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Collect the rent and keep your nose out of anything else.

mrsconn23mrsconn23 member
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in Wedding Woes
Dear Prudence,
I own a rental house down the street from my own residence. I rent it a bit below market with the understanding that tenants will be “easy.” The current tenants (a couple and their 8-year old) have been generally OK, if not the best I’ve ever had. However, I’ve recently heard from a few neighbors that “Tommy” is a terror at school and has bullied several neighborhood kids. They’ve hinted that I might do our local elementary school a favor if I didn’t renew their lease. (I am within my rights to do so; it ends in May, and I would give 60 days’ notice.) There are very few rentals in the local elementary school catchment area, so “Tommy” would likely end up at a different school next year were his family to move. My neighbors are nice people, and I doubt they are exaggerating—and they have always been welcoming to my tenants in the past. Any advice on how to handle this?
—Playground-Tenant Dispute
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Re: Collect the rent and keep your nose out of anything else.

  • STARMOON44STARMOON44 member
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    Stay out of it. 
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  • banana468banana468 member
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    Stay out of it.  What good comes from this?  
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  • MissKittyDangerMissKittyDanger member
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    Stay out of it.

    People shouldn't even be going to LW about this .... like, how do they know LW is the landlord? :|
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  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
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    If it were me, I probably wouldn't renew the lease for the family of a school bully. Hurting kids is the worst. But without knowing for absolute sure? Nah.
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
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    edited January 2018

    As a landlady myself, I'd be heavily side eyeing someone trying to tell me how to run MY business on such flimsiness.

    My tenants would have to be a huge neighborhood problem for me to consider not renewing the lease.  Like, police being called multiple times a month.  That kind of thing.

    Other than a general sentiment of "kids shouldn't bully other kids", I couldn't care less what my tenant's children do at their schools.  It doesn't affect me and is none of my business.

    On a different note, I did have a little laugh at the LW talking about she keeps her rent a little below market so her tenants will be "easy".  Oh honey, bless your heart.  I guarantee the amount of rent you undercharge has no bearing on if your tenants will be "easy" or not.  Though it can give a wider pool of applicants to choose from during a vacancy.

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  • MissKittyDangerMissKittyDanger member
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    short+sassy said:

    As a landlady myself, I'd be heavily side eyeing someone trying to tell me how to run MY business on such flimsiness.

    My tenants would have to be a huge neighborhood problem for me to consider not renewing the lease.  Like, police being called multiple times a month.  That kind of thing.

    Other than a general sentiment of "kids shouldn't bully other kids", I couldn't care less what my tenant's children do at their schools.  It doesn't affect me and is none of my business.

    On a different note, I did have a little laugh at the LW talking about she keeps her rent a little below market so her tenants will be "easy".  Oh honey, bless your heart.  I guarantee the amount of rent you undercharge has no bearing on if your tenants will be "easy" or not.  Though it can give a wider pool of applicants to choose from during a vacancy.

    Question, as a landlady could you not renew the lease for these reasons legally? If the former tenants found out, would they be able to come back at you legally or whatever?
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
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    edited January 2018
    MissKittyDanger said:
    short+sassy said:

    As a landlady myself, I'd be heavily side eyeing someone trying to tell me how to run MY business on such flimsiness.

    My tenants would have to be a huge neighborhood problem for me to consider not renewing the lease.  Like, police being called multiple times a month.  That kind of thing.

    Other than a general sentiment of "kids shouldn't bully other kids", I couldn't care less what my tenant's children do at their schools.  It doesn't affect me and is none of my business.

    On a different note, I did have a little laugh at the LW talking about she keeps her rent a little below market so her tenants will be "easy".  Oh honey, bless your heart.  I guarantee the amount of rent you undercharge has no bearing on if your tenants will be "easy" or not.  Though it can give a wider pool of applicants to choose from during a vacancy.

    Question, as a landlady could you not renew the lease for these reasons legally? If the former tenants found out, would they be able to come back at you legally or whatever?


    Absolutely!  I can choose to not renew someone's lease for almost any reason.

