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Tenants "Fighting" with each other

26K views 100 replies 34 participants last post by  kcowan 
#1 ·
So, one tenant gets up at 6am for work. (We'll call him Jack)

The other tenant usually doesn't get home from work until 12am. (We'll call him Bob)

The problem is that the tenant who gets home at 12am (Bob) has been watching tv or having people over until the morning hours, 2am, 4am, etc.

The other tenant (Jack) cannot sleep due to the tv/conversation noise.

Jack and Bob have talked about this, but Jack is still not happy because Bob is making too much noise. Jack suggested to Bob that maybe he could use headphones at night when watching tv. It seems like Bob doesn't care all that much. Now, I must sit down with both of them and discuss this situation like I'm a glorified baby sitter.

Jack is the better tenant, so I want to ensure that he is happy.

What are my solutions?

I am thinking the best approach would be to tell them both off (politely, and professionally, of course) and tell them that everyone must be considerate of one another and that if Bob wants to watch tv at 4am, he should get headphones, and that if Jack can't sleep due to noise, he should get earplugs.

Remember.... I want to keep Jack happy. Suggestions?
 
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#37 ·
You can try to keep Bob but then you will lose Jack.The best for everyone is to find a person on the same shift and similar sleeping patterns.Not the end of the world if it takes you a month or two to find a good tenant ,if you take the first one to come along you will have a rotating door every month or two_One thing you need to be a successful landlord is patience .
 
#38 ·
Wow.You have 2 living in the basement and want 3 more upstairs also?Maybe im not catching it right but if so that sounds like a nightmare.Isnt it just a ''standard'' single family home(one entrance and 2 levels,one kitchen)It like you have a quasi rooming house/mini apartment.

No matter how you slice it,it seems like it's a shoe in to be pita.....always.

Why not rent the whole place out(for top $,instead of pieceing off rooms/having to be warden ect)than you go live on the ''cheap'' and rent a basement and then save for a second rental.The concept/way your running the rental seems odd-m.o-I dont know what the house looks like ect,so i could be in the dark.
 
#41 ·
This is correct.

donald, you are right that everyone who pays should be able to "use" their space as they please.

But, I don't make the rules. The market makes the rules. And the market says that 3 people paying $500 a room and living in a home and being courteous to each other is common and "fair value". :biggrin:

Which means renters are more or less used to this.

I had another talk with Bob and Jack today. I may have satisfied Jack and found a way to keep Bob.

I will update you guys in the future. :encouragement:
 
#40 ·
Ok,that seems like a nightmare.......The 3 seperate renters will have no incentive to ''follow'' any of the others(each is giving kaejs $,and each should recieve the right to occupy there space they way they want,legally of course)

If jack wants to listen to music @ 4am he should be able to----he has by rights paid kaejs for use---doesnt matter what bob thinks.

Maybe im seeing it black and white-one entrance to a house one renter/duplex/2 renters/triplex 2 renters.....getting 3 people in a single family home(living interdependently,spells trouble)M.O
 
#42 ·
donald, one more thing....

The rules change when you do not live in the same house as your tenants. As I share a bathroom/kitchen with them, the Landlord & Tenant Act does not apply (which is easier for me, as the Landlord & Tenant Act is really just the Tenant Act LOL)
 
#43 ·
Gotcha,but the way i ''see'' it rent the entire place out for 1600.00-instead of 3x 500.00----Then you don't have to play some sort of wierd ''dad'' role with 3 adult men.

Then go back home(your own 21 right?)and start building savings again.I'm not expert but its the incentive to get everybody on the same page is what the problem is,jack,rick,bob,dale,mike doesnt matter who it is----it will always be a sh&tshow.
 
#44 ·
I can't go back home. If I could, I never would have bought the house to begin with.

It's hard to rent the whole home for $1600 in Cambridge. Housing is cheaper, which means you can easily get a mortgage for less than $1600. I've seen townhouses go for $1100-1200/month. My Mortgage (if I wanted) could be as low as $820/month, for example.

Even if I managed to get $1600 for the home, I would be stuck paying $500 somewhere else and then I would have to live under some landlords rules and I would be the one fighting with my own Jack, Bob, Rick, Dale and Mike.
 
#46 ·
I wish!!

