Morning all,
Work begins for me in a half hour and I wonder what it will bring me today. Friday it brought a call from a man calling on behalf of his disabled, living w/cancer uncle who is living w/bedbugs. His uncle does not travel, has only his nephew as a visitor, so where did those pests come from?! Likely an adjacent unit that hasn't reported them to the manager. But why should they? After all, the uncle did and they sprayed his living room . . .nothing else. They are called bedbugs for a reason, yes? Just a block and half away are two other apartment complexes that have had bedbugs recently. At least they treated the units properly!
Then there was the master's student freshly arrived from North Carolina, who turned into her new driveway only to find people living on the property in their cars (yes, this is in Corvallis). Next came the battered/dented front door, blackened toilet, smell of mold, and in the bathroom another unwanted smell. Then the fleas! Welcome to Corvallis.
Yes, another day and another "Welcome to Corvallis."
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Sewage Happens, even to my daughter
First off, a BIG thank you and much appreciation to Capri Apartments of Eugene!! They rocked my world today.
Everyday I receive calls from people w/rental issues, and sometimes questions from my daughter who goes to school at UO. Her current roommate went down to Eugene to start packing to move out. When she opened the door to the apartment, there was a strong odor and the floor was 80% covered in water . . . well not just water (and fortunately not fecal material!). A drain apparently had become clogged and the kitchen sink overflowed quite generously. How long ago had this happened? Don't exactly know, but no one had been in the apartment since August 1st. Yes, there was mold, but surprising little. There was water damaged books, papers, art (roomie is an artist), high heels (!) and a few other things.
Overall, not too bad considering. The take-home message? Two, actually. First, call your property manager immediately!! They appreciate getting a jump on a problem. Two, have renters insurance which covers damaged goods in such cases. Both my daughter (surprise) and her roomie have such insurance. Our daughter is covered by our homeowners policy as long as she is a student (our son is not a student but does have renters insurance).
It took us ~ three hours to clean stuff out, and there will be more time spent tomorrow emptying out the apartment (the flooring will need to replaced, mold addressed, and possibly some wall repairs, too). Capri Apartments allowed us the use of a vacant unit to put dry items in overnight to be picked up tomorrow. Again, Capri was excellent! Did I mention that Capri also gave them laundry cards so they clean clothes and bedding (as in, free access to the washers and dryers!!). Capri can come to Corvallis anytime!
Everyday I receive calls from people w/rental issues, and sometimes questions from my daughter who goes to school at UO. Her current roommate went down to Eugene to start packing to move out. When she opened the door to the apartment, there was a strong odor and the floor was 80% covered in water . . . well not just water (and fortunately not fecal material!). A drain apparently had become clogged and the kitchen sink overflowed quite generously. How long ago had this happened? Don't exactly know, but no one had been in the apartment since August 1st. Yes, there was mold, but surprising little. There was water damaged books, papers, art (roomie is an artist), high heels (!) and a few other things.
Overall, not too bad considering. The take-home message? Two, actually. First, call your property manager immediately!! They appreciate getting a jump on a problem. Two, have renters insurance which covers damaged goods in such cases. Both my daughter (surprise) and her roomie have such insurance. Our daughter is covered by our homeowners policy as long as she is a student (our son is not a student but does have renters insurance).
It took us ~ three hours to clean stuff out, and there will be more time spent tomorrow emptying out the apartment (the flooring will need to replaced, mold addressed, and possibly some wall repairs, too). Capri Apartments allowed us the use of a vacant unit to put dry items in overnight to be picked up tomorrow. Again, Capri was excellent! Did I mention that Capri also gave them laundry cards so they clean clothes and bedding (as in, free access to the washers and dryers!!). Capri can come to Corvallis anytime!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Class For Landlords
The Linn Benton Rental Housing Association is having a class, "General Property Management" next Thursday, August 18, from 1-5 pm, at the Phoenix Inn Suites in Albany. If you are relatively new to the BUSINESS of property management, this class will be a great start to your education. Taught by Violet Wilson, vice president of the Oregon Rental Housing Association, the class is designed to help landlords learn the ins and out of property management, improve profit margins, and avoid pitfalls.
To register for the class, or get more information, call Althea Madison at 541-207-8532, or via email: althea@peak.org. Cost is $40 for a LBRHA member, $50 for a non-member.
Become educated!
To register for the class, or get more information, call Althea Madison at 541-207-8532, or via email: althea@peak.org. Cost is $40 for a LBRHA member, $50 for a non-member.
Become educated!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Follow up to last post: Busted Door
As a follow up to why you should always do a background check . . .
I heard back from the poor landlord who didn't do a background check and wound up w/a frequent occupant of the Benton County jail as his tenant. Late Friday/early Saturday morning the police came to arrest the guy for criminal trespass. He refused to open the door, so the police kicked it in. Now the landlord gets to replace the door and jambs and try to recover the cost from the tenant.
I referred him to his attorney for help w/the eviction process. It will be faster and CHEAPER to do so, not to mention safer . . . for both of them!
I heard back from the poor landlord who didn't do a background check and wound up w/a frequent occupant of the Benton County jail as his tenant. Late Friday/early Saturday morning the police came to arrest the guy for criminal trespass. He refused to open the door, so the police kicked it in. Now the landlord gets to replace the door and jambs and try to recover the cost from the tenant.
