Part of the ongoing saga and "Misery of 5" series, the small landlord with only 5 tenants who never gets a moment without drama.

Well, what's happened now. Its a Triplex, there pack rats renting upstairs who are messy and full of clutter, and we looked the other way during the Pandemic because they always pay rent on time.

Downstairs is a single older woman, and next to her renting is a well, "slow" single older man (as described by his sister, who handles his rent payments).

He's great--- has been there years and we've never raised his rent because its worth it just to have someone without pain, lol.

They all lived together more or less happily for a year. Until downstairs woman suddenly has some kind of mid life breakdown. She insists there's roaches everywhere. Roaches!!!

I've seen only one.

I went back today, and saw none.

I've looked through his apartment. A couple waterbugs, dead. But no 'german' plague roaches to be seen. Just, no roaches.

Upstairs, they refuse to let me in.

But theyre breeding, she says. There's babies, she says. Upstairs, an army of roaches are coming. I can't live here.

I deal with her texting constantly a week, every time I go over there she's bawling about the roaches. We had an arrangement where we give them spray and let them spray as much as they like, which they took and did.

If they want us to spray, we will.

But if tenants want a professional extermination, they must pay, said the lease. They signed and agreed.

But now the woman downstairs DEMANDS a professional extermination. Then ALL the tenants refused to pay for it, saying they had no money.

Whats more I'm leaving, bawled the woman. "None of us can afford an exterminator."

Fine, we said. We are going to pay for an extermination. However, since we haven't raised rents in years, we are raising rents $20 for each tenant to cover exterminations from now on, starting next month. They are on monthly leases, so this is legal.

I make the appointment. Its $300 for all 3 units, set for July 5th. I post notices on the doors. All good, right?

Thank you, says the bawling woman downstairs. I'll be moved out by July 1st. I can't live here anymore.

Please leave the keys, a forwarding address, and let me know when you are vacated, I say.

So shes leaving anyway. And thank god for that. A setback, but survivable.

But wait- there's more.

Now after all the clamoring for an extermination NOW that didn't happen soon enough, the people upstairs are now raging because July 5th is TOO SOON.

"How could you do this to us!!!" rants the woman upstairs. "John fell and hurt hip. You are ruining our July 4th vacation. This is entirely too soon! Where is our notice??? We are not going to let you in to do this, we are not ready."

My question is this.

What rights to I have as a landlord and property owner?

I posted the notice, the extermination HAS to happen. There are apparently, roaches building up in the walls.

What if they refuse to let us in the door on the 5th if July, even though its scheduled and we show up that morning?

Do I get a sheriff? How can I be liable for their habitability, yet not be allowed by them into the apartment. I have never encountered this before.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'there is no letting you in', you mean I cannot go in to spray? I have to wait 30 days?

Sorry-I meant that they have to let you in or their refusal should be noted in a text or email. I would give 30 days non renewal. Done with the games with them. Either they have something to hide or are super paranoid. Possible extra people/pets/doing something they shouldn't. When I had the exterminator, I would text my people as soon as I knew-usually about a week and give the same time frame I got-usually a 4 hour window. They wanted rid of them so we worked through it.

Are these residents Re-Trainable?

Duplexer! You will soon be getting your life back with the crybaby and slobs gone. In our lease there is a charge for each time we are not let into a unit where we gave proper notice for entry. You may want to include that in your new lease for new tenants.

Do a careful and thorough vetting of new prospects, following many of the many postings regarding how/what to do. Don't forget the 2 minute walk through to avoid slobs.

I also would wait until the slobs were gone to have the exterminator come.

First of all what does your lease say about the landlords right to enter? If it's like most, it's a 24 hour notice. If that is the case and if they don't let the exterminator in then post a quit notice and if they don't move then file for eviction after the appropriate time (3 days in my neck of the woods).