New Landlord Policies in Raleigh (renter, home, tenants)

[tlh1005]

newsobserver.com | Raleigh council sets rental fee (http://www.newsobserver.com/news/wake/raleigh/story/1111266.html - broken link)

I'm indifferent about the registration fee but bravo on holding landlords accountable for the actions of their tenants. I only wish these policies would have been in place when I bought my first home which backed to some rentals with absentee landlords. And this is coming from someone who has a "FOR RENT" sign in his yard right now.

[miamiblue]

As a renter who has had problems with other renter neighbors and unaccountable landlords, I also think this is a good thing. I am not sure why Ms. Baldwin thinks the fees are "excessive". If landlords want to recoup the fees they are paying, they would only have to charge about $3/month more on rent to make up the $30 per unit annual fee and then some. I don't think $3/month more is going to break too many people's banks.

I do see a problem with this:

The council also voted to allow Raleigh police to issue $100 civil penalties for noise and nuisance violations instead of charging the tenant with a misdemeanor.

I'm all for the civil penalties, but these people need to also be charged with their violations as a deterrant from committing the violations to begin with, especially repeat offenders.

I don't know how I feel about fining the landlord for the tenant's behavior unless it is a habitual problem that the landlord fails to address. I think it would be a better idea to make it easier for a landlord to evict a tenant who is repeatedly causing these kinds of problems.

[tlh1005]

Originally Posted by miamiblue

As a renter who has had problems with other renter neighbors and unaccountable landlords, I also think this is a good thing. I am not sure why Ms. Baldwin thinks the fees are "excessive". If landlords want to recoup the fees they are paying, they would only have to charge about $3/month more on rent to make up the $30 per unit annual fee and then some. I don't think $3/month more is going to break too many people's banks.

I do see a problem with this:



I'm all for the civil penalties, but these people need to also be charged with their violations as a deterrant from committing the violations to begin with, especially repeat offenders.

I don't know how I feel about fining the landlord for the tenant's behavior unless it is a habitual problem that the landlord fails to address. I think it would be a better idea to make it easier for a landlord to evict a tenant who is repeatedly causing these kinds of problems.

I'm up for making it easier to evict as well. Law officers are be more apt to issue a fine than a criminal charge I believe.... With the latter there is a lot of "if I have to come back" that goes.
A lot of the offenders at least in my experience have been young people and/or people who really can't afford to pay a $100 repeatedly. I say hit them where it hurts, the pocketbook.