Easier said than done my friend. :upset:

Plus... then Christine would hate Linda and Jessica for sleeping with the landlord, and Linda and Jessica would hate each other for the same reason. And who would want Christine to feel left out?

:biggrin:
 
#50 ·
Plus... then Christine would hate Linda and Jessica for sleeping with the landlord, and Linda and Jessica would hate each other for the same reason. And who would want Christine to feel left out?:biggrin:
Lol. I think your plan is coming together. Make it happen and worry about the potential downsides in another life. :)
 
#47 ·
I've heard it's better to have male tenants than female ones. Rule being that guys don't **** where they eat, but girls can bring guys over who mess things up.

The best book on real estate I ever read was "Think Like a Tycoon" by W.G. Hill, and one of his rules is don't accept sex in lieu of rent. This is what would eventually happen if you go down that road with a female tenant. Fantasies aside.
 
#52 ·
I've heard it's better to have male tenants than female ones. Rule being that guys don't **** where they eat, but girls can bring guys over who mess things up.
Actually - This is the reason why I didn't want females. Plus, not to mention that females are sometimes catty. If two guys get in a disagreement, they usually just go their separate ways. Women are sometimes devious and sneaky. They'd end up fighting over bathroom space or something.

Testostorne is underated imo-the more the better.
You got that right.

Mind if I ask how you're able to find people to rent rooms at all in Cambridge, considering there are no universities nearby? Who are these guys and what do they do?.
They are people that work full time. Maybe they have bad credit or can't afford the extra few hundred for an apartment. Maybe they don't want an apartment. Some people are lonely and would prefer to save a few hundred a month and be with "strangers". I think Jack (for example) has a wife overseas. Maybe he needs all the money he can get in order to get his wife to Canada. Who knows. People have varying situations.

And there are two college campuses relatively close to my home in Cambridge. (well, close if you drive, about a 10 minute drive).

As long as she drinks chocolate milk.
:biggrin::encouragement:
 
#48 ·
Im sure kaejs would be A-ok accepting 3 ''rent'' cheques a mth in lieu of $....right kaejs lol.
Why do us guys make $ in the 1st place?kidding....sort of.....In all seriousness,half my drive in my 20's revolved around women.
Sex energy when harnessed and directed can be a good combo.....where no different than lions in the jungle(making money is the kill,or getting laid)Its all about mating(and trying to pass down genes as much as we can,@least in a hard wired way)
Highly sexed males are usually found @ the top in all companies i would undoubtly say....obvioulsy.Testostorne is underated imo-the more the better.
 
#49 ·
Mind if I ask how you're able to find people to rent rooms at all in Cambridge, considering there are no universities nearby? Who are these guys and what do they do? I assume they're not students since there are no post-secondary institutions in Cambridge but it wouldn't make sense that they're employed adults either because then they could easily afford an apartment without roommates.

I'm not too familiar with Cambridge but I lived in Waterloo for a few years. I was paying $450 for a room in a newer house in Waterloo in 2007, 15 minute walk from the university, later moved into a 1 bedroom apartment for $700/month.

Anyways my own personal opinion is that it's very inconsiderate to watch TV or make any noise at 4 am if there are other people nearby trying to sleep. Some people can sleep through an artillery barrage but most cannot. So I'm on Jack's side, Bob should get headphones for his TV and not have any people over after midnight (except on weekends I guess it's ok cause Jack presumably doesn't have to get up at 6 am for work on sat/sun). Ear plugs dont' really work, tried em myself when I had noisy people living above me, they keep falling out of your ear while you roll aroudn in bed, and even when they're in they still don't block out all the sound, maybe only 50%.
 
#53 ·
Who are these guys and what do they do? I assume they're not students since there are no post-secondary institutions in Cambridge but it wouldn't make sense that they're employed adults either because then they could easily afford an apartment without roommates.

... I was paying $450 for a room in a newer house in Waterloo in 2007, 15 minute walk from the university, later moved into a 1 bedroom apartment for $700/month.
It makes sense to me. That $250 difference in rent you mention is $3,000/year. That's like getting a $4,000+ bonus at work. For some, especially those starting out in their careers / low income earners / thrifty people / people clawing their way out of a debt abyss / good savers ... it's worth it.

Plus, roommates aren't all bad.
 
