Disgusting tenants

Potatoeman · 25-04-2014 05:36PM

fussyonion wrote: »

It's not normal.
I privately rented an apartment with my partner for nine years. In those nine years, we treated the place like it was our own.

We redecorated (with permission-Landlord was only thrilled we wanted to maintain it), we repaired anything and everything, went beyond the call of duty in some situations doing things the LL really should have, but we were happy to.

It was OUR home and it was our pride and joy.
We had a fantastic relationship with the LL and he, like you, would often pop in at Christmas with some wine or a voucher for a restaurant somewhere.

We always felt that was so generous of him and he said it was a pleasure to have us as tenants and that he wanted to show his appreciation.
Having this good relationship meant our tenancy went like a dream and when we moved out, the LL was genuinely upset to lose us.

I've heard since that his new tenants are a nightmare and have the place in bits.

To cut a long story short, OP, not all tenants are the same.
The majority take pride in their home-I know it's not technically *theirs* but you know what I mean-and I cannot understand how people can treat other peoples' home in such a disgusting way.

OP, maybe serve notice on your tenants, get them out and get someone else in.
Why should you put up with it?

Most people wont do this because the lease is for one year and increasing the value of the property will usually increase your rent. You also are paying for the property and it should be maintained to a decent level by the landlord.

Potatoeman · 25-04-2014 05:46PM

RoboRat wrote: »

How so? I have lived in about 10 different rentals and its always the responsibility of the tenants to maintain the upkeep of the house including gardens. It's in the contracts.

As I said, economy screwed me over and I am left with a house I cant actually sell right now. Nothing I can do but rent it out.

Things like garden tools and lawnmowers being provided helps. Many landlords dont provide them and it can get expensive supplying these if you dont end up staying for more than a year.

dd972 · 25-04-2014 06:18PM

McEwans was no great shakes either.

Sun in Capri · 26-04-2014 08:49AM

What sort of vetting of these people did you do initially? Did you get references? Previous tenants can hardly be liable for utilities if they can show they moved out X time ago and they don't own the house

Teyla Emmagan · 26-04-2014 09:15AM

I only rented out my (much adored and precious) home once, had to go off somewhere and couldn't afford to leave it empty. Got some students in. That might sound like a mental decision, but they were German. Paid the rent on time, didn't annoy the neighbours, hadn't a party in the whole time they were there, kept the place perfect (not dusted or hoovered now, but 'clean'). They were brilliant.

So, some people are disgusting feral pigs and some are lovely. Not that I have any real insight on distinguishing between the two. I know people who have rented places out to perfectly normal looking people who turned out to be dirt oblivious rent dodging hoarders and people they took a chance on who were the best tenants ever.

I'm just glad I'll never have to do it again anyway, terribly stressful.

LynnGrace · 26-04-2014 09:23AM

Credit rating won't be affected, (re unpaid ESB bill)as far as I know. It only applies to loans, mortgages etc, that is what the Irish Credit Bureau runs checks on.
My sympathies OP, hope you get sorted with decent tenants next time.
I think there are good and bad tenants, just as there are good and bad landlords. I see a house in my estate which was rented out in perfect condition, gradually becoming more and more worn out looking. I only see the outside, but I'd guess the inside is the same, no fresh paint, no touches that are needed over a long period of time.
Not sure if landlord checks on it though, so long as rent is paid.

fryup · 26-04-2014 10:11AM

landlords should get into the habit of collecting the rent in person every month and doing a quick check of the property

Penny Tration · 26-04-2014 10:15AM

fryup wrote: »

landlords should get into the habit of collecting the rent in person every month and doing a quick check of the property

Landlords have zero rights to enter the property, aside from a periodic inspection, usually once every 3-6 months.

ldxo15wus6fpgm · 26-04-2014 10:41AM

fryup wrote: »

landlords should get into the habit of collecting the rent in person every month and doing a quick check of the property

I had a landlord that used to do this. A person you don't really know at all nosing around the house you live in once a month gets old very fast. We eventually asked him to stop coming into the house, and thankfully he didn't fight us on it.

fryup · 26-04-2014 10:49AM

^^^^^^^^^^^^

ya but look at it from his/her point of view, they want to be assured that their property isn't being ransacked

RoboRat · 27-04-2014 09:47PM

Went up yesterday and it's worse than I initially thought. Rubbish everywhere, rats in the shed, rubbish all down the back garden. Carpets destroyed, cigarette butts evtheyerywhere (i specifically said no smoking) and they even left the cushions for a 2k settee out the back, destroyed. Only good point is that there was about 1.5k worth of electrical goods that I am holding until they pay for the damage or I will sell.
I am also going talk to his employers as they were his reference as he had no previous rental references, they need to answer as to why they gave this guy a reference,

