Tenant late with rent numerous times.

Do Not return the Deposit (or Balance of Deposit) until they are actually gone out of the house. You cannot be sure how things will pan out untill they are actually gone out of the house totally.

Some tennants (not all) even have the cheek to leave some of their possesions in the house for a week or two thus stopping you being able to rent out immediately.

You did the right thing.
 
I think your right about the reference letters. i`ll retract that anyway for starters.

As regards the grass cutting - its in their contact that they maintain the exterior etc. I didnt mind cutting it though as i had just bought a ride-on mower and she said she couldnt afford a lawn mower. I didnt ask her about this just as we were signing lease and she sadi she`d sort one. I believed her in good faith.... anyway...

Im not going to hand over ay deposit until ive contact esb, phone etc and make sure meters are read and they have notified the companies accordingly. I posted their letter of termination yesterday.

Do you think i should write to them informing them of the procedures next thurs, as regards checking bills, meter readings etc and all appliances in good working order...

I cant help but think something is lurking in the background and that i have trouble on my hands next Thurs. we`ll see...
 
Yeah....put it all in writing, such as:

"As per your letter of termination, I expect the property to be vacated by XXpm 8/11/07. The deposit will be repaid in full next Thursday subject to the following conditions being met:
- Rent is fully up to date, all out standing rents will be taken from the deposit. Rent due currently stands at €XXX
- The property being return in the clean & good condition (baring normal wear and tear)
- All applicances are in working order
- All fixtures and fitting are in perfect condition
- All sets of keys are return (x number of set expected)
- All of your property should be removed from the property by XXpm or there will be a charge to remove and dispose of any remaining property.
- We will both take a reading for the ESB & gas on Thursday. Please be aware it is your responsibility to notify the utility companies of your move.
- Please refer to your contract to ensure you are fully aware of your obigations."

By the way, I would expect to provide a lawnmower if you expect a tenant to cut the grass.
 
sam h said:
Yeah....put it all in writing, such as:

"As per your letter of termination, I expect the property to be vacated by XXpm 8/11/07. The deposit will be repaid in full next Thursday subject to the following conditions being met:
- Rent is fully up to date, all out standing rents will be taken from the deposit. Rent due currently stands at €XXX
- The property being return in the clean & good condition (baring normal wear and tear)
- All applicances are in working order
- All fixtures and fitting are in perfect condition
- All sets of keys are return (x number of set expected)
- All of your property should be removed from the property by XXpm or there will be a charge to remove and dispose of any remaining property.
- We will both take a reading for the ESB & gas on Thursday. Please be aware it is your responsibility to notify the utility companies of your move.
- Please refer to your contract to ensure you are fully aware of your obigations."

By the way, I would expect to provide a lawnmower if you expect a tenant to cut the grass.
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i have practically copied n`pasted your post onto a letter today. Thank you for that. They owe me a few bob for 1 or 2 other things aswell, which i have drafted in letter also. The letter was simple and bullet pointed so there should be no confusion on Thurs eve when i call to them. I also stated deposit will not be returned till Fri at 1pm as appliances and various have to be checked... am i wrong to do that? I dont think so, letter is sent anyhow so theres no going back now...

I dont think i should provide a lawnmower... the same way i expect them to keep my house clean - but i dont provide cleaning products.
 
shootingstar said:
I dont think i should provide a lawnmower... the same way i expect them to keep my house clean - but i dont provide cleaning products.
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A lawn mower in my opinion should be provided by the landlord. Anyone who rents is not goin to drag a lawn mower around from house to house,its the same as you providing a cooker, washing machine, beds etc. Its a reasonable request from any tenant,as long as they do they upkeep if it is provided!
 
swordshead said:
A lawn mower in my opinion should be provided by the landlord. Anyone who rents is not goin to drag a lawn mower around from house to house,its the same as you providing a cooker, washing machine, beds etc. Its a reasonable request from any tenant,as long as they do they upkeep if it is provided!
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fair point but im still not parting with my ride-on mower. Its something ill have to give a bit of thought to. Ands its definately something ill discuss next week when im viewing out the house to people.

