Tenant has been in unit for many years. Asked for changes now including cabinet replacement, flooring replacement and paint. It’s basically a remodel! How would you handle? Could costs be shared?

First off, it's very difficult and fraught with issues trying to do a major remodel with a tenant still in place.

We are glad you are happy in your space. We appreciate your long-term temancy and now your requests for some unit upgrades. However, it is frankly impossible to properly renovate a place with flooring and paint while a place is occupied. Extra time and liability are two major factors.

Health and safety, yes.

Cosmetic, no.

If the wear and tear has accumulated to the point that it requires a full renovation, that renovation happens in an empty house, and rent is caught up to full shiny-house value when it goes back on the market.

Simular requested. I had ai wrirea response and it was received by the resident as warm and caring...-Thank you reaching out and sharing those suggestions with me.

Kitchen cabinets are a significant capital improvement and are not on the budget for the immediate future. May I suggest googling for professional cleaning tips. The ceiling fans is something we may consider.

Looks like I may do it different than most.

I have no problems with items like new kitchen cabinets. For me that can mean a much quicker turnover when they do vacate. But I make sure the tenant knows what is involved. And I overestimate the time it will take.

In your case, I would tell them we would need to break it into separate jobs. And explain you would start with the cabinets. You just need to get a quote. So you can figure out how much of a rent increase you would need. Since my expenses also dictate how much their rent increase would be.

I usually don't hear from them again. But I do get lucky sometimes, and about 20% have the work done.

For me it is usually the Kitchen or bath. Which saves a lot of time at turnover. And I get at least part of it paid for. Depends on how long the stay.

yea, about those improvements while the tenant is still there. If the improvements are needed because the tenant doesn't take good care of stuff, the answer is a hard "no".

If the carpet is dirty because they don't take care of the carpet, they are not going to take any better care of new carpet.

I will repair what is broken and I might replace things that do not involve moving any tenant furniture. I've replaced ceiling fixtures and occasionally a kitchen faucet. I've repaired kitchen cabinets. I replace appliances when necessary and when I do I put in something that looks good.

I've owned income property for almost 50 years, 48 to be exact. Apartments, Single Family Homes, Retail, Offices and Storage. NEVER, Ever in half a century, when I was "Stupid" enough to Remodel An Occupied Unit, For A Long Term Tenant, did things work out!

Here is an example of my high lighted situations:

1) I had a 7 year tenant, a professional painter, paint his own unit using his custom colors. I paid for the "paint and labor". When he was done, after moving stuff around to paint, he suddenly realized that it wouldn't be that hard to move. And gave me 30 days notice and moved. The "Green" colors he used had to be re-painted to find a replacement tenant.

2) A professional contractor rented a 2 bedroom unit. After 5 years he wanted this 1920's apartment remodeled -- a new kitchen for his wife. If I supplied new cabinets, he would replace the old ones with the new, and we'd re-tile the counters and splash area. WELL: a year later I finally gave notice to inspect. He did remove the old cabinets and then stopped. Sold my new cabinets to make a quick buck. Then when I went to evict, I lost because they had no kitchen. I had to slap up a cheap kitchen and then re-file the eviction case.

You absolutely have to use your own contractors and materials. So you know what you will end up with.

Tenants only get to work the schedule out with the contractor. And agree to any delays. And be sure of what they are agreeing to.

I also would never dream of letting the tenant control either one. You are asking for problems.

It depends on the rent and how much room you have to go up. I have no problem with flooring and paint if the items in question are over 10 years old. But usually that means that the rent is also low. I don’t do cabinets on occupied units.

I am not a huge fan of large rehab work with residents in place. Do you have another unit that does have the kitchen upgrade already?

No. No. and No! First, never let a tenant help pay for a capital improvement. Look up mechanic's liens for a thrill.

Second, in my sordid past, I had a sewage line beneath a concrete floor that failed. It was in a multi-plex. I tried to get tenants to move out. A couple of tenants did with a financial perk to do so. One plead hardship and promised to stay with friends until the repair was complete. She and her boyfriend offered to move all of her stuff into adjoining bedrooms away from the construction and promised all would be "just fine."

Fast forward. She did move some of her and her boyfriend's things into the bedrooms and we taped up plastic barriers and sealed the edges. After it was all sealed up boyfriend entered to retrieve an item, compromised our efforts to keep dust contained. Dust from the concrete sawing floated to all reaches of the unit. Tenant then got an attorney to say that all of her electronics were ruined and required replacement. She was unwilling to use the cheaper housekeeper at my expense to clean, but wanted an environmentally licensed specialized cleaner to do the cleaning. As I recall, the initial payment for that was $2K.

Boyfriend shrugged. She accented her health concerns and before this "renovation" was completed, I was ready to commit homicide! I agree with the others who suggested shifting tenants to another property rather than remodeling with them in place.

As a side note, over the years, I have found that a 2-year tenancy is perfect. It allows units to be kept up with less financial outlay to bring them back to tip-top condition. Longer than that and the damage extends to become a major renovation, leaves no rent during such extensive remodels and overall is a hassle. In Colorado, you cannot easily end a lease anymore, so tempting a tenant to move into a better deal is often the safest bet.