm
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We have been so lucky with tenants. A malaysian guy in our apartment has been there 6 years, never missed a rent payment and has only required maintenance twice I think.
A lovely English couple with two children in our house, they have been there since early this year and never missed a payment and actually invite me for coffee about once a month! ------------- Lou http://www.babysfirstsite.com"> 
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Posted By: squoggs
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 3:45pm
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Wow interesting reading... We recently moved from chch to akld and are renting out our house in chch - luckily so far the tenants have been fine. The latest tenants have a couple of small kids, so hopefully the place doesn't get too trashed as we have just repainted the inside. Mind you, I would a million times over rather kids drew on walls, picked wallpaper & spilled food than have it trashed by irresponsible malicious adults.
On the flip side, we are renting in akld, and our landlord is awesome, the house is lovely and we are looked after well :-) |
Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 4:30pm
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I work in this industry and yes, there is definately some terrible landlords, and tenants. Some of the stories I hear are just shocking!!
Bex - it depends on your contract, some will state that tenants are responsible for water charges and any other charges to the property. We don't have anything like that here in PN so not too familiar with the differences between the likes of Auck and Welly though.
Baaska - if you have stated on your agreement the number of persons to reside at the premises you can go down the legal path of issuing notices etc. TBH though it is a long drawn out process. I don't think you're being overbearing at all though - its your house, you have every right to know who is living there -------------  
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 5:01pm
Even as a non-landlord person I agree with this. I know the other house on the property we're on was meant to be rented preferably to a couple or single or similar. There is instead a family of 4 in there (how they fit I don't know! We moved out of that house when Miss M was 6 weeks old into the front house). This was the agents doing and our landlord wasn't impressed (back house only is through the agent, we deal direct with the landlords because they know us so well now) . They did prefer a certain type of tenant and to be honest fair enough. The landlords aren't pursuing it though because we have been able to reassure them that the family does appear lovely and nice and quiet so it works out, I can still understand the concern though. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 17 November 2009 at 9:21pm
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We specified that it could only be BIL and 1 flatmate to live there and we had to meet this flatmate first....iv never met the GF...and its alittle different because we are not charging BIL rent (personal reasons) and there is still a room of my mums stuff there which is why im a little iffy of strangers living there
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