off the record, the plumber who came out to look at the washing machine said to me that every landlord should have it in the lease that the tenant is responsible for any "breakdowns" to appliances during their tenancy. What are peoples views on this? IM ALL BLOODY FOR IT!!!!
 
shootingstar said:
off the record, the plumber who came out to look at the washing machine said to me that every landlord should have it in the lease that the tenant is responsible for any "breakdowns" to appliances during their tenancy. What are peoples views on this? IM ALL BLOODY FOR IT!!!!
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Im against it. As a former tenant, if Id been expected to pay for appliance repair I would have rented elsewhere. Would you expect them to pay for repairs and then leave the appliances behind when they leave?
 
truthseeker said:
Im against it. As a former tenant, if Id been expected to pay for appliance repair I would have rented elsewhere. Would you expect them to pay for repairs and then leave the appliances behind when they leave?
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Im not sure truthseeker, was just putting out the feelers. I had never thought about it till he said it. suppose i would be for it... go on shoot me!!
 
It depends on what you're considering a breakdown, and what is acceptable wear and tear. If I was expected to sign a lease where I was responsible for all breakdowns to electrical goods, I would expect them to be new at the start of the lease. I certainly wouldn't take responsibility for repairs to e.g. a washing machine where I don't know it's age or how it's been treated by previous tenants.
 
This comes down to wear & tear v's misuse. If you have a 5 year old washing machine where the drum goes....landlords problem. If the breakdown is caused by the underwire from a bra (one of the most common problem so I'm told by my plumber), then it's the tenants problem.

A way to get around the grass problem is to add on a premium for the grass, which you will take off if they undertake to do the gardening themselves....haven't tried it myself, just an idea!
 
shootingstar said:
fair point but im still not parting with my ride-on mower. Its something ill have to give a bit of thought to. Ands its definately something ill discuss next week when im viewing out the house to people.

off the record, the plumber who came out to look at the washing machine said to me that every landlord should have it in the lease that the tenant is responsible for any "breakdowns" to appliances during their tenancy. What are peoples views on this? IM ALL BLOODY FOR IT!!!!
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You seem perfectly reasonable Shootingstar, but as a former tenant myself in many flats etc (as a student) I would say that in my experience, and the experience of many I knew, tenants had more cause to be suspicious of landlords than vice versa - zero maintenance, not turning heating on, witholding of deposits stating wear and tear reasons that already existed...etc etc.

I know some people can and do wreck the place, but anyone I knew actually left their places in a better condition than they found them in!

Everyone renting that I knew at the time just assumed their landlord was going to be lazy, neglectful, chancer... etc etc.

Basically, what I'm saying is if the stipulation you mention was in effect I would never have considered renting from such a landlord - I can't imagine too many prospective tenants would be enticed these days either.
 
Landlords need to be reasonable with their requests as much as tenants need to be mindful of the landlords property! If i was leasing a place that i owned i would expect that i would have to maintain the general up keep of the place i.e. painting, gardening etc. If you want the tenants to do the grass provide a simple and cheap lawnmower with the house and state it to the tenants before they move in that grass cutting is required, just dont expect it to be done IMO. If i was a tenant i expect to have appliances in proper working order and not expect to pay for them if they breakdown, why should i pay for fixing something that i technically dont own?
 
Thanks everyone, all points taken. as i said just kinda putting out the feelers. its my first letting and i called it wrong...

we live and learn. I`m not a chancer by any means, just looking to hopefully work most of it to my advantage..??? My new neighbour was telling me she got rid of her 2 rental houses because the pressure of it is awful...! She said its a headache...
 
shootingstar said:
Im not sure truthseeker, was just putting out the feelers. I had never thought about it till he said it. suppose i would be for it... go on shoot me!!
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hahaha - no intention of shooting a shootingstar :)

I think its a case of all parties being reasonable, if as a tenant I was responsible for breaking an appliance Id expect to pay for it, but if one day the washing machine broke down due to no fault of my own Id expect the landlord to pay to fix it.

