Adventures of a Landlady - It Hit The Fan!

 

Adventures of a Landlady - It Hit The Fan!

August 30,2016

" For sale by Owner" is beginning to sound like a wonderful idea, As I look at empty houses that is away from town.

Back in June I rented a house to this lady and her son, every month after that I had to chase her down to GET the rent. Well the passed few weeks they have actually been living at the house and I will tell you what, so have about ten more teens or young adults!

I have had to tell her to mow the grass.

Yesterday I pull up to the stop sign and I see a fire, they are burning trash! That is a big time NO-NO, its in the lease to buy trash pick up and actually she can get it free, I ask her to put it out and one of the teen girls stomped over to put it out with a cup of water. 

I ask "how many people have moved in," she said "none, that is my sons friends." I said " but they are here at 7 am and then when I leave work at 11 pm they are here, to me that is living here." She could not deny it any longer and said, "some stay." Then she denied knowing she had to get permission and pay $50 for each person not on the lease when they move in, I plainly told her she read the lease and she does know.

I have had so many calls about the noise, but I said nothing because I know they are young BUT last Sunday night I heard a bunch of noise and fighting, cussing and more, by the time I got things loaded up on the truck and the house locked up, drove over a block there were police everywhere, for two blocks!

When I asked her about the police, she told me whoever said there was more than one car of police is lying, I never mentioned I seen them, she said it was one cop and he was looking for one of her sons friends that has a warrant. I never did tell her I was watching and listening to all of it.

So after thinking about the situation, how its hard to get the rent, how bad it is for the people who own homes around her, I served the eviction notice.

I drove up and heads popped out of several windows, all boys/ young men, probably 10 or more. I walked up to the door that was wide open and a boy was sitting in a chair, I ask for ___ and he yells for the son, he comes out and I ask where his mother is and he said " gone to get our meds." I told him I have to hang this since she is not here" and  I taped it to the wall, he said " Is that an eviction?" I said " yes" and he said " oh we`ll pay rent in a few days!" I told him it was not about rent and walked off, he tore the notice off the wall. I walked around to the front door and taped up anther and took pictures.

In a few minutes I plan to call the tenants mother and let her know that she has to move, I personally know her mother and she is such a nice lady.

I may have let it go and told her to get rid of the "gang" but she plain out lied to me about the police, so that means she is lying about everything and the neighbors are telling me the truth.

I swear I am getting near to putting those for sale signs out and buying somewhere else for income, seems I am only getting the worst people here lately.

Another day in the life.

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Adventures of a Landlady - Someone Called The Police

 

Adventures of a Landlady - Someone Called The Police

August 28, 2016

Although its Sunday I did work today, not exactly as a landlady but doing what I consider taking care of the property.

I waited till late this evening to go to work, its cooler at that house when the sun is in the west because of huge tree`s blocking the hot rays.

First I dropped off the cooler with cold drinks and the vacuum, dust pan and cleaners before going to Lowe`s home improvement store for roofing.

I passed one of the rentals and there was around 4-5 young men hanging out, looked normal to me when you have young people still living at home with mom. I threw up my hand in a wave.

After getting materials, I passed this same group of young men walking back from the store but there were more of them now, Once again I waved.

Fast forward to dark. 

I was still working after dark at the house, I could hear the cars leaving when Church let out and then it was quite outside. Since I did not turn on the air conditioning I had the front door open and I would take breaks sitting on the front porch. Tony was sitting on the porch when I was gathering up the last bag of trash, the trash man runs on Monday and I wanted it all out, I came out and Tony said " listen to that!" I could not help but hear it! There was a fight and all these young men was cussing and screaming and I was a block over!

It took me around five minutes or more to get my purse and close up the house, I drove over to that rental house, my rental house. BUT as I topped the hill I was blinded by lights, Tony was driving his truck today and he slowed down and turned off. There looked like three car loads of police was on the hill, I am not sure if they were called about the noise, the fight or what. Tony turned right on a road before getting to close and then turned left to get on the main road and there was another policeman with his spot light shining. I assume when the police came up they all ran, and the police were chasing them. 

I can really hear and see what happens around the neighborhood, my rentals, when I do not drive my P.T. Cruiser and I am at the old house that none of them know about :) They have no idea the rent lady is around!

