WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Feb 27, 2021 10:58 AM
WWYD? (by Jason [VA]) Feb 27, 2021 11:08 AM
WWYD? (by Ken [NY]) Feb 27, 2021 11:14 AM
WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Feb 27, 2021 11:38 AM
WWYD? (by Small potatoes [NY]) Feb 27, 2021 11:43 AM
WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Feb 27, 2021 11:53 AM
WWYD? (by Allym [NJ]) Feb 27, 2021 11:55 AM
WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Feb 27, 2021 11:58 AM
WWYD? (by Robert,OntarioCanada [ON]) Feb 27, 2021 2:12 PM
WWYD? (by cjl [NY]) Feb 27, 2021 2:16 PM
WWYD? (by Allym [NJ]) Feb 27, 2021 2:39 PM
WWYD? (by s [CA]) Feb 27, 2021 3:51 PM
WWYD? (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Feb 28, 2021 12:53 AM
WWYD? (by MC [PA]) Feb 28, 2021 8:22 AM
WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 10:58 AM Message:
Have an up/down duplex in a small town/bedroom community. Downstairs tenant was once an urbanite in one of the closer larger cities 40 minutes away. Her income source is a home health care aid through "freedom care." She is in her early fifties and lives with her 30 something disabled son (supposedly heart/kidney failure but both of them smoke; i digress). she actually gets paid by the state to "take her son's case." i.e. gets paid to be his guardian!
She keeps the place clean and pays her rent for the 3 bedroom unit anytime on the 1st to the 5th. Her lease is up on June 1st She does have a tendency to crank the heat (she pays heat) and has been caught running a space heater on an extension cord (my husband was less than pleased). We also adjusted her water heater (she pays) as she said the water was not hot enough (it is now and she was warned about scalding)
She also wanted an additional lock on the front door (we have keypad locks) because she is very nervous coming from a bad area about break ins. She has agreed to pay if she is determined to have this.
Hubs is getting frustrated with her and doesn't want to go month to month after her term is up. I'm thinking that in this day and age you need to take the good with the bad and as long as she is consistently paying rent on time, we should keep her.
This is in a "blue collar B-" area.
WWYD? --72.231.xxx.xx |
WWYD? (by Jason [VA]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 11:08 AM Message:
Your only gripes are that she used a space heater, likes a warm place, hotter than normal water, and an extra lock?!
A lot of people on here would love to have your problems. If you want freedom, make her month to month. Otherwise, lock her into a lease and accept your good fortune. --73.177.xxx.xx |
WWYD? (by Ken [NY]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 11:14 AM Message:
I agree with Jason.She wants another lock for security,give it to her then if she gets broken into she cant blame you.Who cares how hot she wants her hot water or heat if she pays for it.I think your husband is micromanaging her life,that will lead to burnout.Why would any landlord in NY want a year lease? the tenant can leave regardless anytime and if she stops paying you cant do an eviction yet but maybe we will be able to do evictions when a rental term ends which is easy with month to month --72.231.xxx.xxx |
WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 11:38 AM Message:
Agreed that a lease means practically nothing in NY. Both my tenants are six months then year to year. Unless she stops paying her rent on time or starts criminal activities, then I say not to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Hubby has never had rental property before whereas I have and yes he does tend to micromanage, LOL --72.231.xxx.xx |
WWYD? (by Small potatoes [NY]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 11:43 AM Message:
My only q is did you know about the smoking?
And the heater on an extention is a hazard. I had a tenant do the same thing. Every time I saw it I would say something and have them take it apart and then they would put it back together because they had a cat on a porch that they were keeping warm in the winter a couple of winters of this and the plug melted on the extension and caught fire fortunately the power strip cut off. After while the cat died and they didn't continue the practice so I understand what your husband is thinking. Have them get renters insurance. Also look and see if you could put an outlet where they need it. And when it's time for a lease renewal increase the rent to pay for your aspirin but have them go month-to-month --172.58.xx.xxx |
WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 11:53 AM Message:
Hubby completely re did the electric including a new service riser and meters. Upstairs gets 100 amp and downstairs gets 100 amp. We have warned them about the space heater on an extension cord as they have tripped a 20 amp circuit breaker twice.
Yes we did know about the smoking. Generally speaking I would prefer non smokers but in this neck of the woods, practically everyone smokes. --72.231.xxx.xx |
WWYD? (by Allym [NJ]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 11:55 AM Message:
You can put some of that black tubular insulation around the pipes from the water heater to keep them from cooling and making the water cooler before it gets to her. Then you may be able to adjust it back to a safe temperature. Probably a cold air leak into the house is cooling pipes between the heater and her faucets. When I saw tenants using space heaters I added some baseboard heat to the cooler rooms and they can use that if needed. There is an on/off switch on the wall and a temperature selector. That way you don't have to worry about a tipover. It's wired into their electric box.