You sound like a reasonable person Shootingstar, perhaps in your interview process for your next tenant you hold out til you get someone you feel comfortable with.

Put yourself in the tenants shoes - if they do keep the place in reasonable order and pay the rent on time - then they would expect a landlord who plays ball equally with them?
 
In any of my properties that have lawns (small lawns), I have an electric mower left in the garage. I often wonder where I stand if someone gets injured using the mower as I own it.

With regard to repairs on appliances, I have it in the lease that after 6 mths the tennant is responsible for repairs from misuse etc. In the houses where anything is old'ish and starts to gives trouble I replace it with a new one. I have never charged a tennant for any repairs to appliances.

Best of Luck and I hope everything turns out well for you its not easy, but you have to look at it as a business.
 
just to update everyone. Tenants are now screaming at me down the phone calling me a callous cold B*tch. She said how could i put her 4 children out on the street coming up to christmas.

to cut a long story short.... i basically told her this is business and she simply cant live in my house rent free... 7pm this coming Thurs is their dead line to be out. I asked her to make sure the house is given back in the same condition etc... i did also say to her that im very offended at her name-calling. I told her never in my wildest dreams did i think i would ever have to make such a difficult decision. Im only human too and its been very hard for me... she was hysterical on the phone to the point that she had to hang up to vomit!!!! (she told me this when i called her back later now)......

:(
 
shootingstar said:
just to update everyone. Tenants are now screaming at me down the phone calling me a callous cold B*tch. She said how could i put her 4 children out on the street coming up to christmas.

to cut a long story short.... i basically told her this is business and she simply cant live in my house rent free... 7pm this coming Thurs is their dead line to be out. I asked her to make sure the house is given back in the same condition etc... i did also say to her that im very offended at her name-calling. I told her never in my wildest dreams did i think i would ever have to make such a difficult decision. Im only human too and its been very hard for me... she was hysterical on the phone to the point that she had to hang up to vomit!!!! (she told me this when i called her back later now)......

:(
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Be strong. Tell her Christmas in your house starts on the 8th of December. Next it'll be "On Halloween Week of all things..."
 
As above posters said, keep strong and keep focused. Its a business you are running not a charity.

You are doing the right thing. What would it have been like if they had been there over 6 mths - you would never get them out and once it goes to threshold or the PRTB the tennant seems to always win especially where there are children involved.

I have been through worst (my dad's life was threatened - and we had witnessess who were interview by the guards etc ) and the guards are dealing with it and it has not got a hearing yet from the PRTB even though it fitted into the 7 day's notice anti-social behaviour catagory and that was last March! Luckily the guy's family got him to move out, but I did'nt inform the PRTB yet in order to see how long it will take for the case to be heard (my solicitor thought it would be a good idea to se what way they work).

You will be so relieved when this is behind you.
 
shootingstar said:
off the record, the plumber who came out to look at the washing machine said to me that every landlord should have it in the lease that the tenant is responsible for any "breakdowns" to appliances during their tenancy. What are peoples views on this? IM ALL BLOODY FOR IT!!!!
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When i was renting previously, i always found that the appliances in rented houses were the reject ones from the landlord/lady's own house - they were always ancient and always breaking down, especially the washing machines. If I had been liable each time one broke down I'd have been broke!
Then again, if you rent a house by the room to 6+ students it's going to get a lot of use.
One landlord left me 2 months with a washing machine that kept breaking down, and I had a baby of less than a year old at the time, the machine was on its last legs and the landlord would do a patch job, then one wash later it was gone again. Lovely people, but it was really hard to cope with that with a small baby.

edited to add - a family member rents a couple of houses, and has only had good tenants - one does get through washing machines like they were boxes of cornflakes, but my relative jsut replaces them as otherwise they are good. I hope this works out ok for you in the end.
 
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