Your feedback wanted on the letter I'm tempted to send...here is the 1st draft!

Dear Residents,

  This letter is not directed at anyone in particular;however,everyone is receiving this if you reside in one of our units as it has become apparent that our “policies and procedures” need some clarification!

  We pride ourselves on providing safe and sanitary housing @ a reasonable price for all our residents.We also pride ourselves on our prompt responsiveness to maintenance requests.

  If there is a maintenance issue that needs addressed, please feel free to call this number AND LEAVE A DETAILED MESSAGE. (FYI-a “detailed message” is NOT “hello-please call me back.” LEAVE YOUR NAME, NUMBER, AND REQUEST ON THE MESSAGE). Someone will return your call ASAP.

   If your home is ON FIRE-LEAVE THE HOUSE AND CALL 911. Then call us and leave a detailed message.

   If your home is FLOODED-CALL 911. Then call us and leave a detailed message. (Running water anywhere in the house constitutes an emergency-CALL US IMMEDIATELY AND LEAVE A DETAILED MESSAGE!)

   If someone is injured-CALL 911. Then call us and leave a detailed message.

   THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR LATE RENT! PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY TO ENSURE THAT YOUR RENT IS RECEIVED BY US ON THE DATE IT IS DUE, OR ENCLOSE YOUR LATE FEE! Your rent is how we pay the many costs associated with your home, including but not limited to the fees, taxes, insurance, and maintenance requests! We depend on this money to pay the bills!

    After October 15th, 2017, any rent received AFTER the Due date will be assessed a FIFTY DOLLAR late fee, unless you are in your first year of tenancy. (In that  case, your lease will be your guide as to the amount of late fee you owe.) As expressed in your lease,  monies received are apportioned in the following way-unpaid utilities, unpaid repairs for damages you or your guests have caused, unpaid late fees, unpaid back rent, and THEN, YOUR CURRENT rental payment.If we receive your payment after the due date but  without the late fee, we will, at our option, rebill you for the unpaid rent and/or begin eviction proceedings.PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN! We would much rather have the rent in our hands than to assess you a late fee!

  If you feel the need to call us “to ask us something” or to request a face-to-face meeting-THE ANSWER IS NO! Please DO NOT attempt to take advantage of our good nature to ask for a special concession.

   And, finally, PLEASE make your checks payable to...

  Thank you in advance for reading this and abiding by our rules. As is usually the case in life, only a few have made it necessary for us to tighten the reins on our policies and procedures for all.

Delete it and maybe re-write it in a day or two when you calm down.

Honestly, my millennial brain quit reading it once I hit the bold print, it seemed like nagging or yelling (no offense) Kind of like Charlie Browns Mom, "Whomp, Whomp, Whomp".

Chances are you tenants will toss it.

Possibly a lot of the things you may be trying

to address in the letter can be fixed with a better lease and management practices.

I guess I'm just tired of people using us. They know my hubby is a softie, and will say yes to whatever they ask-as in,"could you give us our Security Deposit back so we can pay the deductible for our wrecked car? We'll pay you back $50 a month...and then, this month, could we not pay you the $50 this month? oh, and BTW, we got a new puppy-you don't care, do you?" same folks.

Or the one who shorted us $100 -got her rent today, no explanation, no nuttin.

Two others haven't paid yet... maybe I need to either give 3 day notices out (or 30 day notices for the ones who are giving me grief) and just find new ones, so I can train them.

I really am starting to hate all of this.

Susan, you're second post says it all.

You need to invest time and money into you management education.

You're tenants are running you. COMPLETELY!

Your issues are easily resolved.

The word of the year is " NO!"

If your husband won't do it, tell him to stop interacting with the tenants because it's causing too many problems.

On your phone message, you can record,"you have reached _____. If this is an emergency, please hang up and call 911 first."

Hopefully, if most tenants are adulting, they will know that a fire, flooding, etc are emergencies handled first by 911.

There are exceptions.

Then a letter such as "due to rising costs, as of October 1 late fees will be $50. ".I would keep the revenge tone out of it.

I would hope the majority of your tenants are not like what you are portraying. I would end it with a thank you,"As always, thank you for choosing To do business with us".

