Destruction Of Private PropertyThe Everyday Battle In Managing Public-Housing

“I could tell you countless stories of tenants who lie, cheat, steal, and create disastrous messes that I wouldn’t expect an animal to make.”

Six Bad Cases Of Damage1. $13,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE

Significant carpet damage, and the tenants' own paint job, among dirt, broken doors and more.

2. PEANUT BUTTER ON THE WALLSBroken sinks, toilets, doors, windows and light switches were just the start of their worries... there was ketchup and peanut butter on the walls as well!

3. ROTTING RUBBISH IN EVERY ROOMPiles of garbage left rotting and reeking throughout the house (including food waste), & punched in walls.

Six Bad Cases Of Damage1. DESTRUCTION

18 year old and unauthorized live-in girlfriend, rent stopped, tenants took off leaving broken appliances, blocked and overflowed toilet, broken windows, and no compensation.

2. THE TENANT KEPT A PIG IN HERE$14,000 repair bill to cover what was actually the result of a literal pigsty. (Assistance/Service Pig?)

3. DAMP, DOG EXCREMENT AND DAMAGEEntered to find damp, dog excrement, an overgrown garden, ripped wallpaper, a smashed bath screen and cabinet doors hanging off.

Property DestructionThese Are Horrible Stories, But Surely None Of Us Have To Deal With This?

Tips for ManagingTerrible Tenants“If you are a landlord and haven’t faced them yet – don’t worry, you will. I’m talking about the tenants from hell. The tenant who pays rent late, argues with everything you say, damages the property, lets their children turn your walls into a work of modern art, and lies like they get paid to do so.”

Tips for ManagingTerrible TenantsTip 1: Don’t Scream, Screen• Running a background check• Running a credit check• Calling their references• Calling ALL previous landlords

We don’t have the normal luxury of:• Driving by their current residence –

maybe even inviting yourself in• Verifying their income, etc!

Tips for ManagingTerrible TenantsTip 2: Your Written Policy. Find A Way To Stick To It!Start things off on the right foot: get it all out in the beginning and show that you are a professional, and a serious one at that. (Strengthen Your Policies)

Tip 3: Be Strict and Carry a Big Stick!Is it better to be feared or loved? In the case of landlording: it is better to be feared.Inspect Your Properties/Units As Often As Possible!“Most of the “horror stories” involving tenants were, I’m sorry to say, the landlord’s fault.”

Tips for ManagingTerrible TenantsTip 4: Document & Document & DocumentWritten & Visual Proof of Problems. Court?

Tip 5: Don’t be Afraid to Remove the ProblemLife is too short to be stuck renting to tenants from hell. If you are having problems with your tenants– get rid of them.

Have you had any tenants from hell? What other advice do you have to share?