So in mid December I had a small piece of gutter that came down and cracked a picture window at the front of a single family house. Stuff like this happens so I called my go to window repair shop.

I am told that they are running behind and they will get to it when they can. First week of January I call back - let the shop know that the residents whom have been there over a decade are still waiting for the window to get measured up and replaced.

First week of February comes around - I check in with the resident during my semi annual visit. Sure enough - I am blown off again. I let the vendor know that this is total bull crap.

Well yesterday I got a quote - the glass will be only $295 installed. I was then offered expedited service for a "$75" more. I typically don't blow a gasket - but this time I made an exception. I first called the resident (got VM). I don't think we are going to be using that company after that B S upsell attempt. I have a Amish window maker that do this job but he prefers larger jobs.

So I am wondering what other lame fees that we as landlords get charged - or "offered"

I don't consider that a lame fee. It's a fee, just like any other. Want to jump the line? Pay more. Amusement parks figured that one out about 10 years ago...

I do the same with my "expediated Security Deposit return" fee. $50 gets it to you in 10 days or less vs. waiting 30 days.

Like anything in this wonderful capitalist, free-market economy, take it or leave it.

So, if they can get it in under 3 months, that's "expedited"?

I had all of the windows replaced in a rental property that I owned forever (over 35 years) and was doing a complete remodeling. I had been solicited by a large window manufacturer that has their own installation team in southern California, I'm also a licensed contractor and they wanted all of my window business.

I had a lockbox on the property and showed up after they came and left. After examining all of the windows I noticed the drain slots normally placed along the lower window frames were missing. Someone had forgotten at the factory to program the machine to mill in those drain slots.

So I called the window manufacturer and voiced my concerns. Soon the rain was stating and without those drains, any water falling into the window tracks would eventually leak into the house. They told me their installation TEAM was going on a 2 week holiday and that maybe NEXT month they could get around to seeing what the problem was. I then sent an email with HD pictures of the windows without drains, to them. I told them there is no question what the problem was.

Either they repair or replace the windows before the rain, or face the liability for damage to my interior walls. Reminding them of the standard damage to a $750,000 property is 10%, or $75,000! Standard meaning the time, damage and lost rent.

So the window manufacturer sent their in house guy who had a portable cutter to mill the window frame in place, making drain slots. They sent him via the next flight out to Los Angles and rented him a truck. Two days after our phone call/conversation, the repairs were done.

While on the phone with the companies general manager, I called the publisher of a Trade Magazine where this window company advertises, asking them if they would publish an article on warranty's and service. This got the window manufacturer from saying weeks to days for the repair.

Don’t think it’s a LL fee, or a female fee ( other thread) or a —— fee. Prices have gone up at the local supplier ( apparently there was a virus, and supply chains have changed....). Then, for some reason, people all decided to stay at home...for a year... with nothing to do, no where to go. And, for some reason, they wanted a home office. Or a pool, or a hockey rink, or a deck, or a fireplace. Or ALL of it.

And then, because people.....for some reason.....have their kids home from school, so, if they can, parents stay home and try to muddle through helping first graders type long sentences with correct spelling, lest the lovely computer program the um..school district ...uses says the child ( in FIRST GRADE!!!) spelled things wrong.

Help Wanted signs have been cropping up everywhere, cuz apparently parents would rather help their children learn than just stuff them in daycare. ( lovely governor in our state says day care shouldn’t help students with distance learning....)

And what is that bunch of blokes in the District of Choas talking about? Reparations and Fight for fifteen! Talk about trying to create a permanent underclass!

I get that frustration and I would feel the same way.

However, this is why I do everything that I can myself but of coarse that takes time. In terms of a large picture window that would be difficult to do by yourself.

I had someone come to do move some electrical in a bathroom that was in one of those bulkheads above the shower because that bulkhead was being torn out too.

After he did the work he spent time writing up a "proposal" to install hardwired CO2/smoke detectors throughout the house for $1200!! I interrupted him and told him I would never consider doing such a thing but he continued his spiel.

A bit off topic, but, to 6x6’s point of DIY~

Whenever I had a company replace a whole house full of windows, IF there was a large picture window in the living room, I had them replace that with three evenly sized double-hungs.

Now, if there is damage, whether tenant-induced, neighborhood-induced, or even klutzy landlord-induced, it is much easier and cheaper to either DIY, or have it done. Only one smaller sash, rather than the full window.

I never understood the reasoning behind the large fixed plate of glass in a living room, with either no small side windows, OR two dinky side windows right behind the drapery stack (drapery stack= where the drapery is collected when drapery is in open position. ) At least not in a home in the city, with neighbors close nearby. With three evenly sized, openable windows, tenants can open the drapery just a smidge, still get some ventilation through the center window, but not have the window wide open for the creepy neighbor to see all. ( y’all might not have creepers in your area. *grin* )

I consider the fee lame in that it took several months to just get a quote - so offering speed up service after waiting three months....is in poor taste.

So, the window company only charges landlords this fee?

BTW, glaziers are the people cutting plexiglass by the semi truckload. So, next to mask makers, they are probably the ‘most slammed’ business since C-19 hit our shores.

I’d say asking only $75 to expedite is cheap! Even after three months.

Busy,

If offered the expedited fee at the beginning I wouldn't have blinked... probably would have paid it too. After all t his time, I'd tell them to pound sand because I'd have gotten the window from someone else after the second week of no firm response from them.

There is a large HVAC/Plumbing contractor here that offers a "membership". You get a price discount with their membership and they upsell everything they can. Their membership price is 2-3X what my small time plumber charges. It's interesting how many people flock to this business though, I have a friend that paid over $15K for a newly HVAC unit before I told him what it should have cost. His fear of inferior work cost him a small fortune.

I see your point about it being a lame fee, but not specifically a LL lame fee. Any normal customer that's not a LL would have had a different experience?

@MikeA,

There is one of those companies here. They claim to provide expedited service for their members on weekends, etc. for repairs. This is also one of those companies that claims to be able to do every kind of trade.

They have a radio show that runs every Sat. morning here. A caller had just bought a house built in the '70s and was concerned that copper pinhole leaks could happen in the future. The company radio host advised him to get a water softening system and said they could install it for between 3K and 5K. It seems to me the damage could already be done and this person would be better off just paying 3K for a repipe with PEX and be done with the problem forever, or waiting to see if it actually happens before spending all that money.

-- doctors are adding annual '''consierge'''memberships to their practices.

-- home warranty companies are basically charging an annual fee for coverage that doesn't exist and maybe you'll get expedited service call time for upcharged repair

-- auto repair warranties for older cars

-- free mounting valves and balance for a set of four overpriced tires

-- AAA membership if you break down or have a flat tire

Ray,

I know you don’t rattle easily.

There comes a time when a good resident and a good vendor are no longer good. Time to shop around.

I wonder if this fee was a standard answer by a receptionist or the person you normally deal with.

My guy came out the next day to measure but I had to wait several weeks because “thermopane window manufacturing for replacements is not essential”.

Fees: I registered for our court’s e-file system because the courthouse is closed to the public. They add a 7 cent e-file fee each time. The website brags they have e-file 1.3 million documents, that’s an extra $91,000.

Indiana property tax is 1% of assessed value for owner occupied, minus homestead exemption/ discounts etc. Investment houses pay 2% with no discounts. This equates to my rentals paying 4-5 times as much in property taxes as the house next door.

The city will pick up a piece of furniture every week (52 stops a year) but will not do a one time pick up a move out pile from a rental.