Broken AC (by Doogie [KS]) Jul 18, 2019 11:33 AM
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Jul 18, 2019 11:55 AM
Broken AC (by WMH [NC]) Jul 18, 2019 11:58 AM
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Jul 18, 2019 11:59 AM
Broken AC (by LisaFL [FL]) Jul 18, 2019 12:07 PM
Broken AC (by RR78 [VA]) Jul 18, 2019 1:23 PM
Broken AC (by Richard [MI]) Jul 18, 2019 1:25 PM
Broken AC (by Barb [MO]) Jul 18, 2019 2:13 PM
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Jul 18, 2019 2:24 PM
Broken AC (by LindaJ [NY]) Jul 18, 2019 2:58 PM
Broken AC (by Vee [OH]) Jul 18, 2019 3:08 PM
Broken AC (by AllyM [NJ]) Jul 18, 2019 3:29 PM
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Jul 18, 2019 3:58 PM
Broken AC (by Barbara [VA]) Jul 18, 2019 4:22 PM
Broken AC (by Live The Dream [AZ]) Jul 18, 2019 4:26 PM
Broken AC (by RR78 [VA]) Jul 18, 2019 4:43 PM
Broken AC (by Sisco [MO]) Jul 18, 2019 4:54 PM
Broken AC (by gevans [SC]) Jul 18, 2019 5:40 PM
Broken AC (by WMH [NC]) Jul 18, 2019 5:50 PM
Broken AC (by 6x6 [TN]) Jul 18, 2019 7:00 PM
Broken AC (by Hoosier [IN]) Jul 18, 2019 7:17 PM
Broken AC (by James [KS]) Jul 18, 2019 11:30 PM
Broken AC (by Live The Dream [AZ]) Jul 19, 2019 1:50 AM
Broken AC (by Cjo’h [CT]) Jul 19, 2019 3:10 AM
Broken AC (by Barb [MO]) Jul 19, 2019 10:12 AM
Broken AC (by Gail K [GA]) Jul 19, 2019 10:36 AM
Broken AC (by Doogie [KS]) Jul 19, 2019 10:56 AM
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Jul 25, 2019 11:09 AM
Broken AC (by Doogie [KS]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 11:33 AM Message:
So a tenant text me late last night and said his a/c was broke. I replied I would call first thing in the morning and get the a/c guy out. He went on to say this is an emergency because his wife is pregnant and he has 2 small dogs.
This morning at 6:15am, he text again and said please hurry with the a/c guy. More with the emergency part. At 7:45, he called and left a voicemail saying the same thing. When the a/c guy opened at 8, I called and got right through to them. Told him the issue and also that the wife was pregnant. He said he is swamped, but he would make it work today.
Now, the tenant is asking for the a/c guy's phone number so he can call and "speed this along". He's also saying this is inhumane and someone should have been out first thing this morning. I responded saying the guy is swamped, he made that known when I called, because of the pregnant wife he was going to fit it in today. That was obviously unacceptable to him.
I'm at the point now that I'm coming back to what would I do if this was my situation. Same day service on an a/c when temps are this high is pretty darn good IMO. If I called another company, nobody would drop everything and come out. I do not know HVAC, so me fixing it is not an option. If it were me, I would be at a family member's house waiting on the call. If family didn't live in town, I'd be at the library reading a book or something.
Am I missing something here???
--68.102.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 11:55 AM Message:
STOP being a horse's petute!!!! GEE's. Lay it on the line you have someone scheduled and no you don't hand out your peoples info.
Some of you have no gumption. NO AC is not life and death issue -- no matter what the tenant says. U called got on the list for the day--- that's it. --99.103.xxx.xxx |
Broken AC (by WMH [NC]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 11:58 AM Message:
Back to: when it is this hot, No AC is a little bit of an issue. However tenant is being a jerk regardless.
Here's what we would have done: called our HVAC guy first thing, thank him for getting to it ASAP for you, and ask Tenant if he wants a window AC for the bedroom while he waits for service. --50.82.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 11:59 AM Message:
Doogie KS just saw your last sentence. Something missing-- why yes per Gordon Ramsay "BOLLOCKS".
JUST KIDDING OF COURSE. --99.103.xxx.xxx |
Broken AC (by LisaFL [FL]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 12:07 PM Message:
Even in Florida AC is not a legally mandated requirement like heat is. I have broken AC issues all the time. Things happen.
You have a reasonable amount of time to get it fixed. It is not an "emergency" and you've done all that can be expected.
If I had a tenant with that attitude he wouldn't last long. I've never had one react that way. They turn on a fan or sleep at their Mom's house. --75.89.xx.xxx |
Broken AC (by RR78 [VA]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 1:23 PM Message:
I would have added 3 to 4 day service is normal for this time of year. --73.152.xx.xxx |
Broken AC (by Richard [MI]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 1:25 PM Message:
Entitlement attitude.
Get in line. Go to friends or family's until fixed.
Next he will want you to rent him a suite at the Hilton.
How the heck did people survive before a/c was widespread? Somehow, for thousands of years, people did survive.