All the other tenants, even the one that is evicted, all quiet.

Another day being a landlady and observing. I had already been told about those boys/ young men, but it was the first time I had seen them. 

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Adventures of a Landlady - C`mon! Not Again.

 

 

August 4, 2016

In my lease I expect rent to be paid on the first day of the month but I give five days to pay it and if its after that date I charge a late fee. I just charge a flat fee since charging ten percent can get to be extreme to me, but after this last new tenant I am rethinking how much I am charging and not getting.

I had half of the tenants to pay on the first, on time and smoothly. Next collection appointment was the third of the month, I had three requests for this day and all afternoon pick up. But before I even got my day started I had a call telling me the bank computers were down and she could not get her money, could she pay on the fourth, she is never late, I said yes. 

Since I also had to work mowing grass ( yes I still have a few mowing jobs I do for extra cash) in the same neighborhood I went to work a couple hours early to make sure I had time to pick up rent and get to the bank and get the mowing done.

The first pickup was as planned and paid in full. Then I went to the next house and no one was there. I called her up and she was a few blocks over at her moms and she asked could I come get the rent, I said yes because I know what its like not to have a car.

When I got there she walked out to the car and she said " Here we go again Angie, I only have the rest of July rent because I have not got the new card in the mail, but I should have it by Friday or Saturday." You cannot even imagine all the cuss words that I was thinking! If I do not get paid on time I will evict this lady because I am tired of all these excuses, I know she is getting paid. When I wrote out the receipt I made sure to put " For July rent." I refuse to collect rent a month passed due when I could have someone else who pays on time and I could get higher rent. This stressed me out because now I have to put off whatever I had plans to do with that money.

But the last one takes the cake! I have one house that I am selling as " for sale by owner" to an elderly black lady, she is the one her bank was down. Well, she calls me late in the evening on the fourth and told me she has the rent but I have to come to her granddaughter house to get it. I said " okay," I do know the granddaughter and I like her. 

But what I did not know is where she lives, an all black area, with a bad reputation but no big deal to me. At five pm I am in an area I don`t really know and all the people are staring at me because I am the only white person around, I had one black lady pull behind me at the curb and wait till I finished with my tenant, I drove up to turn around and she followed me and then followed me off that block and only stopped when she seen I was leaving the area. As I was nearly out of that neighborhood the police had a man pulled over and he stopped what he was doing and stared at me because white people just do not go there. I have to say that, that was the first time I was uncomfortable being in a neighborhood, I felt unwelcome by the people and the police, regardless of what color the people are.

Another day as the landlady.

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry

Adventures of a Landlady - Let The Games Begin!

 

 

August 1, 2016

I usually call all of the tenants the day before the first of the month especially when its on Monday because some don`t get paid till the third or on Friday.

Right now I have three first of the month and three on the third of the month but sometimes I still do not get paid on those days.

I have three tenants without a car and three tenants with cars.

My first stop was one of the newer tenants, no car, I had made the call the night before and I asked if he needed a ride because I was going to the water company by the bank and he said "yes, please." This is the tenant that is/was having problems with the girlfriend, remember I wrote about her kicking in the door, well he had called after she left when I served the eviction and he asked could he stay since she is gone, I said on one condition " She can`t ever come back." He told me she wasn`t, that he has had enough of the abuse. Since she did not pay the bills with the money he had gave her to do so with he was playing catch up.

Next was my little elderly ladies. It took them forever in their bank to get money, then I took her by the power company and I dropped them off to eat at the buffet, I went to grab a burger and to pay my bills, I went back after an hour and got them. Next stop for them was the grocery store and just as I was about to go in with them I got a call from my attorney, they had the paperwork ready for me that I have been waiting for since forever, so I left them to shop and I drove the couple of blocks to his office, I signed the papers and I went back to get the ladies, they were checking out, perfect timing. 

I dropped them off at their house and helped them inside with the food.

Next was the hill, I collected and took off but I did not make it to the bank so I went to walmart got a few things and headed home.

I made it home with plenty of time to walk the dogs. 

I wish that the first of every month went this smoothly, next is the others on the third and I hope it to go just as smooth.

Being a landlady can be hard and it can be easy, I do love those easy days :)

By Andria Perry

Photo By Andria Perry -Old Town Childersburg, Alabama