Tenant damage during COVID times - Advice please

moneysavinghero

Given that they can't do much more damage, maybe just carry on letting to them. If the rent is getting paid at least you are recouping some of the cost of the repairs when the eventually need doing. The alternative is you spend a load of money getting the property in the correct state that someone else would rent it, all for getting the same amount per month as the current tenant is paying. And with no guarantee that the new tenant will pay the rent so readily and no guarantee they wont also trash the place.

lookstraightahead

It is indeed tenants like this that give good tenants a bad name, and I agree with the comments above, you will always get people who live like animals, whether they own or rent.

I have 3 weeks to clean my rental now as we've bought a house - I am currently pestering about done black mould around the en-suite shower, and unfortunately we have ripped some (very old and cheap) lino when moving out the washing machine in the kitchen, both of which I'm expecting money to be deducted from the deposit.
The carpets must be 10 years old but I'm getting them cleaned before I leave.
we rented ages ago and the landlord completely ripped us off when we moved - way before the most recent tenants rights.
op - as someone else says, just be glad they're going.

BikingBud

moneysavinghero said:

Given that they can't do much more damage, maybe just carry on letting to them. If the rent is getting paid at least you are recouping some of the cost of the repairs when the eventually need doing. The alternative is you spend a load of money getting the property in the correct state that someone else would rent it, all for getting the same amount per month as the current tenant is paying. And with no guarantee that the new tenant will pay the rent so readily and no guarantee they wont also trash the place.

I'm with @moneysavinghero on this.

What is the property to you? If it's a business and you're still getting paid then carry on, minimise you outgoings and assure your rent keeps getting paid. You're happy, the tenant is obviously happy to live like that so leave it as is. Until it comes time to  move on and then you assess where you are, what your potential losses are taking into account advice above and decide if there is still a worthwhile return.

If however, you cannot bear to see your previously lovely property in such a state then being a landlord is probably not for you but I would still leave the tenant in situ and paying before I decided what to do.

[Deleted User]

BikingBud said:

moneysavinghero said:

Given that they can't do much more damage, maybe just carry on letting to them. If the rent is getting paid at least you are recouping some of the cost of the repairs when the eventually need doing. The alternative is you spend a load of money getting the property in the correct state that someone else would rent it, all for getting the same amount per month as the current tenant is paying. And with no guarantee that the new tenant will pay the rent so readily and no guarantee they wont also trash the place.

I'm with @moneysavinghero on this.

What is the property to you? If it's a business and you're still getting paid then carry on, minimise you outgoings and assure your rent keeps getting paid. You're happy, the tenant is obviously happy to live like that so leave it as is. Until it comes time to  move on and then you assess where you are, what your potential losses are taking into account advice above and decide if there is still a worthwhile return.

If however, you cannot bear to see your previously lovely property in such a state then being a landlord is probably not for you but I would still leave the tenant in situ and paying before I decided what to do.

Well I'm not with him. Terrible tenants. The damage could get worse. Get rid.

boxer234

I think you also have to consider the neighbours if the dogs are barking and causing a disturbance.  I rent with two dogs and would be mortified if they ripped up the carpet.  10 years old or not I’d expect to pay for at least some of it.  My dogs are friendly enough but do jump up so I take them out whilst the agent inspects.  I hope you get it sorted. 

Grumpy_chap

[Deleted User] said:

BikingBud said:

moneysavinghero said:

Given that they can't do much more damage, maybe just carry on letting to them. If the rent is getting paid at least you are recouping some of the cost of the repairs when the eventually need doing. The alternative is you spend a load of money getting the property in the correct state that someone else would rent it, all for getting the same amount per month as the current tenant is paying. And with no guarantee that the new tenant will pay the rent so readily and no guarantee they wont also trash the place.

I'm with @moneysavinghero on this.

What is the property to you? If it's a business and you're still getting paid then carry on, minimise you outgoings and assure your rent keeps getting paid. You're happy, the tenant is obviously happy to live like that so leave it as is. Until it comes time to  move on and then you assess where you are, what your potential losses are taking into account advice above and decide if there is still a worthwhile return.

