Annoying Tenant
I have a brownstone with 2 two-bedrooms apts. One of my tenants I like very much and i would love for them to stay for as long as they want. The other tenant I want to kick out. I am about to send them a letter stating that I will not renew their lease and…
I have a brownstone with 2 two-bedrooms apts. One of my tenants I like very much and i would love for them to stay for as long as they want. The other tenant I want to kick out. I am about to send them a letter stating that I will not renew their lease and that in fact, they are free to leave up to 2 months before the end of the lease month which is August 2010.
These tenants make constant annoying requests. some are legitimate. But most requests are just unreasonable. the needle that broke the camel’s back for me is when they slightly insinuated that they could withhold the rent if I didn’t fix the wobbly doorknob. The door locks perfectly nice. The door knob is wobbly and i told them i would get to it shortly.
I do not like these people. I want them out of my house…Opinions, please..
“Wobbly doorknob?”
Way back I had a tenant tell (not complain) about this. Bathroom door. Week later she tells me the knob fell off and it took her a while getting out of the bathroom. She, however, was not upset, seemed to think it funny. I made sure I fixed it.
Let me guess — they moved in last august.
It takes some time for landlords and tenants in smaller buildings to get used to each other, and, in particular, people who lived in ‘full service’ buildings need to lower their expectations when they move into rowhouses.
I’d simply point out to them that the law requires ‘habitability’, not ‘perfection’, and that you’d prefer it if they prioritize and batch their requests.
Once they’ve gone through the list, it should quiet down over time, but if you kick them out, you may get tenants who don’t pay or worse.
Our (only) tenant has been upstairs for only two months but she’s driving me nuts cuz she often fails to lock the front door. The inner door (with glass) has a slam lock, but the outer double doors have to be locked with a key when leaving, or by simply turning the bolt when inside. Is this too much to ask? Previous tenant had no problem with this. I’m no more security conscious than any other typical New Yorker, but we feel this irresponsible 23 year-old is placing our home and safety as well as her own at risk.
First time I was friendly; second time, stern; 3rd time (last night when we came home) I shouted at her for a couple of minutes. What’s next?
let me guess the demographic… fresh out of college or pre marriage state white chicks in their 20s to early 30s. am i wrong? never rent to them!!!! too high maintenance.
*rob*
Don’t let them bully you either. And I am saying that as a tenant. Wobbly doorknob? That should be their only problem in life. I agree, 120 days is too much notice – 2 months should be fine. And if they pursue the wobbly doorknob thing, just tell them- in writing- that the lock works, and that’s the important (and legal) limit of the problem. Tenants cannot arbitrarily withhold rent- in fact they must go to housing court first. And the rent gets put into escrow. Somehow these folks seem like they are trying to intimidate you into lowering the rent or somehow give them money back. Send them on their merry way as soon as possible. Your life will be happier.
wow…we had the exact same problem last year…i could have written the same post
with the addition that these people were pigs!
we tried to be nice by giving our tenant lots of notice that we werent renewing their lease before it was up…they left within 2 weeks. we lost a little along the way but it was kind of worth it to be rid of them without much problem. point being is dont give them too much notice…120 days is way too much…just be reasonable.
Hannible is an irrelevant blowhard.
Don’t ignore your tenants requests but don’t jump to address them immediately. Acknowledge each incident immediately but address them as you see fit.
Be cordial and polite yet distant and cold. Let them know you wont re-new them. Don’t engage in explanation or debate. You are not renewing them. End of story.
Post the unit on Craigslist and move on.
It’s a sub-6 unit building, you owe them no explanation. Move on and be happy.
The issue is that landlords had it too good for many years during the housing boom, with a pro housing value mayor, who enjoyed the tax revenue. Now that the housing market bubble is just starting to collapse in New York tenents think it is payback time
Sounds like you may be taking this too personally. Perhaps they can detect you don’t like them and are upping the volume to get through to you or just to pull your chain. I would agree with others that it is too early to give them notice you are giving them the old heave ho. If they are paying the rent you are way ahead of the game.