[sannysw]

Originally Posted by S2000

I am on my 3rd eviction after taking over my Dad's properties after he passed on. I could tell you some pretty good stories. But to stay on topic. Anytime there is a missed rent payment after 10 days you need to file at the housing session courts and marshall to begin eviction proceedings. Don't delay!!! I have one tenant eviction case to be heard this wednesday. I started eviction first week of February, as rent was due the 19th of previous month. There are no restrictions on eviction, especially for non-payment of rent. Even if you win in court the tenant can still stay if they pay all back rent within 5 days up to 3 months by paying the court. In the end they still have to leave. Usually my experience is that they make up some excuse as to why they don't pay the rent and shrug their shoulders. Problem is as the landlord I am out on rent and it sux as they usually just leave. Of course the place is usually trashed as well. What's my recourse? Small claims! Please! Now I have to spend another couple of months with the court system and still not see a dime.

My recommendation for you is to ensure a good long term lease is written. Pay a few dollars if need be to have property manager or lawyer write one up. Good luck.

Thanks for sharing S2000! I really like this forum, you always get so much help and great advice on any topics you ask... I definately will take your advice and get tough if I have to fight!

[Cambium]

Originally Posted by sannysw

Thanks Cambium! I really appreciate your response, that is very encouraging.

Just to give an update, we have finally selected a tenant from over 10 applications... I don't know if the rental market is really in demand right now or our house is just too cute to miss, the applications we received are overwhelming. However, I would say 90% of the applicants don't have good credit, so it has been really hard to make a decision. The ones with good credit either has dogs, or are looking for short term lease only, or have a big family... Ugh.. We have done a lot of credit check, reference check, interviews, so hopefully things will work out great with this couple we finally choose. I'm crossing my fingers...

Now we need to put together a lease contract, any recommendation of a contract template that we can use? We will have to make sure we are very clear about what happens if tenants don't pay the rent.

Yeah thats tough.. good credit but possibly higher property maintenance and noisy for neighbors or bad credit but maybe a good tenant. In this case references are key and believe it or not job length of time and type. Lean towards the good credit because you know even in hard times they managed to keep up with payments and thats important as a landlord so you dont face foreclosure for missing mortgage payment or ruining your own credit or court proceedings against the tenant.. ... So next thing would be to request AKC papers and Vet bills to show the pet is healthy and/or not a nucience to people around him/her..

Good luck and keep us posted.

edit: Oh, as far as contracts/lease agreement... Your realtor (or another) should give you one if they are representing you. Otherwise try online somewhere... I have a file I use all the time which is on my other computer ... PM if you want I'll see if I can get it to you.. Key things to put in there: You are allowed to enter the premises to show prospective buyers/tenants not more then 60 days before lease ends. Pet deposit? Noise level down after 10pm. Late fees.

Thats all I can think of right now.

[sannysw]

Originally Posted by Cambium

Key things to put in there: You are allowed to enter the premises to show prospective buyers/tenants not more then 60 days before lease ends. Pet deposit? Noise level down after 10pm. Late fees.

Thats all I can think of right now.

You are awesome Cambium, thanks a million!

[LRPct]

Originally Posted by sannysw

What a bad story, I'm staying away from section 8 tenants.

Thats 100% illegal. You just opened yourself up to serious litigation.

[Leilani Vasquez]

It's funny because I'm looking to move back to Connecticut (currently in Western MA) because I'm unhappy with the area I'm in now. I have a wonderful landlord, but the people downstairs are so disrespectful and ignorant (they're section 8). We are always picking up their trash, and the woman's adult children (who also don't work) live with her as well as their children. I never want to live in a place that takes section 8 tenants in again. They don't work hard and have a lack of respect for where they live. Almost all the places I've looked at are just looking to get someone in their space and don't respect the fact that I need to give my landlord a 30 day notice. The majority of them are looking for someone with section 8. It's terrible that I work extremely hard for what I have only to have someone who takes the lazy route ruin it.

[jjinla]

"Thats 100% illegal. You just opened yourself up to serious litigation."

Says who? It's completely legal for a landlord NOT to accept section 8.

And I'm with the poster above. I ALWAYS ask if landlords accept section 8 and if they say yes, I say "no thank you!" Some may indeed be decent, but the majority are indeed low-life leeches who have no respect for anything or anyone. And yes, their place always becomes the 'go-to' place for all of their family and friends since it's almost always a better/bigger place than all of their friends come from.

I don't get section 8, anyway. I'd love to live in a better area than I can afford...say near the beach in Old Greenwich. Where is my subsidy??

[LRPct]

Originally Posted by jjinla

"Thats 100% illegal. You just opened yourself up to serious litigation."

Says who? It's completely legal for a landlord NOT to accept section 8.

And I'm with the poster above. I ALWAYS ask if landlords accept section 8 and if they say yes, I say "no thank you!" Some may indeed be decent, but the majority are indeed low-life leeches who have no respect for anything or anyone. And yes, their place always becomes the 'go-to' place for all of their family and friends since it's almost always a better/bigger place than all of their friends come from.

I don't get section 8, anyway. I'd love to live in a better area than I can afford...say near the beach in Old Greenwich. Where is my subsidy??

Says Chapter 814c of the Ct General Statues... In Ct ( as well as D.C., Ma, and NJ ), "any lawful source of income" is a protected class.. It is NOT legal to discriminate against any protected class in housing in CT, and the penalties are rather severe.

Pretty closed minded attitiude you have BTW, the way you throw around stereotypes ,and you might want to know what you're talking about before encouraging others to break state laws.

[jjinla]

Absolutely, but you also have every right to enforce minimum credit and income requirements, and almost no section 8 recipient it going to pass those. And in no decent area would section 8 ever come close to covering rent - another work around. There are legal ways around everything, and it is very hard to prove explicit discrimination (not that many section 8 recipients are going to hire a lawyer anyway.)

Stereotypes? In CA at least, 15% of all new construction and large complexes had to be allocated to section 8. They completely ruined areas like Palmdale and Lancaster to the point that the MAYOR proposed limiting the number of section 8 recipients well below the current limit. Say what you want, but ask any landlord that has ever accepted section 8 in a decent area if they were their best tenants, and the answer is a resounding NO.

Anyone needing temporary assistance is OK with me, but there are generations of families living on section 8 and welfare in the US. That is just plain wrong.

[renovating]

Educated people know better than to stereotype any group of people....just sayin

[jjinla]

Please...show me one single article anywhere showing that increased section 8 does not correlate to an increase in local crime.

Educated people also know the difference between facts and fiction, even when the truth is not pleasant. Would I be considered uneducated for stating that black men have a higher rate of incarceration than white men?

Why is it that liberals always resort to name-calling whenever they don't agree with others? If you want to live next to, or rent to people on goverment assistance, by all means do.