RoboRat · 27-04-2014 09:48PM

Went up yesterday and it's worse than I initially thought. Rubbish everywhere, rats in the shed, rubbish all down the back garden. Carpets destroyed, cigarette butts evtheyerywhere (i specifically said no smoking) and they even left the cushions for a 2k settee out the back, destroyed. Only good point is that there was about 1.5k worth of electrical goods that I am holding until they pay for the damage or I will sell.
I am also going talk to his employers as they were his reference as he had no previous rental references, they need to answer as to why they gave this guy a reference,

Paddy Cow · 27-04-2014 10:00PM

RoboRat wrote: »

Went up yesterday and it's worse than I initially thought. Rubbish everywhere, rats in the shed, rubbish all down the back garden. Carpets destroyed, cigarette butts evtheyerywhere (i specifically said no smoking) and they even left the cushions for a 2k settee out the back, destroyed. Only good point is that there was about 1.5k worth of electrical goods that I am holding until they pay for the damage or I will sell.
I am also going talk to his employers as they were his reference as he had no previous rental references, they need to answer as to why they gave this guy a reference,

How would his employers know if he was a good tenant or not? He would be a respectful employee but still treat his rental property like crap.

The One Doctor · 27-04-2014 10:14PM

We keep our apartment in good order and the LL is so delighted that he hasn't even raised the rent for the last 3 years.

tomwaterford · 27-04-2014 10:33PM

naughtb4 wrote: »

Had this done to me before, very very frustrating

RoboRat wrote: »

The prick even had the audacity to not bother switching the ESB over from the previous tenants and is about to be cut off leaving them with an €800+ bill. Now, it was the previous tenants responsibility to let the ESB know but still it takes brass balls to just run up a bill like that on somebody else's account, possibly seriously affecting their credit rating. This I feel is the worst part as they were a young family and they were lovely.

/rant

they sound like right scummy tenants...hate to see people treated like that....who will have to pay the e800 now?

FizzleSticks · 27-04-2014 10:34PM

This post has been deleted.

Stavros Murphy · 27-04-2014 10:38PM

Vito Corleone wrote: »

Every time the tenants leave we have to buy new furniture and basically do up the house, it's fucking ridiculous.

I have a different relationship with my tenants. If my Stuff breaks, then your stuff breaks. It leads to wonderful mutual respect and understanding. Tended to be tested for veracity in the early days, these days, not so much.

Pinch Flat · 27-04-2014 10:41PM

German system works great - move in with nothing provided (no fridge, TV, UPC connection, phone etc), you leave it with nothing. Just make sure you paint the walls white. Cuts out a lot of sh!te.

mikeym · 27-04-2014 10:42PM

Some tennants are pure knackers and some are actually decent clean folk.

On the other hand you could get a hitler of a landlord or an easygoing landlord.

Thats life.

zoomaway · 27-04-2014 11:23PM

Pinch Flat wrote: »

German system works great - move in with nothing provided (no fridge, TV, UPC connection, phone etc), you leave it with nothing. Just make sure you paint the walls white. Cuts out a lot of sh!te.

Think that's a great idea renting an unfurnished property. A blank canvas as you say the new tenants can then furnish paint and decorate as they wish and then return it to a blank canvas when they leave. Much better for both tenant and landlord.

I remember being a student and we were paying over the odds for a dump with disgusting filthy carpets and half broken furniture. Sub standard it was. Another example of rip off Ireland.

JuliusCaesar · 27-04-2014 11:36PM

zoomaway wrote: »

Think that's a great idea renting an unfurnished property. A blank canvas as you say the new tenants can then furnish paint and decorate as they wish and then return it to a blank canvas when they leave. Much better for both tenant and landlord.

Except scummy tenants can still be scummy tenants and break the toilets, pull out pipes, burn/make holes in floors and walls and NOT paint the walls white when they move out.

Also, not many students can afford to furnish flats with kitchens - cooker, fridge, table, chairs, cupboards etc - and bedroom furniture etc.

