Oh, my. We have a nice 4/2.5 single family in a great school district. It always rents quickly. We spent close to a month getting the house turned over, our last tenants were slobs, and we hadn't had time for a turnover in years. We spent almost $10,000 on carpentry, painting, and landscaping, all needed. (We're old, and can only do small things.)

Seemingly pleasant tenants moved in a month ago. Since then I've had complaints about too many ants in the back yard, a photo of a blade a grass and a measuring tape, saying the grass needed cutting (we provide that and it wasn't very long.) A flickering ceiling light that we replaced, she also wanted light bulbs put in the basement laundry room ceiling fixtures. Oh, we forgot to open the oven and it needed cleaning. Not a big deal, "The cleaning option didn't work for her." Never a positive word about the house.

Yesterday, she sent me photos of the washer, saying it smelled moldy, they tried to clean it, and it wasn't working well. (Remember the slobs?) I looked up the washer to have a repair guy come, and it was 20 years old. I decided it was better to buy an inexpensive LG, and forgo the repair on a 20 year old unit.

This morning before 9 a.m. Lowes delivered a new washer, and hooked it up. I receive another text with a photo of the washer, saying, "Is this what you bought?" It looked small. I went to Lowes. It was a normal washer, but had an agitator. The last one didn't. I could have spent $1,000 on a giant washer, but bought a "normal" size one for $500. The guy at Lowes said, "If she doesn't like this, she can buy her own."

My butt is fried. We all worked hard on preparing the house, and it was beautiful. I don't want to mistake pride of place with this woman being a jerk.

So what do I do?

I've thought of sending her a note saying she may be happier owning her own home, and we'll cancel the lease. Or moving to a big apartment complex with full time maintenance crews!

It sounds like either your lease or backbone is lacking. I would remind them that all of these items are their responsibility and to not contact you about frivolous repairs. If they can't change a light bulb or are dissatisfied with how you take care of the yard, it's best to offer the happy clause and move on.

We call it the Happy Clause: "It seems that the house is not going to work for you, so why don't we cancel the lease and we'll all part on good terms."

This is what I bought. Yes. You are welcome to buy your own. Let me know when it is to arrive so I can remove the one I provided you eith.Hapoy Clause. You have X amount of days to decide and I will let you out of the lease at the end of September with no penalty.

I only mow multi's with the exception of my mother in law's place.

When I got the pic of the tape measure I agree with WMH, I would have told her to leave right then. She is going to be a problem for you for the time she stays there now. You let her get away with too much already.

Happy clause or non-renewal. I am good with MTM rents so I don't deal with untrainable tenants.

20 year old washer probably just needed some vinegar run thru it. It would have lasted longer than the new one you just bought.

I supply stoves and refrigerators only, if needed. I do not warrant them at all any longer.

Pest control inside is done by me before they move in. I give 48 hours for them to find a pest problem inside, then it is on them.

I'll say it again. Tenant entitlement is off.the.charts since the Plandemic.

This aint no Country Club.

Show them you aren't a pushover and have a spine. I agree completely with the comments above, but it's up to you to straighten out this snotty, entitled child. Show her you have a spine and won't take their crap, or they can leave. If you don't, you'll be living with every complaint until they eventually grace you with their departure - in the meantime, they'll do their best to make your life miserable.

My first reaction when they sent the photo of the tape measure would have been to tell them "apparently, this agreement is not going to work; your expectations are way out of line. I rented you a house, and it didn't come with a 24 hour housekeeper. Let me know how soon you will be moving out and I don't recommend that you give anyone my name as a reference"

I would like to have a visual on how the screening process went on this one.

"news reports" I love it. Plenty has mastered the art of looking for the calm within.

Thanks Everyone,

This tenant took me completely by surprise. I had liked them both. They fit our renters profile: Early 30's with kids, moving to town from somewhere else, right before school starts, normally would buy, but want to rent first. I have to admit that some of our applicants to our other house, this spring, make a LOT of money and work from home.

We've had difficult and challenging tenants before, who hasn't? I just didn't expect all the complaints/requests.

Thanks Everyone,

This tenant took me completely by surprise. I had liked them both. They fit our renters profile: Early 30's with kids, moving to town from somewhere else, right before school starts, normally would buy, but want to rent first. I have to admit that some of our applicants to our other house, this spring, make a LOT of money and work from home.

We've had difficult and challenging tenants before, who hasn't? I just didn't expect all the complaints/requests.

Jane B, I would leave emotion completely out of your "Happy Clause" letter. Others have posted examples here I believe.

"It has come to our attention that renting here may not be a positive experience for you, and we want all our residents to have a positive experience, therefore, we are offering to release you from the lease with no repercussions on (insert date).

Please let us know by (insert date) if you intend to take this offer."

Your happiness is important to us, and it appears you are not happy here, please let us know when you would like released from your obligation of the lease by giving us the required 30-day notice.

plenty is right. Take them out to lunch after all this gets worked out.

I would leave emotion out of the letter, but it would be difficult with all this happening so quickly.

New tenants are often a bit bumpy while they get settled in. You have not lived in the house so you might have missed things that they find because they are living there.

I see some of their complaints as legitimate. Flickering lights should be checked to make sure it is just a bad bulb and not something with the wiring or the fixture.

If that is higher rent and you provide the washer, they are not out of line to be unhappy that the 20 year old washer stinks. She said she tried to clean it. Did you go over and look at the washer and evaluate it? Maybe it needed replacing, maybe it didn't. You don't know if you didn't check it out

Other things are not so unreasonable. You just have to tell her that replacing lightbulbs is the tenant's responsibility in a free sanding house so the basement lightbulbs are on her. And that the lawn is scheduled to be mowed on *whatever day* and it will be done then and won't be done before then

OK, we sent the couple a formal Happy Clause letter. All of a sudden we receive a long email back about how we are the "best" landlords they've ever had, they don't want to move, they are all unpacked, kids in school, they are planning a party for the neighbors (who they love,) etc.

I'll let you know how it goes.

That's one reason we do not supple a washer or dryer.

As for the grass...I mow the grass at my rental and only had one man complain. I told him to add $150 each month to his rent and I would hire a professional mower every week.

I now fill with LED bulbs only and tell the tenants that they need to replace with LEDs.

All bulbs must be working or they get dinged for it. Had one tenant put a heat lamp bulb in a closet. Guess that's what she had handy.

Had tenants in a house for less than two months. Put new tenants in and they started worrying about the electric because they were losing so many bulbs. I had replaced all with LEDs.