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Old 01-31-2016, 03:27 AM
 
Location: Silicon Valley
18,813 posts, read 32,386,974 times
Reputation: 38573

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Okay, let's pretend for a minute that we're your tenant.

You've moved in and you like the place. You consider it your home. You're a little worried about security, so you install a security camera.

Your landlord does a drive-by and is nosey enough to notice details. Not only does he do a drive-by of your home, but he notices details, such as a security camera on the garage.

And now, the stalker-landlord calls you to tell you that you shouldn't have made yourself at home to the point that you felt you could install a security camera, which he noticed when he did the stalker-drive-by.

And now, as the tenant, you're thinking that hey, you thought you might want to live there for 10 years, but now you're thinking you should give your notice at the end of your lease, because who know whether this guy will come in with his key to check out your wife next.

Just sayin". If you want these guys to stay a long time and pay rent and give you a nice profit, you should leave them alone. Vacancies are expensive.
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Old 01-31-2016, 05:00 AM
 
Location: Arizona
8,247 posts, read 8,599,140 times
Reputation: 27581
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe View Post
Okay, let's pretend for a minute that we're your tenant.

You've moved in and you like the place. You consider it your home. You're a little worried about security, so you install a security camera.

Your landlord does a drive-by and is nosey enough to notice details. Not only does he do a drive-by of your home, but he notices details, such as a security camera on the garage.

And now, the stalker-landlord calls you to tell you that you shouldn't have made yourself at home to the point that you felt you could install a security camera, which he noticed when he did the stalker-drive-by.

And now, as the tenant, you're thinking that hey, you thought you might want to live there for 10 years, but now you're thinking you should give your notice at the end of your lease, because who know whether this guy will come in with his key to check out your wife next.

Just sayin". If you want these guys to stay a long time and pay rent and give you a nice profit, you should leave them alone. Vacancies are expensive.
If you are a renter it is not your home. I don't care what you considered it. How much trouble is it to call the owner and ask permission?

The landlord owns the property. Where do you get off calling him a stalker? Nosey? It is the owners property! You cannot be nosy about your own property!
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Old 01-31-2016, 05:48 AM
 
Location: Ft. Myers
19,719 posts, read 16,779,154 times
Reputation: 41862
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe View Post
Okay, let's pretend for a minute that we're your tenant.

You've moved in and you like the place. You consider it your home. You're a little worried about security, so you install a security camera.

Your landlord does a drive-by and is nosey enough to notice details. Not only does he do a drive-by of your home, but he notices details, such as a security camera on the garage.

And now, the stalker-landlord calls you to tell you that you shouldn't have made yourself at home to the point that you felt you could install a security camera, which he noticed when he did the stalker-drive-by.

And now, as the tenant, you're thinking that hey, you thought you might want to live there for 10 years, but now you're thinking you should give your notice at the end of your lease, because who know whether this guy will come in with his key to check out your wife next.

Just sayin". If you want these guys to stay a long time and pay rent and give you a nice profit, you should leave them alone. Vacancies are expensive.

Are you frickin' crazy ????? How did you spin this situation around so that the guy who laid out the money for the home is the bad guy ?? A renter is using someone else's property for a designated period of time, and with that comes limitations and restrictions. It is totally ballsy of any renter to just start adding things or changing things on a home or apartment that he or she does not own.

If a person wants the freedom to be able to modify a home, go out and spend your money and buy one. But don't think you can rent someone else's home, that they paid for with their hard earned money, and have free reign over it. The world doesn't work that way.

Don
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Old 01-31-2016, 07:19 AM
 
Location: 89052 & 75206
8,103 posts, read 8,286,045 times
Reputation: 19902
Sorry NOsnowforme..... while I generally do believe you give excellent advise, I don't agree with you this time. I understand you have a lot of experience managing apartments where there were multiple renters and even maintenance staff.

But any small-time Landlord (like me who has had rental properties since 1988) is a complete fool if s/he doesn't do drivebys on the propterties. And, since I am hiring a painter to do painting of a few houses in February -- something the new tenant knows and even received an email saying we were coming to walk around the house next week -- it was normal and appropriate that I drove by the house. But, I drive by all the properties at least once a month.

