RECAP: The surprise was receiving a reference call for two of my residents who applied to move elsewhere while on a lease with me through May 31, 2022.. The manager of the place they applied to told me she would not reach out to them with a lease.

I requested pics of their rooms to add to my advertising and a video while I was gone attending to my Mom's passing. Always have rooms for rent ads running year round and put another ad up, waiting for better pics and hoping for a video to send prior to showings.

No communication for at least 2 weeks, maybe more? I decided to hire a videographer who is top of her game, gave notice that I was bringing her in to video and maybe take pics as well for advertising. Asked what date to put in the advertising so I could tell people when unit would be available...also kept 3rd roommate in the loop. She did not know they would be moving. She offered to video for me so I said sure, for a trial run. SO many lease violations that were NOT there when I was there last, move in day June 1, 2022. I immediately sent out a 5 day lease violation notice listing the violations to be corrected. That was on Sunday. Today I met with the tenant staying to correct and check HER lease violation, which she agreed to. It was her day off. I noticed a corrected violation and two left to correct.

One of those moving informed me that they did not have a move out date as they were rejected by the manager (above) that told me she would. They don't have another place yet, still looking. The one now communicating also sent me fantastic pictures of both bedrooms for rent, and by mistake, another lease violation was in one of her pictures of her bedroom; I noted it was corrected today.

My meet was very productive today. Hubby tweaked a lock, moved an exercise bike to the basement while I did a maintenance inspection for anything else I was told needed to be done and would be helpful to know was needed for new roommates, and clearing items left from previous tenants to make room for newbies.

I suspect you would benefit from a few more safety inspections in the first months while your tenants get settled in. They are students, right? The young need some training when their parents are no longer there to take care of everything for them.

I had mentioned lease violations to them in the past, but not given a 5 day notice. They did not get the other place because I was contacted by the complex manager and was asked if they gave proper notice. I didn't lie and after our conversation she realized they caught me by surprise with the move and hadn't even mentioned it before giving my name to her for a reference. She told me she wouldn't reach out to them with a lease unless they made me whole. I don't know if she told them that or not...may hear about it on Friday.

Lease violations were: exercise bike in the unit (upper floor), burning candles, one was burning in the video being taped for advertising, several others around the unit in the video, smoke detectors removed (that was not on my list but on a picture one of them sent me), plants placed on the wooden buffet without protection (and being watered adjacent to an outlet (those 1920's buffets that have outlets on top), and the worst fire/electrical hazard, leaving an extension cord plugged in that stretches across the kitchen door, with a rug on top of the cord. Plugged into that cord is another cord or two. Plugged into that is a microwave, toaster and glass hot water teapot, filled with water. So if someone were to try to come into that door, it would move the rug and cord, pulling the glass teapot and/or perhaps pulling the cord partially out of the wall, and someone could trip and/or get electrocuted. Trying to take out the garbage would be a trick, having to take the plug out and removing the rug. The door does not open with the rug there.

KEN: At this point it's best they leave. I've not been informed they have a place yet. I would prefer to terminate their lease, surrender the unit and write a new lease with all the goodies I'm learning from the group.

OREGON: Thank you, I believe you are correct. I'm suggesting and performing an orientation before move in day, which the lower in the same building thanked me for and paid close attention. Most would rather just get a key. I think one of my prescreening questions is going to be, would you like an orientation before move in day, with the answer "no" being a DQ! No, this IS the same situation. I am gaining a different perspective. The one who didn't lock the door wasn't the only one as the boyfriends of moving gals gave out keys to others. The tenant staying said many issues were brought up to her by the roommates and she appreciated hearing how she could improve and was doing so.