Feb 03 2010
Good Tenants Wanted
I’m tired. My phone rings constantly, every caller with 20 questions about apartments for rent. Most of the folks are nice enough….save for those inconsiderate doofus’ (doofuses, doofi, how do you spell that one?) who call and try to ask questions while the younger members of their packs are screaming bloody murder in the background, clueless that this really ticks off us landlords, and then there are those really disrespectful, thoughtless, inconsiderate morons who think it is okay to call at 11 pm to ask me their 20 questions (uh, duh. Do they really think that this will win them brownie points?).
Is it too much to ask to find a few good tenants who don’t have arrests for drugs, theft, assault, repeat DUIs, or bad checks, that have an actual income high enough to cover rent (please…don’t apply for a $450 apartment when you only make $800 a month, because, contrary to your opinion, you probably can’t afford it and be able to eat and pay utilities too), who aren’t being evicted from their current residence (us landlords talk to each other folks, plus we are on friendly terms with the clerk at the courthouse who provides us ready access via a phone call to those evictions that are PUBLIC RECORD), who don’t lie on their applications and say their mother-in-laws are their landlords (hello, we check – it’s a quick internet database search people!), who pay their bills on time, and who haven’t just filed for bankruptcy last week with the intent of stiffing us by converting to a Chpt 7 after a month or two of not paying (again with the phone call to the 24/7 automated bankruptcy info line)? Heck, we are so flexible that an aged bankruptcy is even acceptable, after all, bad things do happen to good people. But give me a break…no judge outside of bankruptcy court who is in their right mind will side with a landlord on a new filing conversion/ripoff like this one. Been there, done that once. Not doing it again! Took us over a year to get our rent, and I never did get our legal expenses refunded.
I mean come on folks….it should not be this difficult. Just last week we had an application from a really nice girl/woman (I’m getting old) with an incredibly well-behaved little boy, and with a husband who traveled for his job. I explained the background check, told her not to worry about the criminal background check because we were just looking for people she would not want to live next to. Well, open mouth, insert foot, and chew briskly. I now know why she paused at that remark for an almost imperceptible moment. Her hubby – convicted felon for meth. DENIED!
We’ve never had this many applications denied before. I keep telling myself just to be patient. After all, previous waits have yielded us some wonderful tenants, many of whom have been with us for years. I would really like to find a few more good ones to rent several really nice, squeaky-clean, very reasonably priced apartments that are pet friendly and in great neighborhoods. Any takers?
No responses yet