    Exceptions would be if a landlord is not renewing a lease that violates the Fair Housing Act, ie based on race, religion, disability, family size, gender, etc.  That kind of stuff.  Those are also the same guidelines for choosing a tenant in the first place.

    I always find "family size" a bit of an odd one.  Not that I disagree with it, but local building codes will sometimes override it and then it's acceptable to discriminate.  For example, if there are too many people in the family for what the unit can legally house in it.

    In addition, some landlords are exempt from abiding by the Fair Housing Act (though not in the LW's situation).  If a landlord resides at the same property and the property has 4 units or less, they would be exempt.

    Of course, a roommate situation would fall under that also.  Which is why it is perfectly fine for a person to advertise that they are only looking for a female roommate or only looking for a male roommate.

    Update:  I was posting before Ro041 comment.  "Protected classes".  Thank you!  That is the phrase that was escaping me, lol.

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  • lovesclimbinglovesclimbing member
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    southernbelle0915 said:
    If it were me, I probably wouldn't renew the lease for the family of a school bully. Hurting kids is the worst. But without knowing for absolute sure? Nah.
    I liked what Prudie said about this. Not renewing the lease doesn't fix anything, though. The kid will just be going to a different school and bullying other kids. 
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  • 6fsn6fsn member
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    The house a few doors down has a rental.  The mom runs a daycare out of the house so there is constant traffic and kids all over. I’ve seen her screaming at her kids, an unknown man, a neighbor. The son, then 4th grade, came into my yard to yell at my then kindergarten child. I’ve sent him home more than once. The kid started a fight on the bus last year. This year I watched him drag another boy into the street and start punching him. I was on my way to break it up when the other kids dad stepped in. The dog is also a pain in the ass. 

    I never once would have thought to call the landlord. 
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  • MissKittyDangerMissKittyDanger member
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    6fsn said:
    The house a few doors down has a rental.  The mom runs a daycare out of the house so there is constant traffic and kids all over. I’ve seen her screaming at her kids, an unknown man, a neighbor. The son, then 4th grade, came into my yard to yell at my then kindergarten child. I’ve sent him home more than once. The kid started a fight on the bus last year. This year I watched him drag another boy into the street and start punching him. I was on my way to break it up when the other kids dad stepped in. The dog is also a pain in the ass. 

    I never once would have thought to call the landlord. 
    That's really ridiculous how that kid is acting!

    Same, I never would think to involve landlord either.
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  • kvrunskvruns member
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    PPs have it covered but I laughed at the thought of below market rent = easy tenants. Where does that come from? Like you think you're doing them a favor having cheaper rent so you will then have great tenants as a thank you ? 
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  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
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    lovesclimbing said:
    southernbelle0915 said:
    If it were me, I probably wouldn't renew the lease for the family of a school bully. Hurting kids is the worst. But without knowing for absolute sure? Nah.
    I liked what Prudie said about this. Not renewing the lease doesn't fix anything, though. The kid will just be going to a different school and bullying other kids. 
    It's true. But doing nothing yields the same result - kids getting bullied - except it's kids you know. Also, being the new kid in school (which he would be if he moved districts) makes it harder to be the bully.  
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  • 6fsn6fsn member
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    southernbelle0915 said:
    lovesclimbing said:
    southernbelle0915 said:
    If it were me, I probably wouldn't renew the lease for the family of a school bully. Hurting kids is the worst. But without knowing for absolute sure? Nah.
    I liked what Prudie said about this. Not renewing the lease doesn't fix anything, though. The kid will just be going to a different school and bullying other kids. 
    It's true. But doing nothing yields the same result - kids getting bullied - except it's kids you know. Also, being the new kid in school (which he would be if he moved districts) makes it harder to be the bully.  
    On the flip side his current district already knows he's a problem and I'm sure is working through a plan. I'm also not convinced being new would stop a bully. I could see lashingbout more because your world just shifted 
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  • MissKittyDangerMissKittyDanger member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    kvruns said:
    PPs have it covered but I laughed at the thought of below market rent = easy tenants. Where does that come from? Like you think you're doing them a favor having cheaper rent so you will then have great tenants as a thank you ? 
    Right? I was thinking same thing.
    Unfortunately with my city, the lower the rent the more likelihood it's a sketch neighbourhood. Not all are, but many are.

