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.
Again, you’re assuming. Where does she say she refuses to speak to him? But she has every right to refuse to respond to threats and harassment- which the nasty phone calls are. and as I said, he’s leaving his own paper trail with the emails.
And for all you know she could be quite successful as an artist so your statement about how she makes the bulk of her money is both demeaning and created out of nothing but your own ignorance.
sure, it is a two way street. And I agree talking is the way to deal – which is why leaving notes and refusing to talk to a tenant doesn’t really make sense.
sure, artists work, but many make very little money from it. I bet she makes the bulk of her money from being landlord – that’s the business she’s really in.
12:51- I have several questions in re what you said. Flora also said part of the problem is the hideous color the tenants girlfriend painted in the apartment, and that the apartment is a mess and needs cleaning. But this is after 2 years of the tenant living in the apartment, so we still don’t really know. It may not have been the best paint job but obviously when the tenant moved in it was acceptable as there seems to have been no discussion abut a new paint job. Again, we really don’t know- but there’s certainly not enough for you to assume she is monster landlady.
According to her, he presented her with a receipt for paint after the fact. Why assume she’s lying? Landlords have to paint every – and I could be wrong but i think it’s every 5 years. I’m sure someone will correct me on that :-). But they also get to pick or approve the colors. that’s their right. Most usually don’t care if a tenant paints what colors they please but the landlord is not responsible if in fact the apartment has been painted in the specified time span, and is in good condition. Nor do they have to pay for paint if they don’t approve the color or if they did not authorize the purchase.
as for #9- why shouldn’t she feel that way about aggro tenants? she’s got medical problems, she has huge responsibilities and why should anyone have to deal with people who are threatening and nasty? The comment about 80 hours a week had to do with his ability to pay, not work ethics. Since she also says he is “from money”, his behavior says more about his air of entitlement than hers. You also decided that she must be rich enough not to work- nowhere does she state that. Artists do work, you know. As for his behavior, she did tell him she had painters coming to look at the place- so what was his problem. when he said jump she didn’t say how high?
I’m a tenant and only once have I ever had a problem with my landlord. I don’t expect them to roll over and play dead for me, and in return I expect to be treated fairly and according to my lease. I talk with them as much as possible to avert problems- that’s what you learn growing up in NYC apartments. It’s a 2 way street.
Landlord/tenant is a relationship bound by set of rules and regulation. Like any real relationship, its based on common trust, goodwill, and understanding which even the best of laws/rules can’t ever replace and replicate. Sometimes relationship deteriorates for some reasons known or unknown. This is when rules and regulations kick in but the damage is done and assessed. However, relationship is no longer landlord or tenant control but under a third-party custody. One must decide whether to continue with the relationship in its current state or seek new one but nothing is free.
bxgrl: you’re the one not reading
Tenant moved in two years ago: “He’s been in the apartment two years.”
Paint was in lousy condition before tenants moved in: “First, right after he and the Ex moved in, I was fixing something in their kitchen and noticed how crappy the paint looked.”
It isn’t at all clear about what she authorized about the paint and painting: “I did agree to let him paint because he assured me that he had painting experience, would let me approve the colors..”
And where did #9 come from: Well, from this:
“I don’t want to spend my time doing crap like this.” “My purpose in life is making art, not squabbling with aggro yuppies.” “…he works 80 hours a week.”
And the drama? All over the posts…
Yeah, well 12:14 , your past is your problem. You’re reacting to her because you had a bad landlord in the past. News for you: me too. But I figure I should just read what the OP said and judge it by that, not by my past bad landlord.
and 12:21- you’re correct. It doesn’t. But you still come off as hostile as 12:14 and without any real reason to. You’re doing the same thing he’s doing- putting your issues onto the OP, so you’ll forgive me if I can’t see much difference.
11:35 an 12:05- since none of us are privy to the entire situation, don’t you think it’s a little over the top to accuse the landlord of not having the skills to be a landlord (she’s been for 12 years), not painting the apartment or being a drama queen?
the tenant moved in what-3 years ago? do you know the condition of the apartment then? Do you even know what the condition is now? No.
she didn’t make her tenant do anything- he took it upon himself to get paint, pick colors, and then buy more paint and then demand she paint the entire apartment. Where did she force him to do anything? He bought paint without authorization- sorry. In the real world you can’t expect to be reimbursed for that.
“9. Don’t act like you are somehow better than your tenants because you don’t have to work for a living.”- where the hell does this come from?
As for your other comments about hiring a painter- did you not read where she posted has called painters for an estimate? Jeez- talk about lacking communication AND reading comprehension skills-you two are the best!
Hey 2:06 – 11:35 here – not interested in the dog walker thing at all. Just because people disagree with your point of view doesn’t mean they are all one person.
You can’t understand that? Maybe because you’ve never had a similarly lousy landlord – but most of us had one (or more) at some point.