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Re: Promise to Lease - Landlord Forum thread 348872

Re: Promise to Lease by Anonymous (MA) on October 21, 2016 @19:30

                              
I had 3 bad real estate agents who tried to get me to rent to people without screening (I wrote back then, but nobody believed me). I finally found a good one, and this tenant checked out perfectly. Her credit score is 798 and she makes $150,000 a year. We are doing a lease through next August (9 months). The apartment has been completely renovated and is in excellent condition. Rent is $2,300/month in suburb next to Boston.
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Re: Promise to Lease by Anonymous on October 21, 2016 @21:34 [ Reply ]
Please, for the love of god, don't listen to G. He's not reading what you originally posted and he's not answering your question.

What you have on your hands right now are a bunch of 'ifs.' If the apartment passes inspection. If she'll still be around and want to rent it after you get your compliance settled.

Honestly, your best bet is to leave this alone from now, not take any money from her, and not sign any agreements. She's in a hurry to move and she's going to need a place sooner than the (minimum) 2 months that it's going to take you to finish the lead abatement.

Tell her you'll give her a call when your place is compliant, but other than that, deal with the problem at hand instead of creating more by creating an agreement (real or not) with someone who may not want the place after 2 months passes.
    Re: Promise to Lease by Anonymous (MA) on October 22, 2016 @10:07 [ Reply ]
    The lead inspector assured me that I would be able to receive full compliance, and the work will only take 4-5 days. In the unit, I only need to strip 2 doors; outside, I'm replacing old door frames and old garage doors/frames, and cellar windows. That's all. He was surprised at the results of the lead test, given that the house is nearly 80 years old. However, this work does need to be done before I sign a lease and she moves in.

    The tenant and her husband live about half a mile away. They are getting divorced, but she has excellent credit (score = 798) and makes $150,000 a year. She wants to keep the 2 children in the same school. She actually has some flexibility in the moving date, and can wait until December. She just wants a written guarantee that the unit is hers - we are not signing a lease. I want to at least check out the form for holding the unit that someone recommended.
      Re: Promise to Lease by Anonymous on October 23, 2016 @07:13 [ Reply ]
      If she can wait, then no agreements need to be signed. You need to think about what happens and how much time youll waste ifnshe finds another place in the interim. There is no benefit to either of you for signing an agreement at this stage.
      Re: Promise to Lease by MrDan on October 23, 2016 @21:35 [ Reply ]
      Reviewing your State law, their is no prohibition against renting to a tenant with a child under six. It only triggers the landlords legal requirement to abate the lead issue. The downside is that often requires that the tenant vacate the property while the abatement is on going.

      Your bigger issue would be both State and Federal Fair Housing issues. Refusing to rent to an applicant with children could be seen as a violation of the Lead Law, the Consumer Protection Act, and various Massachusetts anti-discrimination statutes that can have serious penalties for the landlord. Not to forget Federal Fair Housing laws.

      There is no reason not to enter into a lease with the contingency that if the property does not receive full compliance by a given date, the lease is rescinded and void.

      With the information provided, Mid November or December is a realistic goal.

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