Has ever working with a hoarder to clean it up worked? We are going to try with this one guy, super sweet nice guy, been with us 12 yrs plus but seems the hoarding started small a few years ago and now it is full blown. I was just wondering if the threat of eviction has ever worked, or is he just going to clean it out and start again?

Hoarding often represents a crutch that they use to deal with a different problem. So if they don't address what the underlying problem is, the junk will come back, unless it happens that there was a direct link between the junk itself and the underlying problem.

(Example I, we bought a house. It was owned by a little old lady who died. We found soap scraps, washed-and-folded tinfoil, and Aunt Jemima bottles in the attic. We realized she had been raised in the Great Depression--- and so to her, those were important things to set by, "just in case", even though most people would have perceived them as trash. So in that case, the stashing makes sense-- because the person is trying to prepare for future adversity in the best way they know, and if someone cleaned out the junk, it would just get replaced with fresh junk.)

I think #22 has the right idea. Watch a few episodes of the show. Get a good feel for why he is hoarding.

I know a lot of the die hards on this site would just tell you to not get drawn in to the drama and throw him out, but if I have a 12 year res who I like and has made me lots of money over the years I'm going to try to work with him.

I'm one of those die hards. No offense to JR, of course....I simply have a different view based on my past experience.

I gave up years ago trying to threaten people into abiding by the lease. My lease states that the tenant must keep the house in a safe, sanitary condition. If they fail and I see it, we note it on their inspection and give them 30 days to take care of the issue. If not addressed, we proceed with eviction.

Now here's my "hoarder" horror story.

Husband and wife with 2 small kids rented our 2-bed house. Tight, but livable. Paid rent on time almost always and never more than a day or two late. Never complained.

But the stuff....oh man...the STUFF!

It filled up the house, then spilled over onto the lawn after they packed the garage floor to ceiling with STUFF.

Soon....bugs. BUGS! Roaches everywhere! They couldn't clean under the piles of stuff, so the bugs came.

This went on from bad to worse over 4 years. Eventually they divorced and moved out. She paid the last month's rent at least. But the place was a disaster. I had two cans of Raid Insta-Death Roach Slayer venom (or something like that) and walked inside with a mask on whirling like a dervish for 30 minutes hosing down every square inch of the walls and ceilings. My guess by the crunching under my feet from treading on their carcasses was over 1000 dead. Later we had my pro pest controllers come in and do their job. Took 2 treatments to finish them off.

We had to remove every electric switch and plug cover, clean inside the box, scrub the walls, repaint them, tear out the flooring and replace it, throw away the fridge and stove (dead bugs in every crevice imaginable)....and on top of that we threw away a 40 yard dumpster of junk. 2-3 month rehab.

So, as for a 12-year resident "making you lots of money"....subtract at least half of that with lost rents and clean up.

Bottom line: you never would have rented to him knowing what you know now. "Sunk cost" analysis isn't useful at this point. Ask yourself what do you gain from this going forward and make the correct decision based on that.

sad(MO), I agree with you that the hoarding is not acceptable and needs to be dealt with ASAP. I just also believe that this tenant may be salvageable.

You could try getting it cleaned up once and if the junk piles up again, get rid of the tenant.

I don't think a 12 year tenant is any great prize. Tenants have a sell by date, after which they get too comfortable and forget who owns the house.

JR....

I'm not disagreeing that a tenant might be salvageable. To quote myself...

I'm not sure if I'm a hoarder, a collector, or just "frugal." How many Trader Joes bags should one save for trash sacks? I was very proud of myself, I tossed about 200 into the recycle bin the other day. :)

Do I really NEED 40 flathead screwdrivers and a trunk full of hammers? But, but, they are my FRIENDS!

My problem, is everytime I sell or throw out something I've been hoarding for years - within two weeks I will need it and have to go buy a new one.

But - we are actually going to have a parking lot sale at my office/shop this weekend - now that it's 115 degrees outside - and I am going to sell my $2,600 filthy white Ethan Allen sofa - for $100 if I'm lucky... It will perfectly complement any quality meth lab! :)

Oh and I was in my storage today, apparently I hoard water heaters too. I have three in stock.

Oh yeah, and my fathers nut and bolt collection dating back to the 50's and my own collection of fasteners left over from when you have to buy a bag of ten to get the ONE that you need for a project. Yeah I know, neither my father OR myself has needed some of them for 70 years... but you never know. LOL

wE MIght have some good news in this. I noticed most of the stuff was junky antiques. He states he has a antique shop so he really needs a storage place. Finger crossed, we are still going to do weekly inspections and told him so, to check for removal progress.