I had a tenant vacate two days ago. She had given a 30 day notice and she left the inside of the house cleaner than most of my vacating tenants do.

This tenant wants her full $500.00 deposit back, however, there is one big issue here. This tenant, got a German Shephard without my permission and the dog has done some minor damage to the back deck. My lease is clear on this, unauthorized pets will be charged a $30.00 pet fee calculated for each month of tenancy, which is 12 months here. I going to deduct $360.00 plus the cost to pressure wash the back deck where dog's muddy footprints are everywhere.

Yesterday, we had a 'texting argument' over this issue and today she may show up for face to face confrontation.

Take a picture of the unauthorized pet paragraph and send it to her in a text.

Practice a 15 minute speech.

Rifle off the words actually and basically until

For approved animals, I charge $25/month pet rent. For animals that are snuck in, I charge $100/month pet rent charged retroactively and an additional $500 fee.

Dave,

None (and I mean None) of my vacating tenants ever give me a forwarding address to mail anything to. Most of my vacating tenants do not expect to receive any of their deposit back and they just disappear into thin air never to be seen or heard from again. This is the exception and she wants her deposit returned before she leaves town. My lease says I have 45 days to return her deposit which could become another issue of discussion.

Want more food for thought? None of my Class C tenants ever read the lease before signing it which explains why my 'Pet Paragraph' is all news to her right now.

Frankly, I wouldn't allow a face to face confrontation.

If she has further questions about the unauthorized pet (and the fees now owed for such) plus the time limit for receiving ANY security deposit she can refer to her copy of the lease (I'm assuming she received a copy of such at signing).

Texting may only tell part of the story. E-communications misses the body mannerism that is so important in effective communications. That is why when I send a text to a tenant I am very careful what I text and I text as little as possible.

If she is clean you have a very good possibility of working something out that is agreeable to both parties.

PG,

I hate TEXTING with tenants, however, they force me to Text them because they won't answer the phone if I call them. All they want to do is fricking TEXT, TEXT and more TEXT.

I agree with a couple of others. Don't meet with her. It will just cause strife for you. Tell her the accounting of the fees will be in the deposit return you will mail with the time allowed by law. Your pet cause, does it spell out any consequences for a found pet? If not ,maybe it's time to update the clause. Jason has a good suggestion.

Another reason why "all calls go to voicemail." I don't argue with tenants. I text/email them to read their lease.

If in response they argue, balk, whine, wheedle, cajole, threaten, argue, fume, fuss, b*tch, moan, or gripe....

...I repeat, "Read your lease." If they continue to resist, I ignore them and save the dialogue in case I ever need it in court. Gotta love Google Voice! To date, no tenant has ever followed thru on any type of threat or argument. They vent, then they move on.

Then I crack open a cold beer and celebrate my business policies that have resulted in me having less stress, more freedom, and more profit.

Why does she even know of your deductions yet? You haven't done the official accounting, have you? I never discuss damages directly with a tenant - it only goes in writing in an official accounting.

Myself, I would keep in mind that she gave proper notice and left the place clean. Your only damage is pressure washing the deck, which is a mighty easy turn-over for you.

The pressure washing definitely should be charged for. The pet fee, maybe you should have been paying a little more attention.

In future, I suggest that you make your tenants initial the pet clause and put a heavy emphasis on it.

You aren't going to train this tenant with the retroactive fee, because she is out. You are not going to train your other tenants with this retroactive fee, because they probably won't know that you have charged it.

Oregon,

...I hate TEXTING with tenants, however, they force me to Text them because they won't answer the phone if I call them...

They don't force me. I refuse to hold a "conversation" with anyone via text. It's fine for a "confirming plumber at 9:30" but that's it. When I sign a lease I tell them they may not text me. I actually use a landline but of course at some point I call from the cell phone and they have that number or I do send a text as above. When they do text me, I completely ignore it.

Why r u charging 12 months? Is that how long the pet was there? If yes why did it take you 12 month to find out about the pet? Was some one sleeping at the wheel here?

Second I won't take the 30.00 per month since she's gone. Charge for the damage-- to deck and any special cleaning like for fleas etc..

here is a classic example of why you shouldn't do this. You kept 360.00-- she takes you to court and she proves she only had the dog for 2 months-- 60.00. Now she wants 900.00 ROY from you.

This is awkward. I'd be willing to make all repairs to the deck and house, and give her what's left over. Forget about reducing the dog fees. The risk of triple damages far outweighs the reward of only $300.

Keep in mind the purpose of the pet damage fee and pet deposit is to pay for damages. If there is no significant damage, then you got lucky. Subtract the real damages, refund the rest, and move on.

