tenant problem
I own a 3 family which I also live in. One of my tenants decided that he wanted to paint his apartment and bought paint last winter. He later asked me to help him paint and I painted his bedroom. Now he has decided that I must paint his entire aprtment and has become hostile…
I own a 3 family which I also live in. One of my tenants decided that he wanted to paint his apartment and bought paint last winter. He later asked me to help him paint and I painted his bedroom.
Now he has decided that I must paint his entire aprtment and has become hostile and aggressive, ,barraging me with nasty emails and phone calls. I have told him that I will paint his apartment, on my own schedule, and have not made any promises. Today he paid his rent, a week late, and deducted 220.00 for the paint he bought. He provided me with a credit card receipt from a paint store, with the total of his purchase, but not an itemized receipt. Is it legal for him to do this? I want to return his rent check and tell him I will reimburse him for the paint,separately from his rent when he gives me an itemized receipt and that he cannot deduct anything from his rent. Is it okay for me to do that? In 12 years, I have never had a tenant like this and am not sure how to handle the situation.
To guest 4:23pm
I am not giving legal advice.
I am giving advice on the procedue only.
To guest 4:23pm
I am not giving legal advice.
I am giving advice on the procedue only.
To guest4:23pm.
It is easy for you to piss somebody’s elses money away.
You think everybody’s rich and too incompetent to do things on their own.
Talking to an attorney you write. You think it is cheap for a professional to fight the battle for you. You will be held hostage by the lawyer as he does a polka thru your wallet.
You think being tortured by 2 people ( tenant and new lawyer)
is easier.
man, what a sadistic response you gave to an innocent person having a garden variety problem with a tenant.
What happened to common sense!
I hope it doesn’t become “it takes two to tango week”…
That said, I think it’s helpful to keep in mind that the phrase is supposed to be empowering, not finger-wagging.
Even if the tenant is acting irrational, you always have options that solve the problem instead of making it worse. There is no such thing as a solo performance, and that is a good thing!
It’s hard to backtrack and make things right–it sounds like the situation is quite muddled.
Don’t blame yourself or blame the tenant’s irrational behavior or blame anything else. That’s just going to keep you in the spiral of confusion. Just figure out what needs to be clarified, write that down, and communicate it to the tenant, verbally and in a letter.
If the situation works out, then great. You’ve salvaged it. If the BS continues, say nothing and call a lawyer.
I think the advice about remembering that you have the power in this situation is important to keep in mind.
Good luck!
Yeah, take legal advice from Ysabelle – NOT!
Talk to an attorney before you evict – make your life easier.
Give the tenant his 30 days notice in writing, get rid of him and cut your losses short.
Remember, if you have his security deposit for the apartment give it back with the deduction of what he owes you from the cans of paint he cheekily deducted .
Don’t forget to send the security deposit certified return receipt requested mail from the post office.Include in the envelope a letter stating you did not authorize him to deduct the paint from the rent.
Explanation for partial security return.
Make copies.
30days notice letter should be separate from security deposit.
It is 2 separate entities.
Yes, but even if he has poor communication skills, or is manipulative, you don’t have to give in.
I wouldn’t have painted someone’s bedroom after he bought paint without my approval. (Or did you approve it?) Ditto if he said he was going to paint and I had approved it. You are being manipulated. It won’t stop unless you don’t let it happen.
If the other person is doing a power play and acting irrationally, your ONLY option is to act rationally yourself. It sounds to me from your statements and actions that you both don’t act so rationally.
I agree that I am partly responsible for this situation, because I didn’t keep the L/T relationship 100% business, I’ve been too friendly with the tenants and have learned my lesson.
But some incorrect assumptions are being made here. I did agree to let him paint because he assured me that he had painting experience, would let me approve the colors, and would do a good job. He also didn’t like the color the EX painted and commented that the work was poorly done (it was). I painted his bedroom myself.
I see now that things should have been discussed more clearly, but his approach is not conducive to good communication. It doesn’t always take two to tango, some people are perfectly capable of solo performances.
The tenant is hardly stressed for money, he makes a very good salary and is from money as well. That isn’t what this is about, it’s a power play. One cannot deal logically with a person who’s being irrational.
Good luck OP hang in there. I think it’s best if he left your circle. He showed his true colors in those emails. You dont need the negative energy. Use his deposit to repaint the place for a new tenant. Lot’s of tenants out there!