That is not being a stalker. That is being a business person who has over a $1M invested in residential property.
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Old 01-31-2016, 07:28 AM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
14,416 posts, read 11,959,919 times
Reputation: 38811
If the tenant were here asking if they need to inform the landlord before putting in a camera, I'm sure we'd all encourage him to ask first.

But he isn't, and he didn't. And absent having both sides here before this happened, we're left with trying to find the best solution to the current situation.

And that's for you to not make a big stink out of this. A camera is not a neglectful or malicious act. It does very minor damage, easily corrected when they leave, if they don't fix it themselves, and should therefore be considered, in the big scheme of things, to be not worth causing ill will with your tenant about.

Really.
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Old 01-31-2016, 07:29 AM
 
5,108 posts, read 6,052,097 times
Reputation: 7184
I didn't see if anyone asked if any permits were required by your local gov't for the work. If so it would be appropriate to ask if they pulled the permit (can tenants pull permits?) and make sure everything was installed properly. I noticed someone asked about HOAs but didn't see an answer. I believe this can all be done in a non-confrontational manor, expressing concern that they felt the need to install the system.
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Old 01-31-2016, 07:33 AM
 
Location: 89052 & 75206
8,103 posts, read 8,286,045 times
Reputation: 19902
Quote:
Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe View Post
Okay, let's pretend for a minute that we're your tenant.

You've moved in and you like the place. You consider it your home.

Consider it what you want --- It may be your "home" but its NOT your house,

Your landlord does a drive-by and is nosey enough to notice details. Not only does he do a drive-by of your home, but he notices details, such as a security camera on the garage.


Why do a drive-by of your business and NOT look it over carefully?

Vacancies are expensive.

So, I have a Landlord friend who never did a walk thru and discovered the kitchen cabinets had been painted black after the tenants moved. I also have a Landlord friend who never drove by and discovered the fence was gone. Those things may have happened if these associates did the same as me -- regular drivebys and 2 scheduled walk-thrus annually -- but my tenants are well aware I am a present landlord and I haven't had many surprises.

I never enter a property without 24 hours notice, per Texas law.

My properties are lovely and I am not greedy in my rental fees. I have honestly never had a vacancy beyond 2 weeks since 1988. Vacancies are not my concern.

My concern is not over-reacting and being reasonable. The camera mounting without permission was a first for me!

Thanks all.
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Old 01-31-2016, 07:41 AM
 
Location: 89052 & 75206
8,103 posts, read 8,286,045 times
Reputation: 19902
Quote:
Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook View Post
If the tenant were here asking if they need to inform the landlord before putting in a camera, I'm sure we'd all encourage him to ask first.

But he isn't, and he didn't. And absent having both sides here before this happened, we're left with trying to find the best solution to the current situation.

And that's for you to not make a big stink out of this. A camera is not a neglectful or malicious act. It does very minor damage, easily corrected when they leave, if they don't fix it themselves, and should therefore be considered, in the big scheme of things, to be not worth causing ill will with your tenant about.

Really.
Yes, I have seen the light! Thanks to the contributers.

I had an email exchange with the tenants last night about this and they are aware they should have asked before installing the camera. They say they have not done anything else against the lease but know we'll be doing the Spring walk-thru's soon, too.

Thanks everyone for helping me work thru my knee-jerk reaction and seeing this thru the tenant's viewpoint.
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Old 01-31-2016, 07:45 AM
 
Location: 89052 & 75206
8,103 posts, read 8,286,045 times
Reputation: 19902
Quote:
Originally Posted by MidValleyDad View Post
I didn't see if anyone asked if any permits were required by your local gov't for the work. If so it would be appropriate to ask if they pulled the permit (can tenants pull permits?) and make sure everything was installed properly. I noticed someone asked about HOAs but didn't see an answer. I believe this can all be done in a non-confrontational manor, expressing concern that they felt the need to install the system.
There is no HOA and permits for residential security are not required in our city. We do have to register alarms, but not cameras. I am not concerned about the quality of the work because my tenant manages a business that involves vehicle equipment installations. But all these things are definitely valid concerns; just don't apply here.
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Old 01-31-2016, 07:52 AM
 
Location: Rochester, WA
14,416 posts, read 11,959,919 times
Reputation: 38811
Glad to hear you've worked it out!
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