Re: I found new tenant; now current wants to renew!

Re: I found new tenant; now current wants to renew! by Gail K (Georgia) on November 18, 2009 @10:50

As my children used to say, "tough noogies" on your current tenant.

Sounds like you made a valiant effort to find out whether the current tenant WAS able to stay. When she still had not found a roommate, you went ahead with what any good landlord would do; found someone to replace her.

Listen; get the new one to sign a lease so you don't end up with everyone moving out/not coming in January.

Gail

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Re: I found new tenant; now current wants to renew! by Micah on November 18, 2009 @11:09

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DO NOT sign a new lease before the unit is vacant!!!! What happens when the current tenant doesn't leave and you have the new tenant with a signed lease? You get screwed on both ends! I'd contact the current tenants in writing and either give the formal notice of non-renewal/notice to vacate or I'd give them the list of minimum qualifications and tell them to ask their new roomie if they qualify. Make sure they know that you will be doing a FULL criminal, credit and landlord reference check!

Re: I found new tenant; now current wants to renew! by New-Landlord on November 18, 2009 @11:39

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Micah and Gail,

Thank you both. The current tenant kept telling me she couldn't find a roommate until the 13th hour, and I'm dubious about the commitment of the new roommate. Quite frankly when I think with my head about the economics and practicality of the situation, I would rather rent it to the one new tenant who is ready and able to sign a full-year lease now and pay the deposit up front, etc., and stop having to worry about the roommate issue and the untenable plans of the two current tenants.

But sometimes I think with my heart over my head too much because the tenants in there now are our friends of sort and have been good tenants and the one really wants to stay. I feel she may be acting out of desperation more than reality, however, while the potential tenant has everything all lined up. I do not want to lose the potential tenant AND risk the current tenant not actually being able to follow through with the new roommate, and being stuck with NO tenant come January. In any case I feel that no matter what I do I would be either breaking the deal I just made with the new/potential tenant, or forcing out the old tenant. How stressful! I don't know how you guys do this all the time and I thank you for the help! It seems that unless the current tenant's potential roommate is willing to sign the lease now, give me a deposit now, and passes screening now, then I must send something in writing to the current tenant letting her know that I expect her to be out when her lease expires in January, and THEN I should have the new tenant sign the lease right away.

Re: I found new tenant; now current wants to renew! by Va Landlady (VA) on November 18, 2009 @17:53

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Unfortunately, you can't know for sure that the old tenant will be out when she says she will, and if she's not, legally you would have to make arrangements for the new tenant until you can get the old one out. For that reason I'm thinking you might should sign a new lease with the old tenant and her roommate. Especially if the new tenant hasn't paid you anything yet, she won't have too hard of a time finding another place this time of year.