#55 ·
Now that's crazy talk. Do you know how hard it is for (actual) common-law spouses to get access to the assets of a person to whom they are not legally married? Never mind a "spouse" who has a signed tenancy agreement. This is like a myth that never dies around here.
 
#58 ·
I think with the type of tenants you are choosing - multiple young singles - you are asking for problems. When I had such an arrangement I would look for a either young working couple, with no kids or a single person that could afford the entire rent. I allowed a small dog but I charged a little extra per month to compensate for wear and tear on the carpets. Allowing a dog initially went a little against the grain, but it seemed that some of the most quality tenants wanted to have one.
 
#59 ·
Ideally, you are right, Spidey.

Usually, though, those tenants are hard to come by and the profit is less. I would love to rent out to a couple and give a bit of a discount, for example.

I just find it's a lot harder. Plus, the fact that I don't have any more parking spaces available makes it a bit tough.

I have found a way to reduce my expenses by $300/month, so I am a lot less stressed/desperate now. It took some hard work, but hey, that's what we are all about on this forum, right? Reducing/eliminating wastage is the biggest factor in any money making scenario.
 
#60 ·
So, a prospective boarder came to see the room on Wednesday afternoon and said he would take the room and come back tomorrow (Thursday) with a deposit at 6:30pm.

I specifically made sure I was home for 6:30pm yesterday, and the guy never showed. I contacted him at 7:00pm and there was no response.

Then I get an email at 3:30am this morning from him saying he got a money order for me. I specifically mentioned I wanted cash, at least 3 times, in person, when he was viewing the room.

He's starting to sound like a bad apple, and December is coming to a close.

Should I accept the money order?

Obviously, a money order is not my preferred method at all. They can be counterfeit and they can also be tracked by government and banks.

Suggestions?
 
#62 ·
What's the issue with being tracked? I presume you are declaring the income from your rental so who cares if the govt and banks know you got this money?

As to counterfeit, I would take it and let the guy know that if it doesn't clear, he can't move in. Take it to the bank/PO as soon as you get it, so that by Jan 1 you will know if it was real or not.

The not showing up doesn't speak well to his reliability, though - I might turn him down just based on that. But it depends on how desperate you are.
 
#64 ·
That's the thing....

Spudd, your "presumption" is incorrect. Of course I do not want a money order... Cash only. I will accept the money order only one time. Never twice.

He called me this morning and said he left his phone at home and got stuck downtown (he doesn't drive). The weather was sort of bad last night. He apologized and said he is willing to come drop off the money order today...
 
#67 ·
I have no idea.

IMO, 95% of renters are discounted. They are renters for a reason. They are the scum of the population. I would spend months trying to find the "perfect tenant".

I rather deal with some garbage and get paid right away.

I have declined some people, but this guy seemed like a nice guy when I met him. I'm just concerned about the Money Order.
 
#68 · (Edited)
I have no idea.

IMO, 95% of renters are discounted. They are renters for a reason. They are the scum of the population.
Just a question, are you talking about poeple who rent in general or about poeple in your area you are dealing with?
Obviously, a money order is not my preferred method at all. They can be counterfeit and they can also be tracked by government and banks.
?
Why is this a concern?
 
#73 ·
you're going to have a stressful time as a landlord if you think most renters are scum.

and I don't get the cash thing....I think you're asking for trouble by demanding cash. Your (scummmy) tenants will think there's lots of cash in the house, and you may get reported to CRA by an unhappy tenant since they may reasonably think you're dodging tax.

But good luck.
 
#81 · (Edited)
Cash is certainly not king here.

I only accept personal cheques, post-dated for the duration of the lease. I have even had people give me 2 years worth at once. The amount of time and hassle saved is priceless. Never had a cheque bounce, but I am confident since all my previous tenants have had credit scores above 720.

Do yourself a favor KaeJS, don't accept anyone that gives you any inkling of concern. Several prominent CMF landlords have already chipped in with their opinions. Borrow from this wealth of experience. In fact, you never see any of them start threads about their rentals, that's because we typically don't run into problems. The worst problem I have had in many years was a tenant that would not replace the O-ring in the kitchen sink faucet. By the time they called and had me there, they easily could have been trouble free. Minor annoyance compared to loud, fighting tenants, and ones that don't respect you enough to call ahead when they will miss an appointment.
 
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