Now that you know he is an entitled type, it's time for him to leave. He now feels you are (fill in the blank). This attitude will now get worse because you did not jump at hos command.
Get rid of all entitlement types. --172.222.xx.x |
Broken AC (by Barb [MO]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 2:13 PM Message:
AC is not required by law. Pregnant women manage it all the time.
Reminds me of a time when I was working with my church food pantry, and this young woman needed assistance because she was "unable to work". When I asked why, it was because she was pregnant. No, the doctor had not placed her on bed rest, and she was not yet showing. I gave her 3 days of food and told her to get a job.
I was 8 months along as the time. :)
The AC man will be there when he can. --131.151.xxx.xxx |
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 2:24 PM Message:
After reading these posts my faith has been restored in my fellow LL's. Thanks.
In Vietnam women gave birth in the rice fields and went right back to work. Of course, men with AK47's stood behind them, dressed in black pajama's to be sure. --99.103.xxx.xxx |
Broken AC (by LindaJ [NY]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 2:58 PM Message:
If it is that hot, most places have cooling centers opened. There is the mall, the grocery store, the town hall, library, restaurant. Even take a drive in the car. Run the fan, take cool showers, just sit around. If it is that bad, get a room A/c. We still don't have central Air in my house and haven't put the window A/cs in either. 90s with 100% humidity to last another few days. Stuff happens, people need to deal with it. --108.4.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by Vee [OH]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 3:08 PM Message:
Put her into the fridgerator --76.188.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by AllyM [NJ]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 3:29 PM Message:
I would have been over there with two window units as soon as I could make it and hope for help getting them in the window. People rent a place from us and if it has air it should have air and I feel that I should make sure the person paying me is comfortable. I feel really sorry for that poor woman and her little dogs. But I also would have had my own window units and not rely on a landlord. --173.61.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 3:58 PM Message:
AllyM NJ for real? let me rephrase that "ARE" U FOR real? --99.103.xxx.xxx |
Broken AC (by Barbara [VA]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 4:22 PM Message:
Your tenant is being unreasonable. If your able to get it working in less than 24 hours your being a super good LL.
Personally I keep a portable on hand. If it is going to be over 48 hours, or tenant is in one of the upstairs condo (no shade...they do get unbearably hot) I will drop that off for them. However a cool rag and fan can do wonders for a short term issue. --174.255.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by Live The Dream [AZ]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 4:26 PM Message:
For the OP - I'd make one effort to explain that you can't control the weather or the ac breakage schedule. That you are within the law and are doing everything possible. Explain (based upon your state's requirements) what the law requires and what remedies they have. (Like pro rated rent if they have to evacuate.) DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT!
For some reason many tenants think if the ac goes out they are entitled to the Presidential Suite at the Four Seasons on the LL's dime.
I had a page in my epic (like 39 page) lease devoted to AC repairs. It explained that we live in a rural area and it may take time to obtain service repairmen and parts, which have to be shipped usually from Phoenix.
The point was to make it clear that we live in extreme conditions in the desert and as much as we wish otherwise sometimes things go wrong. Everyone needs to cooperate to make it right as quick as REASONABLY possible. And "Reasonable" was defined. The point being to CYA should it go to court.
The tenant would initial this.
It went on to inform that we MAY (depending on availability) have temporary loaner portable units - OR the TENANT was welcome to purchase any desired portables from the store.
It further described AZ law regarding habitability, and regrading withholding of rent, so there was no question. Here 95 degrees is the cut off point, and the tenant has the option to go to a motel or other accommodation and to be compensated a pro-rated amount for the time the unit was uninhabitable. It explained this meant if your rent was $600 you received a $20 a day allowance / pro rated amount. NOT $300 a night for a suite on the river.
In reality I only had a handful of times where AC was out overnight. One I think was out for like 5 days. She just went to stay at her mom's nearby and I knocked $100 off her rent and gave her a couple of pizza coupons. And she got a nice new ice cold ac unit for $4,000. A couple times we brought in portables. And a couple were on shoulder seasons, high 80's and they chose to just tough it out. Didn't even want the portables I offered.
Me - all the power in our town went out for 24 hours last summer. WE just grabbed our travel "go bags," filled the fridge with dry ice and went to one of the nearby casinos (which are on a different power grid) to the $300 riverfront suite. Why suffer.
--47.216.xx.xxx |
Broken AC (by RR78 [VA]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 4:43 PM Message:
We had a tenant one time that wanted to argue and wanted a guarantee it would not happen again..
I explained we cant only be expected to fix the AC in a reasonable amount of time. And that depends on how soon we can get a tech out.
It would be no different if they owned a home.
If they wanted a guarantee we could do that.
But there would have to be a big rent adjustment to cover the extra cost.
This would have to include another complete AC system. And of course the backup generator in case power went out at same time.
I forget the cost I quoted. Somewhere between 10 - 15K.
They changed their mind.
--73.152.xx.xxx |
Broken AC (by Sisco [MO]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 4:54 PM Message:
My HVAC guy says that old and young are all near death from heat.....that is what 50% of his customers tell him so it must be true. --72.172.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by gevans [SC]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 5:40 PM Message:
Service in one day during a heat wave is a minor miracle. Here in SC the courts consider service in 5 days as reasonable. Tenant is being a jerk.
