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Landlord Newsletter Nov 9, 2010 | Landlord Form in the Spotlight

The LPA Newsletter
November 9, 2010

Dear Fellow Landlord,

In this issue:

  • Essential Form in the Spotlight:
    Security Deposit Settlement Statement
  • Ask the Attorney, Real Estate Attorney, John Reno
  • Landlord Tip: Toilet bowl maintenance can save you money
  • Free Form Download: Move-out & Debris Removal Letter
  • "Wealth Quotes"

Please e-mail us if you have any questions or would like to add or share any material / information.
John Nuzzolese
John@theLPA.com


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The Security Deposit Settlement Statement
Have you ever argued with a tenant about their security refund?

The Security Deposit Settlement Statement may be used with or without a Move-In/Out Property Condition Inspection Report.

This form alone has enabled us to make valid deductions (saving us tens of thousands of dollars in damages over the years) from security deposits without a hassle from the tenants.

Don't get me wrong, we are not out to unjustly take security money from tenants! But when deductions need to be made, this form can be a miracle worker. Why? Because it itemizes valid deductions on paper in black and white and now becomes much more difficult for your former tenant to argue with the facts.

No more arguing with tenants about their security refund!

In the past we've all made some real bloopers of mistakes.

How about one of the most common mistakes that many landlords still do all the time?

Yes, meeting with the tenant for a walk through* to check the condition of the property and then hand over the security deposit. Often, there is a disagreement over whether the damages were the tenants fault or responsibility, right?
*(In California, tenants have a right to a walkthrough with the owner before moveout. See California Pre-Moveout Inspection

Isn't it an awkward position for you to be in when the tenant is a slob and did extensive damage and expects all his security back? Do you tell them that they are slobs? Most of us are glad just to see the tenants leave so we can clean up the property and get better tenants next time. How often do you walk away from that meeting feeling disappointed? ...

Click here for the full article.




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Ask the Attorney

The Landlord Protection AgencyThe Landlord Protection Agency® is proud to introduce John Reno, Esq., a highly experienced Landlord - Tenant attorney based on Long Island, NY.

John Reno also does Mortgage Loan Modifications (Nationwide).
(Mention The LPA for a 10% discount!)

If you have a landlord tenant problem you'd like to ask a question about, please feel free to e-mail me your question.
Submit a landlord / tenant question for Mr. Reno
Please try to keep your questions as short and to the point as possible.

Dear Mr. Reno:
Can you live in a travel trailer in your back yard?
I'm an residential hotel manager and living in one of the units cuts into my income and the owners profit used to live in the basement till I was reported to the building inspector and bringing the basement up to code is very costly wanted to live in an travel trailer home/office. can it be done?
Gary U.

A: I strongly doubt you can do it. But it's a local ordinance issue. Most localities have rules that say you must have a building permit to use an area as living space. So you can pitch a tent, but you can't live in the yard in a tent. That's, in effect, what you would be doing.

Read more from John Reno, Eviction Attorney



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Save yourself a little work with the ...
Move Out, Clean Up & Debris Letter

Move-out Debris Have you ever wondered if the tenants would have done a better job vacating if you gave them specific instructions? Much like the LPA Move Out Reminder Letter, this reminds the tenants to not wait until their last day of tenancy to put out garbage and debris. They are urged avoid clean up charges and deductions from their security deposit and to make arrangements as soon as possible to get rid of their unwanted items, rather than leave them behind in or around the property.


FREE DOWNLOAD

This has proven to be a landlord's clean-up helper. Get the tenant on the job before he movesMove Out, Clean Up & Debris Letter



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Landlord Tip

Toilet bowl maintenance can save you money

I opened up my water bill and could not believe my eyes. Our normal bill is around $60.00 for three months and this bill was $197. There must be a mistake! I called the water company very upset with this bill. Someone must have read my meter wrong!

Well I was the one wrong. The water company was very polite but insisted we had a leak in our house. Most times it is the toilet they said. I checked the faucets, the outside faucet, the pipes and could not see anything. Then I checked the toilet guts. I could not hear the water running but it was.

The flapper was not shut tight against the bottom of the toilet. It was a constant run of water. Could this be the cause?

I changed the guts of the toilet with a repair kit for $9.99. The next water bill went down and now our water bill is back to the average $40.

Now when we prep our houses for new tenants, we change the toilet bowl guts as part of the normal routine.
- LPA Member, Lou C., BVR Mgmt

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Landlord Wealth Quotes

"Act The Way You Want To Be And Soon You'll Be The Way You Act" - Les Brown

"95% of tenant problems can be eliminated in the screening process." - John Nuzzolese

"Knock the "t" off the 'can't'" - George Reeves (Superman Actor 1914-1959)

"If the window of opportunity does not open by itself, YOU must open it." - John Nuzzolese

"Without knowledge and a workable plan, you are gambling, with little or no chance of success." - Robert G. Allen

"How much did your last tenant problem cost you?" - John@TheLPA

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Quick Check Credit Reports, Inc.

Quick Check Credit Reports, Inc. is proud to announce its affiliation and partnership with The LPA in helping landlords protect their interests by better screening tenants at lower costs!!

  • NO sign-up or set-up fees,
  • NO membership fees,
  • NO compliance fees
  • Just lower prices!


Special Tenant Screening Discounts for LPA members. See our price list!



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FREE LPA Gift with Book Purchase!

Click here to order Dani Babb's Book,The Accidental Landlord Fellow LPA Member, Dr. Danielle Babb is a national real estate expert and author of the new Landlording Book, "The Accidental Landlord".

Get your copy now... with a FREE BONUS! from theLPA.com

Not only is Danielle Babb one of our county's most knowledgable real estate anylists, she also shares excellent landlord information and advice in her book, "The Accidental Landlord". Plus she's a super nice person! - John Nuzzolese



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CD of landlord forms

FREE BONUS - FORMS DISK
comes with all 2 - 5+ year LPA Memberships

Be a more powerful landlord - able to handle just about any landlord / tenant situation in a professional way, saving you time and money.
ALL FREE with LPA Membership!


Yes, this offer also applies to LPA membership renewals!
Having all the forms all on disk is a handy time saving convenience.


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NEW SITE FEATURE: PICTURES!
Worth A Thousand Words!

The LPA's Rental Advertising division,"Landlord's Corner" allows you to include up to 6 pictures (thumbnails and full size pictures) in each rental ad.

(UNLIMITED FREE ADS come with LPA membership!)

LPA members: FREE!

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LPA Membership Expiring?
Take Advantage of the Renewal Prices!

How to Check your LPA Membership Expiration Date:
  1. Be logged in with your LPA username & password
  2. On the "Main Menu" (top right), click on "Your Orders" (right below your name)
  3. The beginning date of your membership will be listed to the left of your membership order # in this format: YYYYMMDD


NEW! Save Money with our Promotional Membership Renewal Prices!
*Your Membership Expired? No Problem!



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Electronic Rent Collection

LPA members have been asking me for a while now about how to set up automated rent payments with their tenants. I'd like to bring your attention to ClearNow, the leader in electronic rent collection. ClearNow enables you to have your rent automatically withdrawn from your tenant's bank accounts and directly deposited into your bank account.

If you haven't done so already, please check out



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