Super-Rush · 27-04-2014 11:51PM

RoboRat wrote: »

Went up yesterday and it's worse than I initially thought. Rubbish everywhere, rats in the shed, rubbish all down the back garden. Carpets destroyed, cigarette butts evtheyerywhere (i specifically said no smoking) and they even left the cushions for a 2k settee out the back, destroyed. Only good point is that there was about 1.5k worth of electrical goods that I am holding until they pay for the damage or I will sell.
I am also going talk to his employers as they were his reference as he had no previous rental references, they need to answer as to why they gave this guy a reference,

2 grand for a couch?

Fckn hell.

tomtucker81 · 27-04-2014 11:59PM

Have to say Op, I feel your pain.
Im in the exact same situation as regards a house and how I'm a landlord. Just got the house back off the last tenants and it is absolute sh1t.
floors are sticky to walk on. Marker and biro over every wall (kids). Carpet destroyed. Hob has layers of food burned onto it. Rice floating in dishwasher. ('We stopped using it because it never drained properly.') Sofa has back cushions torn down. Bedside lockers have handles gone. Freezer has all drawer doors smashed. Letterbox gone (?) from front door. Theres a rectangular hole there now.

ive it all painted up new, with new furniture etc on the way.i never called on the tenant, I always said if he had any problems to call me. The new tenant will be getting visited regularly. ...same as yourself, I just couldn't believe the dirt and mess that some people think is acceptable.

Boombastic · 28-04-2014 12:11AM

Pinch Flat wrote: »

German system works great - move in with nothing provided (no fridge, TV, UPC connection, phone etc), you leave it with nothing. Just make sure you paint the walls white. Cuts out a lot of sh!te.

yep, costs 1000's to move though. there needs to be better longer term leases for it too work.

LizzieJones · 28-04-2014 12:13AM

fryup wrote: »

landlords should get into the habit of collecting the rent in person every month and doing a quick check of the property

My landlord does an inspection every 6 months.

zoomaway · 28-04-2014 12:31AM

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Except scummy tenants can still be scummy tenants and break the toilets, pull out pipes, burn/make holes in floors and walls and NOT paint the walls white when they move out.

Also, not many students can afford to furnish flats with kitchens - cooker, fridge, table, chairs, cupboards etc - and bedroom furniture etc.

Ok, I agree with you about the students not being able to afford to furnish the house. But substandard over priced accommodation isn't fair to student's either. But that's a topic for another thread.

In relation to tenants breaking up the house I would argue that if they have to furnish it themselves, paint it, get their own white goods etc then they might appreciate all the effort and cost that goes into putting a home together. In addition if they gone to all this effort then perhaps they are going to live in the accommodation long term - but this wouldn't really apply in Ireland I don't think because renting here ( up to now ) has always been a short term thing for people until they purchase.By short term I mean no more than a few years.
But now and probably into the future we will have much more long term renting of properties ( judging by the way property is at the moment) and unfurnished would seem to be a better way to go.
The tenants' invest' time,effort and money in making their rented property their home. In return the landlord has tenants who having ' heavily invested' are less likely to wreck the place and more likely to be good tenants.
As for breaking pipes and toilets it would be in the tenant contract terms in the letting agreement that if they cause this damage they pay and they also forfeit their deposit and get evicted.

I don't believe for one minute that just because it hasn't been done up to now doesn't mean it couldn't be done. It would requires a change in mindset of course that's the key .Other countries Germany being one example as mentioned are doing this so it can be done.

woodoo · 28-04-2014 12:42AM

Pinch Flat wrote: »

German system works great - move in with nothing provided (no fridge, TV, UPC connection, phone etc), you leave it with nothing. Just make sure you paint the walls white. Cuts out a lot of sh!te.

The Germans have so much right. I don't know why we just don't copy what they do.

28-04-2014 12:48AM

Pinch Flat wrote: »

German system works great - move in with nothing provided (no fridge, TV, UPC connection, phone etc), you leave it with nothing. Just make sure you paint the walls white. Cuts out a lot of sh!te.

People (including myself) don't want to buy furniture etc for a place they don't own. The system as it is is fine, rent fully furnished places then when you are ready to buy your own place spend the money on furnishing it.

IK09 · 28-04-2014 12:49AM

OP u need a management co. i know theres a cost but they really help u avoid having situations like this.

Ann Landers · 28-04-2014 12:53AM

Autumn Nutritious Walkie-talkie wrote: »

People (including myself) don't want to buy furniture etc for a place they don't own.

Well, it's just how it is in others countries so people expect it. It's actually quite common in the UK to move into an unfurnished place with no white goods.

It would be hard to bring in the system here as it's not expected and is a lot of money to stump up that you didn't plan for.

Disgusting tenants

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