Anyone not following the contract that you both signed, should be first gently reminded, then, given VEE'S wallet training course.

Sentences in all caps portrays yelling. In this letter, it appears you are utilizing a condescending tone. Yes, maybe you really do hate your tenants, but they will only ignore and disrespect a letter such as that- maybe even get ticked off. Respect begets respect.

I wouldn't write that my tenant is taking advantage of our good nature in a letter. If my tenant is a good one, and all it would take for them to stay another year is to replace a small piece of kitchen flooring, etc I want to know. I do not want to push tenants away. Of course, I m not inviting them to tell me about fixing every ding and scratch either. They can call me, but the priority would be low to return the call.

Do not send any letters,simply start enforcing your lease.start sending cure or quit notices if they are not complied with start eviction process.Any kickback simply refer tenant to lease.

Would the LL bootcamp be good for your husband? LLing is 90% a mental game.

I got thrown into this biz almost 15 years ago against my will. My husband had bought a property management company with almost 200 units under management. And the inmates were running the asylum just like they are with you.

1. I knew nothing about RE, rentals or LLing.

2. After 30 days on the job I knew I had to get tough or get eaten alive.

3. I didn't want to make anybody mad.......that didn't last long.

What I learned the second 30 days on the job:

Enforce your lease.

Any letters that I send out I remove all the pronouns. No he's, she's, they'll, I's or me's; this is business not personal.

I also make NO explanations for my policies & procedures. Frankly, tenants have absolutely no business knowing what their rent goes for. If I want to spend it on pop & candy, it's no skin off their nose. If they want to spend their rent on pop & candy, they need to buy their own house.

I collect rent the 1st thru the 5th; 3 days go out on the 6th or the next business day. Ain't no big deal to post 3 days. I even print them on fluorescent orange paper. I also email them & mail them. If I post you with a 3 day, you will pay the late fee.

If you want on-time rent, stop taking checks. Either direct deposit at the bank or require monthly recurring payments thru an electronic transfer vendor. Don't have a bank account?? Not my problem. This is how we do business. If that's not how a prospective tenant wants to do business consider it screening themselves out.

Friendly ain't friends.

My husband gave me some very valuable advice: Start the way you want to go & be nice until it's time not to be nice.

Things will get better......but only if you to train your tenants in how you do business. And for that you & your husband have to be on the same page.

Work On the ones (Tenants)who are not in compliance.

Leave the others alone.

Susan,

You asked so I'll answer: crabby (reduces their respect for you) and too long (they won't read it).

Forget the letter and simply enforce the rules.

They are not complying because you trained them to not comply.

ZERO TOLERANCE works! YOU have trained them it's OK to be late. Stop answering the phone. When they say they will be late reply "Golly, where will you go? The atty will be filing eviction on Tuesday." And file.

We send a 3 day notice by text and THEY PAY!

'Reminder: Pay rent or vacate within 3 days to avoid sheriff eviction. Reply when paid or out.'

Honestly, it really works. Have courage and just do it starting NOW.

And PLEASE...no more personal checks! Money order or deposit only account, or best is autodraft.

Get your body to Jeffrey's Boot Camp and learn how to reduce your problems.

BRAD

First, DH and I have agreed that he is the Good Cop and I am the Bad Cop. He sees them the most, in his job as handyman, so he just keeps it friendly and light.

We have also agreed that he will play the forgetful old man, and will tell the tenants they need to write to me with any questions or issues, as he will totally "forget" their verbal request.

I also tell *prospective* tenants that I have a brain like a sieve so if it's not in writing (email or text) then I *will* forget it. (Hah! And I've proved that to them several times!)

TOO MANY BIG WORDS.

Make a numbers list. Get it printed and put a fridge magnet on the back.

PLEASE STICK THIS TO YOUR FRIDGE

LEAKS call

HEART ATTACK, STROKE, INJURY CALL 911

REPAIRS CALL XXXXX AND SAY WHAT IT IS AND WHERE

FLOOD CALL XXXX

RENT DUE ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH LATE FEE IS NOW $50

You get the idea. Make a lot of these and give them to new tennys or put on on each fridge before giving the keys.

