State Specific Question About: CALIFORNIA (CA)

Single detached family home rented to a Hispanic family. We just noticed that the tenant let his extended family members to use the back yard to prep food for street vending. They put two freezers and one fridge outside in the backyard against the exterior wall along with shelfs and racks. They prep food in a table in the yard and use potable stove to cook stuffs. The tenant claimed that this extended family members have permits to do street vending etc. We feel that this is a misuse of space (residential for commercial use), and concern a lot about fire safety because appliances are used outside (with power plugs etc. hanging without protection from water etc.). What should we do?

This is a generally good tenant. The interior of the house is maintained very well. However, his extended family members keep using the house now and then (living with them, vending food prep, etc.).

There was a guy a few blocks away. His home was in R1 zoning. He had a Christmas decorating biz he ran from his home-- but he didn't get into trouble for that. He did cake decorating from his home-- but he didn't get into trouble for that, either. He got into trouble when he hung his shingle on his porch and invited people who wanted his baked goods to come to his house--- because now it's an invitation for client traffic. And his neighbors weren't happy with that.

My tenant across the street sells eBay from her home. That's okay. She has a lot of shelves, but she doesn't have customers coming to knock on her door.

Another tenant wanted to run a daycare out of her home. Nope. Totally not. Now that's a matter of liability-- if she does something wrong, my premises are involved.

One prospect wanted to give piano lessons in her home. She ended up not being accepted for other reasons--- but piano lessons were pretty much the most borderline kind of biz I could go along with. Having people in your home for a 30-minute lesson, while their parent waits and listens, and maybe you have 5 students... maybe, if you're otherwise strong.

One of my current tenants makes money by making and delivering lunches for her husband's co-workers at the factory who don't have someone to pack their lunch for them. It's extra wear and tear on the stove, but it helps them make ends meet. I'm okay with that.

Another current tenant does medical billing or something from her home. She's on her computer and phone all day, so in theory, it's extra wear on the house... but I don't have a problem with it. It allows her to be around her adult dependent daughter.

So-- the number one question is, are they inviting members of the public onto your property? If so, that's an automatic no way.

The number two question is, are they trashing the place? Are they a shade tree mechanic driving all over your grass? Using your tree for a hoist? That one's also an ugh no.

But once you start getting away from that territory--- I start being more flexible.

Assuming that the extension cords are rated for appliances, they should be waterproof. As long as the connections are kept relatively safe/sheltered, it shouldn't be a problem. And I'm assuming your breaker box is up-to-date and in good shape as well.

FWIW: I agree with Ned & Deanna (Great examples, Deanna!).

Assuming they pay for all utilities and lawn maintenance - given its a SFH.

Only one other thing I would do is check the rating of the extension cord(s) and look for (maybe provide) a waterproof cover for wherever there may be a joint.

My agreement specifically states they can’t run a business from the home. If they are prepping for a business that is a gray area. If they are paying utilities and in a sfh I would look the other way unless they start selling from the house.

It's their culture to cook outside. They don't go camping they live it. They are very family oriented with large families as well. I learned that from asking questions to a tenant prospect. You can learn a lot from asking questions. Hope that answered yours.

NE has the right idea, try the hot tamales.

si entiendo pero no se preocupe

Translation: Yes, I understand but don't worry.

el césped

Translation: The grass or the lawn

6x6, when I had my tenants try to explain, "There is a squirrel in the attic," and realizing how I never learned such useful phrases in high school, I thought about putting together a Spanish/English landlord-tenant phrasebook for the most common bits of dialogue.

I came up with the first few pages' worth of English phrases, but the friend-and-family I'd approached for the translation kind of froze up, because not all Espanol is the same. Someone from Mexico, from Cuba, from Venezuela, would all communicate a thought uniquely, and some concepts in the US don't really seem to exist in, say, Central America.

So the project never went anywhere. And then Google Translate happened. I'd made use of Babelfish before, and it was okay for as far as it went, but Google Translate and Google Lens were game-changers, especially with voice-to-text and instant photo-translations.

Deanna, good thought on that.

That would be borderline for me. I was good with it unless it exceeded what is defined as "cottage industry food". In most states those foods are allowed to be prepared in a residential kitchen (think breads, jellies, preserves, and other foods that are not likely to poison someone). Once you get beyond that, particularly with meats, you step into the requirement of having it prepared in a commercial kitchen. It's one thing to have a street vendor license so that you can sell that stuff, it's quite another to meet the preparation requirements in a commercial kitchen which they can not be doing in the yard.

No from me; Mike you bring up great points. I prefer not to have large groups at our places, which are duplexes. Even if it was a single family, I don't want large groups. It usually bothers my other tenants and the neighbors. They are all quiet which I advertise. Had a set of guys who liked the place. Told them it is not a party place, which is what they were looking for and they left. No

Chris,

Good question to post. Made me think.

This is the classic, often posted theme "They are a good resident BUT..."

This is NOT a "good" resident. They are OK in many areas but I agree with MikeA and others - your renters are putting YOU at risk.

Grease fires "explode" (see YT videos of turkey fryers), injury, food poisoning...

If you want to keep them start with a talk with your ins agent. Perhaps there is an insurance to cover your ...(um) self. Then add the extra cost to the rent.

If no extra coverage I would tell them I appreciate the on time rent and caring for the home, but zoning will not allow this business operation, and if a neighbor smells the cooking the health inspector will shut them down in a hot minute.

Residential homes are meant for families and residential activities. I congratulate them on the success of their food truck but they need to find another location for the cooking, maybe at a relative's house, not yours. Locally a church allows such an operation in the church commercial kitchen.

I think STORING items in the home/garage is acceptable but not the activity of cooking.

BRAD