Options for Difficult Tenant : ezLandlordForms

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Jared B

started a topic almost 9 years ago

I'm new to this landlording gig and am running into issues with a difficult tenant. The rent for my tenant (a recently divorced, single-mother of 3 teenage children) has been paid by her church for the past few months, and for the foreseeable future. I am concerned about the condition of the yard and the property, as the yard has not properly been cared for per the contract and is also a large oil stain left on my driveway that I have asked my tenant to deal with. My tenant's cell phone number has recently either been disconnected or changed (per the automated message), and the only means that I have to communicate with her is via email at this time. Upon my most recent visit (of which I attempted to give notice of one week prior via text), no one answered the door after multiple rings and knocks, despite the fact that the tenants car was in the driveway. I proceeded to winterize the sprinkler lines, and tried knocking and ringing the doorbell again and no response. When I got home, I received an angry email about me scaring her daughter, and showing up unannounced and without giving notice... the fabricated story goes on and on, but I'll skip that. With a little sleuthing, I was able to determine that the email came from her home wifi at the time that I was on the property (yet no one answered the door). I have since informed my tenant that I traced her email to her home at the time I was there, which debunked her story. Since then, I have yet to receive any further communication with my tenant. What are my options here if my tenant is avoiding me and making communication difficult or near impossible? At this point, I'm looking for a way to just terminate the lease and find another tenant, but I'm not sure I have enough grounds to do so. Do Utah rental laws allow me to terminate a contract just because the tenant is difficult to reach and has established a history of failure to keep up the property?

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Rhonda M

said almost 9 years ago

I am new to this landlord thing.....I have a difficult tenant. I have an unmarried couple with 3 kids living in my 2 story home. The house is well kept. Ive never had to worry about that issue. The issue that I have is that when I text her to notify her that my husband and I will be coming to do maintenance on the house and she wants to be there. Im pretty sure no one needs to be there. Nothing is ever convenient for them. They are always gone. She tells me that I have to try for the next weekend. My husband and I both work full time jobs 10 hrs a day and its not always convenient for us to be there during the week. She has complained about spiders. We have Asian beetles and box elder bugs. The bugs like to be on the south side of the house. Why would I want to spray for bugs when they leave the south door to the house open. I have pictures of the door being open when they werent home. I also dont understand why it is a big deal for my husband and I to be in the house when they arent there when they leave the door wide open and unlocked for anyone to come in to the house!! We were set to come to the house and install smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide detector. Because of the hassle I left them with her and her boyfriend to install. Rhonda B IA

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Mark J

said almost 9 years ago

I'm from Georgia and know about difficult tenants. FIRST. NEVER GO ALONE TO THE PROPERTY.... I was arrested and went to jail and have been charged with battery. The tenant and her two small children trumped up the charges AFTER SHE ATTACKED ME.... Anyways.... Send notices to the property certified or documented delivery with copies going to the church. Create a history of interactions..... If you go to court.... request a jury trial.... Your problems should be much less if your able to show good faith even against outright lies. Good Luck. Mark

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Bill F

said almost 9 years ago

The lease you created will determine how and when a lease will end. I would read your lease agreement thoroughly. If there are any terms that are not being followed that are in writing you will be able to give notice. Otherwise you should be very careful. Good luck. If I were put in this situation, I would set a date and time every so often where I will come to the property and have my property checked.