I have been having issues with these tenants for some time now and the latest is a bit of a headache. Before anyone that read my post a while back says I told you so about leaving them in the unit please read. I'll keep it brief..
background
tenant always calling for issues that upon investigation are caused by them. Occupy 2nd floor in a 2 unit building.
garage door not working - determined they bent the safety sensor
was called about a stray cat in their kitchen
contacted about plumbing drain stopped, after opening the p-trap, there was white fibrous material in there (like decomposing toilet paper or baby wipe or? picture taken) repaired for free and told them that if it occurs again they would be responsible.
among many other calls
plumbing was working and tested at move in inspection
receive a letter in the mail from neighborhood services with "violations" that need to be corrected
-CO monitor in basement (my fault - new law, corrected)
-Toilet flapper stuck
- toilet leaking from base
toilet seat broken (was new when moved in)
-sink in bathroom not draining - ie stopped up
-door handle loose (screw was removed?)
brand new vanity and toilet 1.5yrs old upon move in
all items are for upstairs unit that were not brought to my attention at all as I fix or address within 72hrs and I met with them about 9 days prior and no mention.
city says its my responsibility to fix and if I want to take it up with tenant its up to me.
sent an email to tenant stating that I would have a plumber come out and fix and that they would be responsible for the cost applied to their account and any payment made will first go to repair charges and balance applied to rent, any difference would be considered short rent as per our previous conversation about the clog.
they are claiming that they did no wrong and that the clog is from something else and not them. Also they are resisting letting a plumber come in and giving me the run around about when and who can come in.
there is a notice on the violations notice about retaliation up to 6 months from notice that I would be in big trouble.
1- Would stating this to tenants be misunderstood as retaliation in any way or used to try to prove this?
2- how should I handle this?
noticed in the basement laundry that they haven't changed the washing machine lint filter in a long time and is causing lint into the drain slowing it up. Sent them an email regarding this consumable and their responsibility of changing the filter in a considerate and timely manner.
3- Do you change the washing machine lint trap or is it the responsibility of the tenant like lightbulbs?
now I have the city on me for items that were in good working order upon move in and now are being laid on me for their mishandling or misuse.
4- how would you handle these issues without being misconstrued as retaliatory in any way, but indeed factual at this point?
any advice is greatly appreciated
needless to say these people are really a PIA when it comes to tenants, they love to argue with me about everything, I have been lucky for years prior to them but I guess my number was up.............
--184.58.xxx.xxx