I referred him to his attorney for help w/the eviction process. It will be faster and CHEAPER to do so, not to mention safer . . . for both of them!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Why You Should Always Always Always Do a Complete Background Check!
If you are reading this, then I'm preaching to the choir. But sometimes even choir members don't follow the music, yes even tenors.
First call of the day and it's from someone I know. Been a landlord for years. Always trusts his gut. There was a time that was good enough, but not any more. He went to investigate a plumbing leak and walked into a little grow: weed. pot. mary jane. "Gee," I said, "I didn't know you were 420 friendly, friend." He asked what that meant (If you don't know, ask me some time). Besides the growing, there had been some using, and based on the "tag" on the wall outside the unit, there's probably a bit of selling, too.
Some of you don't mind a bit of herb, but it's not just about the dope; growing it inside can lead to mold, and landlords don't particularly care to clean up a moldy mess.
Turns out my friend doesn't do any background checks at all, even though this isn't his first time dealing w/drugs . . . in the same unit. I explained why today trusting you gut is still OK, but follow it up w/a credit and criminal background check. Cost you a bit of time, maybe money if you choose not to pass it on to the tenant, which you can do.
We talked more and I asked him if he would share the tenant's name w/me, which he did. Not only did I recognize his name from his frequent flights to the county jail, but his last arrest was for being a felon w/a firearm!
Remember, you really can't be too careful out there. Always Always Always do a complete background check.
First call of the day and it's from someone I know. Been a landlord for years. Always trusts his gut. There was a time that was good enough, but not any more. He went to investigate a plumbing leak and walked into a little grow: weed. pot. mary jane. "Gee," I said, "I didn't know you were 420 friendly, friend." He asked what that meant (If you don't know, ask me some time). Besides the growing, there had been some using, and based on the "tag" on the wall outside the unit, there's probably a bit of selling, too.
Some of you don't mind a bit of herb, but it's not just about the dope; growing it inside can lead to mold, and landlords don't particularly care to clean up a moldy mess.
Turns out my friend doesn't do any background checks at all, even though this isn't his first time dealing w/drugs . . . in the same unit. I explained why today trusting you gut is still OK, but follow it up w/a credit and criminal background check. Cost you a bit of time, maybe money if you choose not to pass it on to the tenant, which you can do.
We talked more and I asked him if he would share the tenant's name w/me, which he did. Not only did I recognize his name from his frequent flights to the county jail, but his last arrest was for being a felon w/a firearm!
Remember, you really can't be too careful out there. Always Always Always do a complete background check.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Same Stuff, Differnet Day
Well, sort of the same stuff. A relatively new landlord in town is taking a different approach to pricing their units. First, they'll find out what you can afford, based on their requirements, and then show you an apartment that meets your requirements, and what do you know? That apartment is priced at exactly what you can afford! That's right, the price "floats." The more you can afford, the more you'll pay. Amazing how that works, isn't it?! Yes, you can negotiate downward, but they won't tell you that. The idea is you'll probably pay more than you would have otherwise. Legal? Apparently so, according to the two attorneys I spoke with today, as long as you didn't respond to a "Bait and Switch" ad. But how would you know? Crazy times.
On the flip side of life, a landlord contacted me w/an issue they hadn't had before. I knew they have managed apartments for more than 20 years, so this would be "special." OK, not so special, but thoroughly annoying to deal with as a landlord, or more likely as the parent of a young one with an out-of-control bladder. Seems that the former tenant didn't always hit the target as it were, but managed to miss it by wide margins, like not even in the same room! Carpet, pad and subfloor ruined. Baseboard heater rusted out. Walls colored yellow. And the odor. $4,000+ later it has been repaired, but the odor still lingers. Somewhat funny, and yet not at all. The tenant won't have that kind of money to pay the landlord for the repairs, no time soon, anyway. The kicker? Before they knew the problem existed, the landlord let them rent from them in another apartment they manage. Two weeks in the new one, and it has started all over again.
The joys of being a tenant and a landlord.
On the flip side of life, a landlord contacted me w/an issue they hadn't had before. I knew they have managed apartments for more than 20 years, so this would be "special." OK, not so special, but thoroughly annoying to deal with as a landlord, or more likely as the parent of a young one with an out-of-control bladder. Seems that the former tenant didn't always hit the target as it were, but managed to miss it by wide margins, like not even in the same room! Carpet, pad and subfloor ruined. Baseboard heater rusted out. Walls colored yellow. And the odor. $4,000+ later it has been repaired, but the odor still lingers. Somewhat funny, and yet not at all. The tenant won't have that kind of money to pay the landlord for the repairs, no time soon, anyway. The kicker? Before they knew the problem existed, the landlord let them rent from them in another apartment they manage. Two weeks in the new one, and it has started all over again.
The joys of being a tenant and a landlord.
Monday, July 11, 2011
A Dream
As the Corvallis rental market continues to be tight (low, very low vacancy rate), tenants must look to other communities for housing. Unfortunately, communities nearby Corvallis do not have a Rental Housing Program to help them with their rental problems. This includes landlords, too, as they call me with issues of their own (evictions, 24 hour notices, drugs, etc).
Wouldn't it be nice to have a regional Rental Housing Program where anyone with a landlord/tenant issue could call for some non-legal, but helpful advice?
Wouldn't it be nice to have a regional Rental Housing Program where anyone with a landlord/tenant issue could call for some non-legal, but helpful advice?
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