Photo Courtesy Edmonton Sun
I woke up the other day and, of course first thing, checked my email. My mom sent me this link with the ominous message of
"Do you see why I am terrified of renting?"
I keep suggesting that she rent out her house instead of selling it, the passive cash flow is a great source of supplementary income for retirement.
So I click on the link and read this,
House Left Covered In Crap - Landlord found post-eviction 'nightmare'
What a title! The images it invokes...not pretty.
The landlord rented the upper suite unit to a young woman, with three cats, for two years. He was unable to get references because she had just moved out of her parent's home. After an eviction notice due to unpaid rent, he came to change the locks only to find this:
"A "nightmare" of cat feces, garbage and a small pet cemetery greeted landlord Dennis Hillman when he went to check whether an evicted tenant had vacated his west-end rental suite Sunday."
"So revolting was the mess left in the three-bedroom main-floor suite at 8756 151 St. that the fire department refused to enter when Hillman called them yesterday, out of concern for the firefighters."
"Filth and trash coated the carpets and floors and the bathroom door wouldn't even open due to a mountain of trash."
"Cat litter and piles of cat feces were strewn throughout the suite and a couple of syringes were left in a bedroom."
"Perhaps the most disturbing discovery were several dead pets in cages in a back bedroom."
This kind of mess doesn't happen overnight. It takes care and attention and it would NEVER happen in one of our suites. Our property manager is diligent and we insist that she go through the houses about twice a year to see how the properties are faring.
The landlord said he didn't realize the state of the house because the curtains were always closed. However, the poor lower suite tenant got so used to the horrendous smell that she didn't even notice it anymore.
If you have a great relationship with all of your tenants they will tell you about the funny smells that you may be missing.
The lower tenant may have to move out during cleaning; due to the health risks posed by the parasites found in cat waste that can be passed to humans.
This is the worst scenario for a landlord - an empty rental property with extreme clean up costs and mortgage payments that still must be made.
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Photo Courtesy Edmonton Sun
I have some photos coming up very soon of a house just about this bad. I think someone else also posted a house jam packed with coors beer cans
Oh that is awful.
Bonita - That is terrible. How do people live like that?
Joe - It is really terrible.
Hi Robert, Thank You for you comment. I couldn't agree with you more. Property managers have the time and experience to make sure your property is rented to equity building tenants, not ones that will destroy your house. Good Advice!
On another note Todd and I went to South Africa last year to visit his relatives in Kloof, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town we drove from Kloof to Capetown and then to Paternoster it was a great drive and we had an incredible time. Real estate prices in SA are really increasing aren't they? It is a lovely country and we had an incredible month there.
Danielle Millar
You are scaring me! I've just rented out my first investment condo of my own and they seem nice enough...
After almost 19 years in this business, I think I've seen just about everything imaginable and your story would sure be in the top two or three. How very tragic for all concerned.
Marg - Sorry! Think of it as a good scare now you will be on your toes even more so than usual! If you have a solid property manager who checks on the property every 6 months then there should be no worries.
One thing we do is take photos with the tenant in throughout the house, it is a great reference to see what kind of damage has been done when they leave.
Good luck to you on your first investment property- Don't stop at one!
Best Wishes,
Danielle
I was showing a fourplex we had listed and had permission to enter a tenanted suite. The tenant was home. There were dog feces in every room. She told us to just step over them.
The buyer was not impressed and I had to inform my seller of the mess. The seller knew and told me to let the new buyers take care of it. We terminated the listing.
I don't know... I just don't get it.
Jeff,
That is disgusting! I am sure it is a health risk - whoever buys that place will have to change out the carpets. Good for you terminating the listing you don't want that kind of reputation. I can't believe how people live and that the owner is o.k with it?!?
Thanks For The Comment.
Danielle
Danielle,
Thankfully the whole place was ceramic tile.
Jeff
Jeff,
Well that is lucky but still......
oh by the way Ceramic tile sounds beautiful too bad these folks aren't taking care of it.