I have written many drafts just to let off steam...but I never Your draft sounds exactly like that.

First of all if it doesn't apply to every tenant I wouldn't send it everyone. I also wouldn't send it as a email blast to a group even if they are all breaking the same rules. It sends a message that you are not enforcing the rules / not in control so no incentive for them to abide by your demands.

Regarding late fees, in NC we are only allowed to charge 5% of the monthly rent so $50 would be for $1,200/m rent. Does your state have a maximum percentage? Is the $50 stated in your lease?

Finally, we have a maintenance addendum that requires them to provide written requests for repairs - texts and emails are accepted. We also have a damage clause that states that any damages resulting from failure to report a required repair i.e. water, electrical, plumbing,HVAC, etc., the cost of the damages are the tenants responsibility.

To clarify if it is an emergency they can call but I always make sure I respond in writing reiterating the problem and resolution. I rarely have conversations of consequence with tenants especially those that could result in a court hearing.

I have written many drafts just to let off steam...but I never Your draft sounds exactly like that.

First of all if it doesn't apply to every tenant I wouldn't send it everyone. I also wouldn't send it as a email blast to a group even if they are all breaking the same rules. It sends a message that you are not enforcing the rules / not in control so no incentive for them to abide by your demands.

Regarding late fees, in NC we are only allowed to charge 5% of the monthly rent so $50 would be for $1,200/m rent. Does your state have a maximum percentage? Is the $50 stated in your lease?

Finally, we have a maintenance addendum that requires them to provide written requests for repairs - texts and emails are accepted. We also have a damage clause that states that any damages resulting from failure to report a required repair i.e. water, electrical, plumbing,HVAC, etc., the cost of the damages are the tenants responsibility.

To clarify if it is an emergency they can call but I always make sure I respond in writing reiterating the problem and resolution. I rarely have conversations of consequence with tenants especially those that could result in a court hearing.

Now that sometime has passed you've notice your letter is long and not directly to the point. Also you have several unrelated issues in one letter that should be two notices instead.

I would simply set up the new way in which wanted issues to be addressed. Here is my example of a major issue regarding communication.

Dear tenants, even though I provided you with all of my communication information, when there is an Emergency or something important, Please us my cell phone number and either call me to send me a text'ed message. Calling my pager, home, business or even e-mailing me will take hours before I can review them.

I got sick of renters thinking they could come by anytime after work to pay their rent; like 6p, 7p, 9p etc! I sent this letter very recently to them: BTW - I have a crushing daily late fee of $25 per day.

August 10, 2017

RE: Late Fees and Office Hours

To All Tenants Residing in Properties Owned By ME:

Your lease states that rent is due on the first of each month, and if not paid by the first day of the month, then late fees are charged. This is clear in the RENT paragraph of your lease.

The lease also describes the normal working hours of my office, namely 9a-3p Monday thru Friday. I offer no office hours on Saturday or Sunday. In the event of an emergency, contact me outside of office hours or on Saturday or Sunday or Monday holiday; but this is for an emergency only.

Payment of rent is not an emergency - it is a planned event.

Late fees are charged when rent due and payable on the first is not paid on time; and the fees continue to accumulate on a day-to-day basis until rent and fees are paid in full.

To be clear, when the first of the month falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Monday holiday, the rent is due the next business day. Late fees are not charged under these circumstances.

Please pay rents to me at my home office between 9a-3p Monday thru Friday during office hours. If you are tardy on rent and late fees are being charged, you must pay what's due before the office closes on Friday to avoid late fees that will continue to accumulate on Saturday, Sunday and Monday Holiday while my office is closed. If the first of the month falls on a Friday, please make sure you deliver your rent before the 3p closing time to avoid late fees that will accumulate before the office opens at 9a on the next business day.

If you do not pay rent by 3p when due, my office will close and you will be charged a late fee when you return the following day during office hours. If this does not agree with your work schedule, please make arrangements to pay your rent one day early to avoid the late charge. My office does not stay "open" indefinitely on the dates when rent is due or when you contact me to arrange payment - my office closes at 3p.