However, sweetie and I feel personally that we are responsible for our actions, not the actions of anyone else (the tenant).
We keep some back up portable coolers on hand and if the repairs will take more than a single day, we offer to bring over and set up.
In the case of this jerk tenant, if the repair guy tells me he will have to come back tomorrow with parts I would STILL offer a portable unit. --69.80.xx.xxx |
Broken AC (by WMH [NC]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 5:50 PM Message:
Last time someone went nuts like that (not that bad but close) DH brought over a window unit for the bedroom (they had a newborn.)
They never installed it. Just waited for the repair (next day, I think.) --50.82.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by 6x6 [TN]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 7:00 PM Message:
Lots of good advice here. I would have said I have no control over the HVAC breaking nor do I have any control over the timing. I would have said HVAC guy is coming out today at my request for your wife but he is booked and normally would not have. There is no guarantee that it can be fixed today but if not I will put a window unit in the bedroom until the other is fixed. If he kept on I would tell him he is lucky it is not the year 1795 as a/c wasn't invented until the mid 1900's.
myob, you are so funny! Straight and to the point! I love it!
--73.120.xx.xxx |
Broken AC (by Hoosier [IN]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 7:17 PM Message:
I think you approached it well, but a few other ideas.
1) Put a response to him in writing
2) Show some empathy..."I'm sorry this has happened and we're doing what we can to get a service person out there. Unfortunately they don't open until 8 AM but I will update you by 8:30 AM"
3) Add a few suggestions that put the onus on him.
3a) Do you have family members she can stay with for a
day or two?
3b) I can offer you a window air unit or a couple box
fans until this is fixed
3c) You seem to be expressing concern for the health of
your wife and the baby...If you do have significant
health concerns you can always go to a cooling
center or the hospital
--99.92.xxx.xxx |
Broken AC (by James [KS]) Posted on: Jul 18, 2019 11:30 PM Message:
Doogie - I understand how frustrating that this is. We are in the middle of a heat wave and the upcoming days are just as bad. I too have an HVAC guy that is very responsive and will usually be out the same day. My tenants will text me and complain about how hot it is within a few hours of them letting me know that there is a problem. I don’t feel that they appreciate that I have someone there the same day (because of my good business relationship with the HVAC guy). If the tenants owned a house they would be lucky to have someone out to fix it within 3 days. If a tenant is really complaining I tell them that they are welcome to try to find an HVAC company to come out sooner and I will reimburse them. So far in 15 years nobody has found a company to come out sooner than my regular guy. I try to let the complaints roll off my back. Once these people own it will be a rude awakening! --107.77.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by Live The Dream [AZ]) Posted on: Jul 19, 2019 1:50 AM Message:
It's 11 pm here and 101 degrees. I'd hazard a guess our LOW temps are higher than your HIGH temps. LOL
--47.216.xx.xxx |
Broken AC (by Cjo’h [CT]) Posted on: Jul 19, 2019 3:10 AM Message:
Doogie,Tell him what the girls back in Derry would tell him. “Tough. S..t”Too bad.........my cousin Willie bought a Nice Mercedes about four years ago,it doesn’t have A/C,If you ask him about that,He just smiles..........Charlie.......... --32.214.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by Barb [MO]) Posted on: Jul 19, 2019 10:12 AM Message:
Never say "I'm Sorry" to a resident. Instead, say "Thank you"
Thank you for letting me know about the situation.
Thank you for your patience. We have contacted the appropriate company to maintain the .....
Thank you for .....
--131.151.xx.xx |
Broken AC (by Gail K [GA]) Posted on: Jul 19, 2019 10:36 AM Message:
SO...did the AC get fixed?
This broken AC business always reminds me of the several calls we've received over the years about units that "don't seem to be cooling adequately" during our heat waves. In those cases it turns out the vents were in the floors and furniture/boxes and other junk had been stacked right on top of the vents.
In one house a vent in the bathroom was expected the whole house.
Moving stuff off the vents solved the problem.
Gail --73.108.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by Doogie [KS]) Posted on: Jul 19, 2019 10:56 AM Message:
Thank you for the responses all. To finish the story, I got a few more texts from him saying how inhumane this is, how much of an emergency this is, I should cover extra fee if needed, there are plenty of repair companies in town, blah blah blah. I kept it professional and thanked him for letting me know, etc. I did also let him know that I cannot control HVAC guy's schedule as he is independent contractor. Additionally, same day service when it's this hot out is pretty good. Around 12:15, he text me and said all is fixed and thank you for my patience. "Patience"??? Say what? You mean putting up with you. Oh, yes, you're welcome. LOL --68.102.xxx.xx |
Broken AC (by myob [GA]) Posted on: Jul 25, 2019 11:09 AM Message:
and now is the time for that letter to MR. Nice Tenant.
Dear so and so this letter is a reminder that this office does not stand for either verbal or physical abuse of management. All requests are dealt with in a priorities way AS WAS YOURS. Your verbal abuse will not be tolerated.
--99.103.xxx.xxx |
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