If however, you cannot bear to see your previously lovely property in such a state then being a landlord is probably not for you but I would still leave the tenant in situ and paying before I decided what to do.

Well I'm not with him. Terrible tenants. The damage could get worse. Get rid.

@moneysavinghero and @BikingBud do have a valid point and definitely one worthy of consideration. 

This tenant might be causing some damage, but there is a limit to how much more damage they can do.  If the tenant is happy living there, and paying the rent that is a good thing.

The current tenant might leave, the OP refurbish the property and then the next tenant both damage the property and not pay the rent - that would be leaping from the frying pan into the fire.

BikingBud

There are lots of behaviours displayed by all variety or people from different backgrounds and upbringings that mortify and disgust me.  I absolutely despise the slovens that leave all their detritus in any public place, especially cinemas where they just feel it is acceptable to just throw it all on the floor or smokers who throw their tab ends into the street. Would that mean if i was a shopkeeper I would not serve them cigarettes or the cinema owner not serve them popcorn? Perhaps, but my business would go down hill very rapidly. 

The comments were a perspective and offered a potential point of reflection for the OP, if their personal standards do not allow for running the business under such circumstances then maybe it's time to move on. Managing the departure of the tenant without having to address non-payment of rent, and the risk of being further out of pocket may need careful thought and some personal compromises. As people keep saying it's a business!

lookstraightahead

BikingBud said:

There are lots of behaviours displayed by all variety or people from different backgrounds and upbringings that mortify and disgust me.  I absolutely despise the slovens that leave all their detritus in any public place, especially cinemas where they just feel it is acceptable to just throw it all on the floor or smokers who throw their tab ends into the street. Would that mean if i was a shopkeeper I would not serve them cigarettes or the cinema owner not serve them popcorn? Perhaps, but my business would go down hill very rapidly. 

The comments were a perspective and offered a potential point of reflection for the OP, if their personal standards do not allow for running the business under such circumstances then maybe it's time to move on. Managing the departure of the tenant without having to address non-payment of rent, and the risk of being further out of pocket may need careful thought and some personal compromises. As people keep saying it's a business!

I would rather give up my business. 

FBaby

Dog smell after carpet is changed and a day of opening windows? I don't think so.

I once moved into a property that had two large dogs. It stank. Because of it,  so got a very good deal on the rent. It took months for the smell to go and at times I did think I'd made a mistake. 

I would never had rented it for what it was worth with that smell. 

OP, it doesn't sound like the tenants has anywhere to go so sadly, you might find you have no choice but to go through the eviction route. In this case, you might as well get through it sooner rather than later when it can only get worse.

AdrianC

[Deleted User] said:

BikingBud said:

moneysavinghero said:

Given that they can't do much more damage, maybe just carry on letting to them. If the rent is getting paid at least you are recouping some of the cost of the repairs when the eventually need doing. The alternative is you spend a load of money getting the property in the correct state that someone else would rent it, all for getting the same amount per month as the current tenant is paying. And with no guarantee that the new tenant will pay the rent so readily and no guarantee they wont also trash the place.

I'm with @moneysavinghero on this.

What is the property to you? If it's a business and you're still getting paid then carry on, minimise you outgoings and assure your rent keeps getting paid. You're happy, the tenant is obviously happy to live like that so leave it as is. Until it comes time to  move on and then you assess where you are, what your potential losses are taking into account advice above and decide if there is still a worthwhile return.

If however, you cannot bear to see your previously lovely property in such a state then being a landlord is probably not for you but I would still leave the tenant in situ and paying before I decided what to do.

Well I'm not with him. Terrible tenants. The damage could get worse. Get rid.

Terrible, but paying the rent.

They're the ones living like that, and they're clearly happy. The OP isn't living like that. For all he knows, there's another decade of full rent being paid on the nail with minimal demands...