Roy, I use to hate texting myself and am still not a big fan of it because it takes me too long and I think that actually hearing the person allows for more incite into the conversation as to the attitude behind it. Things may be read differently in a text then the actual intension or feeling behind it.

Unfortunately, in todays world, people love to text and not have an actual phone conversation. The younger generation has changed the world.

My last tenants were Millennials and did nothing but text and tech with everything. I have now gotten a little more accustomed to texting (still slow at it) and will point out 2 benefits.

1) It can save time as you can work between text.

2) You can keep these text and use them in court if needed as proof. Some judges want them printed out and not read them from your phone. A phone conversation is considered hearsay.

6 bye right on-- not fun texting. Suggest this to others. get a Junker phone like the AARP one for 18..00. Its the only phone I text clients from. It stays on my desk and at night it's always there. NEVER EVER TAKE A VOICE CALL-- EVER. I TEXT BACK I'M IN HVAC SCHOOL CAN'T ANSWER.

It's made me $$$ in the past:

ANIMALS

NO ANIMALS OR PETS OF ANY KIND WILL BE ALLOWED ON THE PREMISES AT ANY TIME UNLESS TENANT HAS PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE LANDLORD. IN THE EVENT ANIMAL(S) ARE PERMITTED AS A PART OF THIS AGREEMENT, A SEPARATE ADDENDUM SHALL BE DRAFTED, WHICH WILL SUPERCEDE THIS SECTION. IF TENANTS ALLOW AN ANIMAL ON OR IN THE PREMISES AT ANY TIME DURING THE LEASE PERIOD WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE LANDLORD, A $500 ANIMAL FEE SHALL BE ASSESSED AND RENT WILL BE INCREASED $100 PER ANIMAL. THIS ADDITIONAL MONTHLY RENT WILL BE RETROACTIVELY ASSESSED, BEGINNING ON {{lease beginning}}. TEMPORARILY KEEPING AN ANIMAL FOR A FRIEND OR RELATIVE WILL NOT BE EXCUSED. IF AN ANIMAL OR EVIDENCE OF AN ANIMAL IS FOUND AT THE PROPERTY, THE RENT WILL BE INCREASED.

I would start with cleaning up the deck and see where you are. Then have the home treated for fleas no matter what. All too often, they will still be there, but won't appear until the dog has been gone a couple of weeks.

Have the HVAC cleaned as well. There is fur in the system. Not might be, IS.

A GSD sheds, a lot. One reason for the pet fee is that the fur WILL reduce the life expenctancy of the refrigerator. Not might, WILL. THAT is why you charge the pet fee, to cover the fact that what would have lasted 10 yaers now lasts probably 5.

First of all, I do not 'micro-manage' my tenants like some of all do. I do not set up online video cameras on the tenants property and record every move they make which gets beamed back in real time to my smart phone. When this tenant gave her 30 day notice, I started doing once a week drive-byes just to see if she was making any real plans to move. During one of these drive-byes, I noticed the unauthorized German Shephard walking around on the back deck. How long the dog had been there is not the issue,...it is the damage the dog did and what it will cost me to fix it.

If she doesn't provide you with a forwarding address, just mail it to her present address, your rental. The US mail will forward or you can pick it up at your rental if it is not forwarded. Keep it in her file if you need to show proof you mailed it.

Roy wait a second. Roy you said u were charging 360.00 for 12 months of dog? then charging for cleaning the deck.

Roy how long dog was there is why you held 360.00 back-- it's exactly the issue. We don't know or can at least surmise you don't know how long the dog has been there.

You did monthly inspection? Right-- did you see a dog?

I don't know about this story-- I do know if I was a judge and you had no proof how long the dog was there-- i'd make you pay 3X's the 360.00. And as the judge I would remember you.

Roy isn't AL law if you don't have a forwarding address you must sent to last known address? and that's usually the rental itself.

She knows where you LIVE?! I have PO boxes for rents and correspondences,...yes I know they could find out, but I don;t answer the door if its not a recognized friend (camera) AND I have only a flippy phone,..I've NEVER texted ANYONE. Don't even know how to.

And doing monthly inspections? With 47 units I think all my spare time would be waltzing around to look at units each month..and then I get to hear that a light bulb is out in their hall and the fact they don't like their neighbors and the place across the st has a dog that barks at night and what am I going to do about it. Etc etc etc.

Myob,

$30.00/month is my normal pet fee that is added to the normal rent each month. That is when I know about a pet at lease signing and can approve or not approve a pet. She did not give me this choice and sneaked the dog in. She was there for 13 months and not 12 actually. 13 times $30.00 = $390.00 which will be deducted from her $500.00 deposit.

OH YEAH , phone calls go to voice mail and we do read emails.

Ken what u mean?

I bill what i can prove.