If it would be more convenient for you, I can accept and hold post-dated checks from you and then deposit or cash them on the first of the month. This may help you better coordinate payment with your work hours and my office hours.

This entire letter is nothing more than a reminder of the terms of the lease - it's nothing new. No tenants are being singled out for this reminder - every tenant is getting a copy of this notice.

Sincerely;

#1 - Clearly they were ignoring the lease terms already, and needed a reminder.

#2 - My renters aren't the brightest, and I wanted to spell out what "office hours" meant; as well as the penalty for missing them.

#3 - Labor Day was coming up and I didn't want to hang around for 3 days wondering if they were going to pay rent.

#4 - I learned years ago from another landlord that specific office hours are needed in the event a landlord wants to evict. By having documentation of office hours in the lease and in the reminder, the tenant has no grounds for paying "late" even if "late" is 3:15pm. The documentation is sufficient to sway a judge.

#5 - My office is my home, so I am not very inclined to post an office hours sign outside. I only have 3 rentals; and 2 of them are habitually late. They know the hours.

#6 - I agree with your idea of succinctness, however, I think it would be very "snarky" to slip each tenant a note saying "Rent section will be strictly enforced; office hours included". The explanation I included about holidays and when the 1st falls on Saturday or Sunday needed to be said, just so I can enjoy my weekend while my office is closed.

#7 - Last one - Just so you don't get the idea I am some sort of jerk, there is one item not included on the lease - my "Gentleman's Agreement". The verbal agreement is this: If, rather than wait until the 1st of the month, if they can pay in full by the 25th of the month (5-6 days early), they can take back $50 off the rents; which is about $800/unit. Sometimes this deal is exercised by the tenant, but often not.

This is all probably way more than you wanted to know, but I thought I'd share. That's my method for reminding tenants of their obligation to pay rent on time. At lease signing, I tell them I MUST BE PAID ON THE FIRST, no exceptions and that my late fee is exhorbitant and that they would be better off getting a payday loan than being late paying my fees. After all that, it should be noted, they always pay the $25/day fee. When they text me on the 27th and tell me I won't get my rent until the 6th, I say "thanks, be sure to include the $125 in late fees" and I get them.

Steve. For the average "nuts and bolts", office hours are meaningless. Actually, having read and spoke with other landlord's and studied this stuff for going a number of years, this is the first time I've ever heard of office hours being necessary for anything OTHER THAN cutting a PITA tenant off from bothering you at all hours. Those "office hours" of course being an illusion.

Sorry, but your asking for trouble with a "home" office. Especially if your tenants aren't the brightest. What happens when one kicks in your door after you go to kick them out over the excessive $25 per day late fee?

Steve, what others have said BUT to include: My rent is due on or before the first. I don't care what day of the week it is or if it's a holiday.

Their cell phone provider, cable provider or other utility doesn't care either. Neither does your bank, assuming you have mortgages. The first comes every month with certainty.

I used to have a rent drop mailbox on my house, too. Although I was never in fear of robbery, I stopped doing it because I did not want my tenants to know where I live. If you look thru some threads you will see why: one looney applicant whom I denied found out where I lived (he was not approved and to this day I don't know how he found my home address).

Points taken.

However, Blue, your rental account plan - does this mean you are giving your tenants your bank account number?

Ditto to Amy. The reality is that there is a greater chance of fraud on credit cards than your bank account. And banks are generally very fast to refund any charges you question...at least that has been my experience.

As for payment we switched to electronic billing in 2011. Our on time rent before was about 50%. Today it is 98%. The invoices are recurring with the invoice scheduled to be emailed on the last day of the month They simply have to hit pay now. Funds are in our account either the same day (if on a business day) or the next business day. When the payment is received it automatically syncs with our accounting software.

Yes Steve I have an account for rent deposits only.

With everything being online now, I can check it and see who's deposited and when. And then immediately transfer it over to my business checking that I pay the bills out of.

Yes, I supply them with deposit slips with the number printed on them. And then I handwrite first three numbers of their address so I am sure I know who is depositing.

This is worked like a charm for me and the tenants really like it too.

I also give them wallet cards with the account number written on it and the hours the bank is open. No excuses!