    Side fact; our city is trying to revamp those areas recently so we'll see what happens :)
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  • short+sassyshort+sassy member
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    MissKittyDanger said:
    kvruns said:
    PPs have it covered but I laughed at the thought of below market rent = easy tenants. Where does that come from? Like you think you're doing them a favor having cheaper rent so you will then have great tenants as a thank you ? 
    Right? I was thinking same thing.
    Unfortunately with my city, the lower the rent the more likelihood it's a sketch neighbourhood. Not all are, but many are.

    Side fact; our city is trying to revamp those areas recently so we'll see what happens :)

    I wanted to clarify.  It's not "low rent", it's "lower than market rent".  "Lower than market" will encompass any type of area.

    For example, I own four properties.  My personal home duplex is a high demand area, because it is near the French Quarter and Downtown.  The "market rent" for that two bedroom is around $1250-$1300.  I typically ask for $1150-$1200...slightly below...so I have more of my pick of applicants.

    The other properties I have are in safe, lovely neighborhoods.  But are a good bit further away from the "prime" part of the city.  Market rent for a two bedroom in those areas is around $900, so I ask slightly below at $850.

    But, yeah.  You'll see really low market rate rents in sketchier neighborhoods and/or if the unit is in poor condition.

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  • charlotte989875charlotte989875 member
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    This is so not the LW's business. 
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  • lovesclimbinglovesclimbing member
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    6fsn said:
    southernbelle0915 said:
    lovesclimbing said:
    southernbelle0915 said:
    If it were me, I probably wouldn't renew the lease for the family of a school bully. Hurting kids is the worst. But without knowing for absolute sure? Nah.
    I liked what Prudie said about this. Not renewing the lease doesn't fix anything, though. The kid will just be going to a different school and bullying other kids. 
    It's true. But doing nothing yields the same result - kids getting bullied - except it's kids you know. Also, being the new kid in school (which he would be if he moved districts) makes it harder to be the bully.  
    On the flip side his current district already knows he's a problem and I'm sure is working through a plan. I'm also not convinced being new would stop a bully. I could see lashingbout more because your world just shifted 
    True. The school should be doing more. 


    Out landlords said they keep their rent low to keep good tenants. It's not crazy low but comparable to a house with one less bedroom. I guess it sort of makes sense in that they have a large pool to choose from?
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  • TrixieJessTrixieJess member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    short+sassy said:
    MissKittyDanger said:
    kvruns said:
    PPs have it covered but I laughed at the thought of below market rent = easy tenants. Where does that come from? Like you think you're doing them a favor having cheaper rent so you will then have great tenants as a thank you ? 
    Right? I was thinking same thing.
    Unfortunately with my city, the lower the rent the more likelihood it's a sketch neighbourhood. Not all are, but many are.

    Side fact; our city is trying to revamp those areas recently so we'll see what happens :)

    I wanted to clarify.  It's not "low rent", it's "lower than market rent".  "Lower than market" will encompass any type of area.

    For example, I own four properties.  My personal home duplex is a high demand area, because it is near the French Quarter and Downtown.  The "market rent" for that two bedroom is around $1250-$1300.  I typically ask for $1150-$1200...slightly below...so I have more of my pick of applicants.

    The other properties I have are in safe, lovely neighborhoods.  But are a good bit further away from the "prime" part of the city.  Market rent for a two bedroom in those areas is around $900, so I ask slightly below at $850.

    But, yeah.  You'll see really low market rate rents in sketchier neighborhoods and/or if the unit is in poor condition.

    If a landlord is asking “lower than market” in our city which has a less than 3% vacancy rate, a renter is going to automatically think the apartment is sketchy. Also, because of the really low vacancy rate, landlords are more likely to charge more. 
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  • *Barbie**Barbie* member
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    Ultimately, if they are good tenants the landlord should probably keep them as long as she can.
    In her shoes, I would tell the neighbors that they were good tenants and that they needed to take it up with the parents and school and to keep me out of it. 
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