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Old 12-14-2016, 01:06 AM
 
2,132 posts, read 2,201,978 times
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I have a multi-family house with a nice big basement. I don't offer storage, but I don't mind if a tenant wants to keep a few boxes in a corner. I recently had a couple move in. They had a choice of a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom, and they chose the one-bedroom. They then asked if they could put some things in the basement, and I agreed. When I got home that evening, they had enough stuff piled in the basement to fill the second bedroom! Ski equipment, golf clubs, several bikes, equipment racks for their car -- more sporting goods than I've ever seen in one place.

I'm not going to say anything. I've known them for a long time, they'll be good tenants, I have the space, and it's only for six months. But I feel taken advantage of. They should have taken the two-bedroom apartment or rented a storage unit.

How do you handle this situation? Do you let tenants store stuff in the basement? Maybe I should mark off an area on the floor with tape and tell tenants they can have that space.

The other problem with providing storage is that the stuff gets left behind when the tenant moves out and I have to pay to have it hauled away, but that's another story.
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Old 12-14-2016, 01:44 AM
 
Location: Rural Michigan
6,343 posts, read 14,594,552 times
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It sounds awful, but I actually minimize the amount of storage offered (no outbuildings, no extra parking, etc) - for the reasons you mentioned - I don't want to be left with junk. Even so, homes with garages invariably have gallons of hazardous materials left when the tenants leave - automotive fluids, yard chemicals, cleaning chemicals - the tenants always think they're doing the landlord a "favor" by leaving behind things like bug killer, drain cleaner & automotive fluids - while those things can be expensive to buy, they're also a hassle to get rid of.

We don't typically have basements in my area, but I'd be concerned about being able to access the mechanicals of the home, as well as damage & theft by other tenants in a common storage area. Personally, If my units had basements, they'ed be "off limits" just for liability/servicability reasons - no way I'd be paying a plumber or hvac guy to work around a tenant's junk, nor would I want to listen to claims of damage if the basement flooded or another tenant ripped them off.
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Old 12-14-2016, 05:28 AM
 
Location: Riverside Ca
22,146 posts, read 33,215,981 times
Reputation: 35433
I don't offer any storage soace. And your example is the reason why. Some stuff becomes everything they have that they can't stick in their room.
Personally I would say "I'm sorry but there must of been a misunderstanding, Brussels when you said some stuff I took it yo mean a few boxes. You guys took the entire basement. I'm sorry but since there is that much stuff you guys need to get a storage unit. My basement is not a storage unit.

If you don't tell someone, they assume it's ok. So tell them it's not ok.
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Old 12-14-2016, 07:56 AM
 
5,048 posts, read 9,549,401 times
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I don't offer it because you don't know how messy they are or will get, how much they'll add little by little, what bugs that can cause and there can be a security issue for everyone's stuff including a possibility of their saying not only another tenant took something but that I did.

If you want to offer storage, I'd define the space with some sort of simple walls or just tape on the floor and state anything outside the limits goes in another pile for trash.

But,see, then you could have those extra steps...you need to define the space, check on the space, need to remind them when they're out of line, etc.

Not worth it to me.

And you see how honorable even people you've known for a long time can be. People are can be different when you get them in a home situation.
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Old 12-14-2016, 08:16 AM
 
Location: Central Virginia
6,512 posts, read 8,295,106 times
Reputation: 18579
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kthnry View Post
I have a multi-family house with a nice big basement. I don't offer storage, but I don't mind if a tenant wants to keep a few boxes in a corner. I recently had a couple move in. They had a choice of a one-bedroom or a two-bedroom, and they chose the one-bedroom. They then asked if they could put some things in the basement, and I agreed. When I got home that evening, they had enough stuff piled in the basement to fill the second bedroom! Ski equipment, golf clubs, several bikes, equipment racks for their car -- more sporting goods than I've ever seen in one place.

I'm not going to say anything. I've known them for a long time, they'll be good tenants, I have the space, and it's only for six months. But I feel taken advantage of. They should have taken the two-bedroom apartment or rented a storage unit.

How do you handle this situation? Do you let tenants store stuff in the basement? Maybe I should mark off an area on the floor with tape and tell tenants they can have that space.

The other problem with providing storage is that the stuff gets left behind when the tenant moves out and I have to pay to have it hauled away, but that's another story.
Please don't feel like they took advantage of you. They asked, and you gave them permission. If you wanted to limit the amount of space they used, you should have set that expectation beforehand.

Going forward, if you permit storage in the basement, let them know the amount of space they may use before they bring it in. Maybe even have it written in the lease.
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Old 12-14-2016, 11:52 AM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,487 posts, read 47,436,183 times
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Yes, all of my houses and all of my son's houses have garages and/ or storage buildings. Good storage makes a place easier to rent.

However, those are houses and it is a different situation when you have a multi-unit building. In a multi-unit building, if you want to offer storage, the areas have to be clearly defined and I would have each individual storage area secured so that no one could access it except for the tenant and the landlord. If you allow storage on the property, you are taking some responsibility and if it is just sitting there with plenty of people able to access the area, theft is a serious possibility.

If you could fit the basement with some locking lockers, one for each apartment, you would find that it makes it that much easier to rent the units. Everyone likes to have additional storage space.

I googled "steel grate storage lockers" and all sorts of useful stuff came up. Not knowing what they were called, I started there and certainly found things that could be used to set up secure storage in a basement for tenants.
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Old 12-14-2016, 12:43 PM
 
Location: Arizona
324 posts, read 268,714 times
Reputation: 1012
I'd be careful. If their stuff gets mysteriously damaged they may start asking you for compensation.

I agree with the other poster about "I think we have a misunderstanding, I thought it was only a few boxes" then suggest a storage unit as this is a multi unit building and you cannot show favorites with that much stuff after telling other tenants no....
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Old 12-14-2016, 01:43 PM
 
13,053 posts, read 20,713,120 times
Reputation: 21229
Unless you have an area designed and dedicated to tenant storage, it's not worth the hassles.
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Old 12-14-2016, 01:59 PM
 
2,132 posts, read 2,201,978 times
Reputation: 3923
Thanks, everyone. Your responses have been helpful. My house only has three units, not counting my own, so it's never been a big issue before. Usually it's just odds and ends like the box for their big-screen TV and an artificial Christmas tree.

Very good point about who would be liable for damage to their belongings in my basement. Would their renter's insurance cover damage in case of a water leak or whatever? Or could they come after me? I need to look into this.
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Old 12-14-2016, 03:40 PM
 
Location: Raleigh
13,629 posts, read 12,253,936 times
Reputation: 20023
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Unicorn View Post
I'd be careful. If their stuff gets mysteriously damaged they may start asking you for compensation.

I agree with the other poster about "I think we have a misunderstanding, I thought it was only a few boxes" then suggest a storage unit as this is a multi unit building and you cannot show favorites with that much stuff after telling other tenants no....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kthnry View Post
Thanks, everyone. Your responses have been helpful. My house only has three units, not counting my own, so it's never been a big issue before. Usually it's just odds and ends like the box for their big-screen TV and an artificial Christmas tree.

Very good point about who would be liable for damage to their belongings in my basement. Would their renter's insurance cover damage in case of a water leak or whatever? Or could they come after me? I need to look into this.
How would it be any different than any other Tenant's stuff getting damaged?? LL is almost never responsible. Tree falls on Tenant's car in LL's parking lot? Tenant's insurance pays. Place floods? Tenants responsibility.

LL's are only held responsible in cases of gross negligence; like if the city and insurance company told him to cut trees because they were a hazard, etc...
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