(Sorry the intergoogs don't like my laptop so I start the thread on my iPad. The site will take a REPLY from my laptop so here we are!)

We have great systems - super screening, verify EVERYTHING, In Home Visit...all went well. This couple had lived in a tiny one bedroom apt in the back of a larger house. They were cramped but the clutter seemed legit. He did music for churches so lots of amps, guitars, keyboards, and such stacked up, filling the 4 rooms. He needed a larger place to store his equipment and have group rehearsals. A 1000sf detached garage without neighbors would be perfect.

Moved them into one of our largest rentals (2 story, giant family room, 1000sf shop/garage, 1 acre lot in the country)

We slipped up. SOMEHOW this home did not get our normal 6 month maint walkthrus - it's off the beaten path, we'll get to it next week, excuse, excuse...

They paid on time (biweekly autodraft). 18 months passed.

They gave Notice to Vacate and their autodraft bounced - are they gone?? Did an occupancy check.

O. M. Goodness!

Hoarders. 2500sf house and 1000sf garage and a large 6 car parking area- FULL. In just 18 months! Including 5 dogs and a junky fence to contain the dogs in a giant mudhole of a backyard. Soooo much mud they collected wood pallets to make "sidewalks" and constructed a large "structure" out of pallets. The pallets are stuck deep in the mud. The grass has NEVER been mowed. SO long it has laid over, 24".

Tonight they were loading a moving truck. It was parked next to his Mercedes 225, wife's long body Escalade, and his newly purchased Hummer H2 with temporary plates.

Lessons learned:

-checklists are to be followed, even when it's inconveniently out in the boonies and they are not reporting any repairs.

-Never assume someone is taking care of your property. PUT EYES ON! at least twice a year.

-Looking back their tiny apt was cluttered. At the time I believed that was do to its tiny-ness. Now I know it was their hoardiness.

-Lotsa texts TELLING us the last rent would be late (umm no.). Now I see it's BECAUSE HE BOUGHT THE HUMMER!!!

BRAD

In Home Visit: A small place out grown it!

Makes perfect sense!!!

Plus its a judgement call on our part as Landlords when selecting a tenant to fill the next vacancy.

Brad,

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm so sorry this happened to you.

I know you've explained this before but I just don't remember so I must ask if you can repeat yourself.

Regarding these in-home visits which you've convinced people is extremely beneficial what do you tell people when you "have to change your mind" about approving them?

I prescreen well. I only collected a screening fee for a credit/criminal check when I'm pretty confident they will pass because I just don't like taking their money then having to tell them no (although I do when necessary). So they've pretty much been approved before the home visit would occur. So what do you say when after the home visit they no longer are?

I would think it would be a bit uncomfortable to inform them you've decided their living standards don't meet your requirements. Or is that pretty much what you tell them?

SO WHAT? What's the big deal? you had bums in your place Welcome" to the club.

I'm guilty of making those same excuses at times..."I'll get to it next week..." which becomes next month, which becomes next season. I'm only about halfway done with my Fall Maint visits that are usually DONE by Oct 31st.

Doubling down now. Just got back from a week of Army. Time to get those maint visits finished up!

LTD,

LTD,

Brad, it happens. But your story reinforces the importance of staying in touch and doing those inspections! Today with online signing of leases it's too easy NOT to go the premises. I need to re-think that strategy.

That's part of being human. Just a wake up call to get back on track.

That Hummer must be old, haven't made them in years.

Thanks for the reminder regarding continuing to maintain checks,

I’ve got one that I allowed to get behind a few years ago. They were working on catching up with the wife decided she was done and moved. Left 5 year old behind with him. He finally has a job that has lasted for the first time in over 10 years. She quit her good job to leave him.

They admit they owe me for the past due rent (not a whole lot, but definitely an issue), plus so me rent after she left before they had all their stuff out. Plus the cost to remove what they didn’t take, clean good (because they didn’t) and a new paint job because there was marker all over the walls. He made one $200 payment. Then ghosted. She responded she will make payments as soon as she finds a job.

He has a good job, for now.

You can have all the check list and iron clad leases and unfortunately things like this happen.

Make the best of it you can and move fast to get it cleaned and back on the market.

I have currently started paying my property manager to do 6 month inspections to try and keep things in order at the rentals.

Bigger house for those type of tenants just meant more clutter and junk they can bring home.

Sometimes a bad one slips through. Even the FBI, with all their resources, sometimes let's a bad one in, and landlords can't do an FBI background check on potential tenants.

Here's the big deal: We slipped up. This is a cautionary tale to remind my friends here to stick to your rental visits checklist.

We do walkthrus at least twice a year and it pays off, but we made an exception based on flimsy procrastination excuses and "we were busy".

They "slipped thru the cracks" because WE were not watching the cracks.

Here's some good news:

-they paid a $5000 Non-refundable Option Fee at move in. In Indiana, with the proper paperwork, I keep that money. Yes they are walking away from $5000.

-they are "working on" moving. Truck was in place and stuff being loaded. Whatever they leave will fit into dumpsters.

-they both have garnishable jobs

-Easy to re-rent this home

LisaFL,

Denying based on housekeeping has never been an issue.

First, filth is not a protected class so be able to document the ugly visit with photos so as not to be charged with any other form of discrimination.

It's the last step to approval. I want to know the paper parts of screening are good before investing my time (a piece of my life) or hiring a realtor to do the visit. We only do one In Home Visit per new lease except for the 1 out of 10 that fail.

The good ones are eager to show they take care of their home. It's fun to tell them they are getting the home and set up a lease signing appt. They need to get to their bank for move in monies. I have started carrying the lease with me and having them sign the cover page on the spot. We'll go thru everything the next day.

A FEW will not set an appointment because they KNOW how bad their home looks. End of screening.

The bad ones know. They know. I tell them my job is to take photos and give them to the office.

Only one in a gazillion has ever called back asking if they were approved. Our standard answer is "the office did not approve the application."

Overall don't be shy. It's up to you to protect your investment. Remember you are GIVING them CONTROL of YOUR investment. Take the time to choose wisely!

BRAD