Finally got everything caught up after a hard Pandemic and decided to do something nice for the tenants.

Got some large tall pots to put potted flowers/bushes out in front of the main building street-side. I figured it would make current tenants happier and they would stay, right?

I told the tenants and they were delighted, though the project started to get a little expensive.

However the next day.... the woman whose apartment is directly out front, suddenly texted me saying she wanted new blinds. Never had anyone do that before.

There was a leak over the window, which I fixed last month on the outside. But it (apparently) had dribbled over the blinds and stained them. Last month, not yesterday. They were also 'grimy', she says... though I don't remember them being that way and I know she's a smoker.

My feelings are that somehow I lit a beacon saying "Landlord's got cash!" when I offered to put in new landscaping. Which tenants are all too ready to believe. What's more she then mentioned her curtains may be 'stained beyond washing', laying the groundwork for demanding new curtains too.

I mean, IDK. Whose fault is it, if the leak was fixed, am I also an insurer of their belongings? It doesn't seem like much to buy new blinds, but it sets a precedent. And I'm well aware that they can be angrier after not getting the next thing replaced than they ever would have been, if this "On the Landlord" buying spree hadn't started in the first place. Thoughts?

myob, care to elaborate on that.... or just a general statement saying we're all stupid.

Stupid to tell them we're going to do some landscaping as a bonus?

Anyway, how many tenants are stupid enough to believe when they pay rent, its all just pure profit to the landlord. And buying, maintaining managing and operating a building is free, and we pull furnished and cleaned and government-endorsed and tax-paid apartments out of our butts. For them to trash again and again.

Cause I don't know about you, but my profit margins are not large. In fact from my experience you need at least 4 apartments just to break even with expense and cover your own bills, and I do almost all of the work myself.

Though admittedly, I'm not a slumlord....

Dear Tenant,

Please check with your Tenant Insurance policy, as your belongings (the curtains) are covered by that - our policy will not cover your things.

We will check the BLIND (note to yourself: not BLINDS) and replace if necessary.

Thank you for letting us know.

Kinda makes you wish you didn’t present yourself as the owner, doesn’t it? As a manager, I have to ask the owner for upgrades. And he’s a real prick.

Duplexer sure. Do you think you can handle the truth???? Jack Nicolson says LL's can't handle the truth-- and that for sure is seen here every day.

Let me say for the record there are many very good LL's here and there are many who are LL's here but think helping tenants (who we only hear half the story from) is in their purview.

I think in your case your naïve. Make tenants happy? #1 NOT gonna happen. #2 your saying your not making money and just prior to that how it's expensive to put out plants in pots. #3 good deed of plants followed by no good deed goes unpunished cause now you have a tenant who never did this before want more__ and your shocked why? #4 now you need to clean tenants house-- why cause the blinds are GRIMEY! translates to tenant is not keeping their place clean-- and yes you got it-- it's the LL's fault. #5 well you already know-- she wants BRAND NEW CURTAINS!!!!

WHO's fault is this???? let me see who can be blamed!!!!!

LL's listen up. You fix up your place when they move in-- it's up to them to let you know when there's a problem. Your the LL for gosh sake so act like it--- not their mommy and daddy. OR in YOUR case RICH LL.

How's that for THOUGHTS?

Some here just don't get it!!!!!!

Actual clause in my Rental Agreement:

"Landlord is not responsible for loss or damages to ANY of Tenant's personal property inside or outside the residence such as furniture, electronics/appliances, personal items, clothing, food (damage by bugs, moisture, or power failure), vehicles, yard items, pets or plants, regardless of the cause of the damage, including theft, burglary, vandalism, 'Acts of God', fire, water, wind, falling items, electrical problems, or attack by Zombies or Space Aliens, or for injuries to Tenant's Guests or Relatives. It is strongly recommended that Tenant purchase 'Renter's Insurance', (probably won't cover Zombies and space Aliens), to cover any personal losses."

I've had to use this twice and it worked fine both times. A similar clause should be in any rental agreement in reference to purchasing renter's insurance.

"Let the name calling begin"

myob, you a$$!

"Dear Tenant,

Please check with your Tenant Insurance policy, as your belongings (the curtains) are covered by that - our policy will not cover your things.

We will check the BLIND (note to yourself: not BLINDS) and replace if necessary.

Thank you for letting us know."

For a start, when I fixed the leak I would have fixed the outside and any damage to the inside, so if the water had stained the blindsSSSSS!!!!, (take that WMH), I would have replaced them at that time.

Make a note: 99.9% of tenants do not care about landscaping. It's fine if you want to improve the appearance of your building, but don't expect the tenants to be grateful, because they are not going to be grateful and they are not going to take care of the new plants or planters.

Duplexer, it's all relative. How long before she told you about the leak VS how long till you fixed it. I'm assuming because of covid you didn't go in the apt, if so is that on you or her? How long had the smoker been there? Sounds like, long enough to coat things in nicotine tar. So you should go in and say, look you smoke and I'm going to have to replace the blinds when you leave (were they new before she moved in?),so I'm not replacing the one w a water stain on it. That said if the blind got stained, what's the paint look like? Then tell her if she can't appreciate what you do it's time to move. Prolly the other tenants think she's a complainer anyway?

BTW shrubs in pots, if they are broadleaf evergreens (like azalea or rhododendron) need an antidessucant applied before freezing weather. In general water pots thoroughly before it freezes, as the wind dries plants out. And water during a thaw in the winter. Hopefully in your climate pots don't freeze through too long and kill roots and thus whole plant.

Whose blinds were damaged?

A set of blinds at HD might be $8

If your actions damaged her property, perhaps you should consider replacing them. If you don't you are setting the stage for her to damage your property and that might cost more than $8

Is this resident a keeper? To you, is it worth $8 to keep someone?

Hmmmm,

It appears that a sudden change can make tenants uncomfortable.

I'll stick with consistent upgrades. The last couple of years I've been treading water at best. Haven't done anything more than routine maintenance.