Re: 24 hour notice to inspect - Landlord Forum thread 168383

Re: 24 hour notice to inspect by Debbie on January 6, 2009 @09:12

I normally give the tenant a quick phone call plus an email. Almost always before 10am.

Half of the time, I leave a message on the answering machine. The other half of the time they answered. I simply say in a happy voice: "Hi Tenant! Good to hear your voice! My calendar is telling me that it's time for a winter preventative maintenance. I'll be stopping by around 11 tomorrow morning so if you're there, I'll see you."

Normally, they'll tell me that they'd be at work, which I already suspected and that's fine with me.

Usually I or my hubby go by ourselves. Only a couple of times, we go together if there's something questionable. Especially, if a tenant is at work and has a female teenager at home. Which in this case, hubby will NOT go without me. He doesn't trust teenagers in general.

In your case, if you haven't started the "preventative maintenances" early, you might find resistant from your tenant. I would advise that you bring your hubby or another adult with you. It may take 2-3 times before your tenant relax and allow you without being there.

Remember, you as a landlord is in charge. Tenant is not. Don't allow your tenant to be in charge of when you can enter your rental property. Yes, there'll be times it would be inconvenient (i.e. tenant is sick) and you will need to reschedule. But do get the job done soon and quickly. Establish the preventative maintenance soon and do them regularly.

Monica, relax and take deep breaths. I've been there before where I felt like I was inconveniencing my tenants. Soon I realized that I wasn't doing my tenants and me any good service until I relaxed and took deep breaths. Before I knew it, everything turned out to be icing on the cake!

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Re: 24 hour notice to inspect by Monica on January 6, 2009 @10:31	[ Reply ]

To make it more uncomfortable, this tenant is ignoring our calls because he hasn't paid his rent. I posted a 3 day demand for payment on his door along with the notice to enter, on the 8th I will serve him a 3 day notice to quit if my husband will let me evict him. I am wondering if the notices are still on the door, (because they didn't see them) should I post another 24 hr. notice to enter on the back door and wait till tomorrow to go in? I can't call the jerk because he will not answer his phone to us. I don't communicate via email with my tenants.

Now, this requires a different tactic by Debbie on January 6, 2009 @10:44

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Monica,

I didn't realize this is the tenant you referred to in another posts.

If I were in your shoes, I would NOT post and then go in. Because this tenant has not paid rent, there is a higher possibility of confrontation. Neither you nor your tenant can afford that.

I'm aware of the city you live in but I'm not clear on the state hence I can not advise you in that department.

In the meantime, I'm assuming you already posted the 3 days notice for non-payment as you indicated. If you are concern that your tenant "didn't see" that notice on the door, if your state law allows you to post on the door, then it is the tenant's problem for not seeing that notice.

I am assuming that this tenant will not pay and you will soon file for eviction.

In the meantime, I strongly suggest that you do not enter the property until the rent payment or eviction has been resolved. It is a safety issue as well as avoiding any potential violatile situation.

Re: Now, this requires a different tactic by Monica on January 6, 2009 @11:05	[ Reply ]

Because he didn't pay his rent and I havn't seen all the cars that are usually in the driveway lately when I drive by and knowing they were looking to move, (remember she called on my house I had for rent last month) My main reason for wanting to enter is to see if they moved out, and while I am at it, I may as well do a general overall inspection for damages. I drove by last night and seen lights on and a car in the driveway, so it appears they are still there. The house is just up the road from where I live, that's how I can tell when something is out of the ordinary. He doesn't take my 3 day notices seriously because of my husband. I don't want to wait to see what kind of damages there are until after he moves out. Any real damages could be all I need to make my husband comply with an eviction. All these reasons are why I was thinking that maybe having a police escort would be a good idea, maybe?

Re: Now, this requires a different tactic