So these folks would make me nervous too with the smoking. Like Jason said, this situation is difficult but an empty would be worse. Can't tell who is working now or who is being kicked out for non payment. --108.24.xx.xx |
WWYD? (by MAP [NY]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 11:58 AM Message:
This house has steam heat (new dunkirk boiler; we are in the HVAC biz) and that place is 80-85 degrees in all rooms. it is an older house with little insulation, however it has all new replacement windows. The son actually cracks his window open (I used to see this with my old rentals that were in the city 40 minutes away).
Hubs did something with the temperature regulator. When I was fixing the place up, I found the water to be hot, but that is just me. She probably is taking extended baths in the bathtub and it is not holding the heat for as long as she likes. --72.231.xxx.xx |
WWYD? (by Robert,OntarioCanada [ON]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 2:12 PM Message:
Spray foam in the ceilings and walls will minimize heat transfer where fiberglass loses R value over time. Consider upgrading insulation if have the funds. A well insulated building the heat will stay in a long time where the life expectancy of the heating boiler will last longer as less use. --99.236.xxx.xxx |
WWYD? (by cjl [NY]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 2:16 PM Message:
The only thing I think is something that you should be "concerned" about is the extension cord. Outside of that, people do what people do.
I had tenants (a few years back) that "complained" about their heat bill being high and their water bill being high. When I walked into their apartment, it was set at 78 degrees which is 12 degrees warmer than I keep my own house. I was sweating in their apartment as I was looking for any water dripping (tub, faucets, toilet and then in basement) which there were none.
When I was there a few other times (just routine either showing the property or checking the basement, etc) I realized that they were continuously washing clothes. Whether it was there own or not, I asked the husband how often they wash and he said his wife washes their clothes daily/ pretty much non-stop ... why? I just looked at him and said .. .that is why your water bill is so high.
They left after a year and bought their own house. I always wonder from time to time how he feels about his bills now that he's the one that is actually in control of everything and can't blame the landlord for everything. --67.242.xx.xx |
WWYD? (by Allym [NJ]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 2:39 PM Message:
Saw a video on Accuweather last night and they said the old boilers were designed to run best with windows open a bit. Turns out back in the early 1900s after the Great Flu Pandemic, people left windows open for fresh air as they were worried about getting sick from someone else's germs. All the boilers were built to deal with this and really cranked out the heat. Sometimes tenants like to run the shower to heat up the bathroom. I had that going on at one place. shower ran for 20 minutes in the first floor apartment. I was in the basement with a repair guy and heard it several times. --108.24.xx.xx |
WWYD? (by s [CA]) Posted on: Feb 27, 2021 3:51 PM Message:
Last Tenant I had who was using inordinate amounts of water turned out to be that she was having her girlfriends bring their wash over to use the washer (I pay for water). I only noticed when I saw a friend on my security camera, coming over several times a week, AFTER everyone left for work, and unloading mounds of wash, then taking it down to the corner to dry. She obviously had a key, thought it was free wash since I paid and all her friends lived in apartments. I put a stop to that when I figured it out. --68.8.xx.xxx |
WWYD? (by BRAD 20,000 [IN]) Posted on: Feb 28, 2021 12:53 AM Message:
MAP,
Managing is an active sport. Have a thorough lease which protects you and your property, and enforce it firmly and fairly. And realize the res has the right to live as they want as long as it complies with the lease and law, without putting others in harm’s way.
No annual lease during our new President’s moratorium on evictions. Especially NY! People are still losing jobs as businesses adjust to the continued pandemic. And the internet is telling people to just stop paying.
Give them a letter stating no heater on extensions cords. OR give her a heavy duty, SHORT cord.
If the heater is tripping a 20 amp breaker the heater is defective. MY concern is the wire hiding in the wall with no ventilation to cool it. That will start a fire.
Require Renters’ Insurance.
Water heater: do NOT turn it up. MY state health and building code sets a temperature limit. YOU will be liable for scalding. Kids die in tubs that are too hot. Document with a photo how you set the temp at NORMAL. Let her turn it up if she wants.
Some people are chilly due to medications or their metabolism. My brother wears long underwear and long sleeve flannel shirts all year.
A humidifier would help her feel the heat that is already there.
Years ago a res complained about lack of heat. I trudged thru the snow on a sub-zero Feb day. She answered the door in a ripped tee shirt and nothing else. No shoes, socks, pants, sweater...not even underwear.
BRAD --73.102.xxx.xxx |
WWYD? (by MC [PA]) Posted on: Feb 28, 2021 8:22 AM Message:
Temps vary person to person. I am frugal so I lower mine and use an extra layer when I need it.
Always different when you are in charge of your own bills, cell phone, heat, gas, etc. --73.230.xxx.xx |
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