Tenant Compensation?
I am a landlord who recently got a new tenant. When showing him the apartment initially, he asked if we would install a new rainshower shower head in the bathroom, and I agreed to do it, as I like to improve my properties. I informed him of how the renovation would proceed, and he assured…
I am a landlord who recently got a new tenant. When showing him the apartment initially, he asked if we would install a new rainshower shower head in the bathroom, and I agreed to do it, as I like to improve my properties. I informed him of how the renovation would proceed, and he assured me that it was no problem, he could shower at his cousins or the gym and kept assuring me throughout the job that it was no problem. The plumber that I hired took longer than he first said he would (so what else is new??), so the tenant was without water for 1 day, and without a shower for 2 weeks. The cost of the job was essentially 2 1/2 months worth of rent, as I installed a very good waterworks system and it looks fantastic. Now that the job is over, he wants rent reductions for the days without use (even when the water was off, there was a toilet he had access to in the building), and basically, he could use everything except the shower. The job did not have to be done, and this feels so ungrateful to me after doing a major (unnecessary improvement). I have not made a cent off of this tenant since he moved in in July; it has all gone in to the shower renovation. What percentage should he be compensated, if at all, for something that didn’t even need to be done, and is basically an upgrade for him to enjoy?
Butterfly said “first thing you need to assess when picking and choosing a tenant, is are they high maintenance. look at their shoes and what kind of cell phone they use. those are two indicators of whether they are high maintenance and you dont want them as tenants.”
Are all LLs such assholes? If you are poor or had bad luck, you aren’t worthy. If you are rich you are high maintenance. Any way you cut it, in the mind of most landlords, tenants deserve nothing and should just to pay the rent on time and shut the fuck up. Why exactly do you pricks think you DESERVE people’s housing dollars for your own profit? Landlords are PROVIDING A SERVICE that means you have to PROVIDE A SERVICE – not just sit there with your slimy greedy hand out waiting for rent receipts to fall into it while you sit on the damn computer and bitch about every tenant that says boo. Christ almighty what a bunch of cry babies.
OP spent too much on the requested shower head and it took too long to install – probably because he did way more than was asked. He should have acknowledged the inconvenience to the tenant and negotiated a nominal rent credit. End_of_story.
I guess people here see “rainshower shower head” and immediately assume the tenant is some sort of pathological problem person.
As I said, the whole story definitely isn’t here. And the LL’s story is full of holes. I already mentioned him going from showerhead to some complicated water system. He also fudged a bit on the timing as well. In the original post, OP said:
“I informed him of how the renovation would proceed, and he assured me that it was no problem, he could shower at his cousins or the gym and kept assuring me throughout the job that it was no problem. The plumber that I hired took longer than he first said he would (so what else is new??), so the tenant was without water for 1 day, and without a shower for 2 weeks.”
Note that 2 weeks was not agreed to. “guesting” in fact uses a clever arguing technique here to imply the tenant agreed to two weeks, but he actually didn’t. Instead he blames it on the plumber “The plumber that I hired took longer than he first said he would”.
If “guesting” was being honest he would’ve said what was _agreed_ to up front, and how much the time overage was. But instead what he did was use a bunch of misleading and slippery language to describe the situation.
If that’s how he acts posting on Brownstoner, how do you think he’s interacting with his tenant? Completely on the up and up? Or is he using the same slippery approach in dealing with them.
bxgirl…glad you see showering at a friend’s as not an inconvenience. I think, however, you are in the minority. This is a basic habitation issue…2 weeks with no way to shower or bathe means the apartment wasn’t habitable.
wow- I’m all for tenants rights and property is theft and whatever else, but the LL seems 110% in the clear on this one. The tenant wanted the shower, they knew how long it was going to take, they were okay with it…
…and then they started bitching afterwards? Sure, they can ask for free money, but I’d say no, and I probably wouldn’t renew their lease at renewal time. Or at least jack their rent.
Were you discounted rent for your inconvenience? If not, that’s too bad. Entitlement is not in the contract. A shower is. Even homeless people that check into shelters are “entitled” to a shower and a bed once signed in! Prisoners get shower…three hots, and a cot! What the hell! LOL.
This story is bogus. The landlord did this for his own benefit, it doesn’t add up.
As I stated…my rent was DEDUCTED FOR MY SHOWER. Not discounted. I did not pay rent for 15 days, not questions…it was offered. That is business, not a favor or entitlement. And I had another shower, but that was not what I was paying for. I was paying for 2 showers, not one. You guys act like rent is a gift when you use words like “entitlement”.
Plus, the whole story isn’t being told here. What’s missing…why was the shower replaced?
Well, there are three sides to every story, and we are only hearing one… the whole enterprise is something op should’ve just said no to…..or at least told the tenant that he/she would not be liable for any inconvenience on the tenant’s part and that the only way he would consider the upgrade would be to do it his/her way, complete with thermostatic rain element or whatever you call this kind of water wasting thingamabob. If I were the tenant, I’d think, ok, the landlord did what I asked, but he’s a little nutty and goes overboard so I’ll have to remember that in the future; if I were the landlord, I would have said NO in the first place, and now I’d give the tenant a choice: 1) cut the nonsense, 2) pay the cost of the rainforest system, 3) get ready to take showers at your friend’s house for another two weeks while I put the old shower head back. Else move.
“I informed him of how the renovation would proceed, and he assured me that it was no problem, he could shower at his cousins or the gym and kept assuring me throughout the job that it was no problem.”
there’s 3 sides to every story lets put away our gavels and comment on the one presented.
Op I really dont see an issue if he kept assuring you that it’s not a problem. The guy sees that you don’t have a problem with spending, so he stuck out his hand around the first of the month. Slap him some skin.
Bx, BOT is like full time job. I really do have a hard time lurking. I’ll stop by 🙂
You should come to AHOT too its not bad. Plus there’s like 50 different ways to flip up the bird if someone pisses you off.
At renewal time give this guy the boot!
You renovate on your time not when the tenant is paying you. What yours is yours and what is his is yours also!
CMU- only in that he asked for the showerhead. IMHO the LL wanted to put it in the right way but trying to accommodate the tenant’s request. You know- sometimes people do try to do a nice thing. Go figure.
I don’t see why the OP is being taken to task for that. He didn’t ask for an increase in rent, he tried to do what the tenant specifically asked for, it cost him money, and now he’s the bad guy? I guess I just don’t have that sense of entitlement.
northridger- in fact I have done that. When my old bathroom had to be redone and it took a week longer than they thought it would. I just went and showered at a friend’s house- no big deal. I wound up with a bathroom that was beautiful, and wasn’t charged more rent. I was happy to put up with a little inconvenience. IT takes time to do reno work. This “everyone must pay for my inconvenience” bs is just that- bs.