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I feel so HORRIBLE about this !

TerryF

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Oct 14, 2007
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Wow, this business is very hard on the emotions - at least it is on mine.

See my earlier post for details but in a nutshell, very nice applicants - he with a disability income and she with a great longstanding job with a high income. Middle aged, no kids, one dog but not one I was worried about.

So what was my problem? I could not verify any of the details in their application except for her job and income and a previous landlord from year ago who gave her a thumbs up. Current landlords for both and previous landlords for him won`t return my calls either. I can`t confirm whether the disability income is permanent or temporary. Credit reports when I actually got them were useless. His - no history except 2 accounts in collections. Hers - nothing at all - no records period. Even pulled both Equifax and TransUnion and both show `no match`.

When I tell them this, I get a more detailed story. They are on the outs with the current landlord who used to be a good friend until he left his wife and kids for an almost underage nymph. He declared bankruptcy due to his inability to work and depression after becoming disabled and unemployable. She was supporting both of them but due to the high costs of his care she ran up her credit cards and lines of credit.

I have tried everything to qualify these people because I thought they would be good tenants. In lieu of talking to current landlord, I asked if they could provide proof they had paid rent on time over the last year - bank statements or cancelled cheques. No bank statements (they shred them) and cancelled cheques will take 9 business days to get for a cost of $120. Cost isn`t the issue but we can`t hold this decision up for another 9 business days.

Current landlord won`t call back but neither will the previous landlord. Told that was because he has changed his ph. # and he will be calling me but so far no call.

Contacted WCB to confirm his permanent disability status. They won`t talk to me but did give him a letter stating the income was for temporary disability and could change depending on future medical reports. So basically no guarantee that income won`t disappear next week.

More than a few times, they mentioned their many supportive friends who would vouch for them. So I suggested we would consider a co-signer - someone to also go on the lease with them to be legally responsible for the rent (someone with good credit and a verifiable job & income) in the event they failed to pay rent. They haven`t mentioned this option since I suggested it but instead said they should just give up because they had nothing left.

Major concern is that if he takes another bad turn healthwise, will all their income go towards his recovery and how could we evict them under those circumstances if they didn`t make the rent payment. Legit concern because despite AHC & Disabililty payments, this is why according to them, they have such poor credit right now - because of his condition early on and the care he needed.

So I am letting this one go after working on it since last Sunday. They are devastated and so am I, to be honest. Not because we won`t find other tenants, but because I really thought with everything else they are dealing with they could use a break. But also in the back of my mind is the thought that just maybe,,,,,,, these guys are stringing me along. It`s that nagging doubt that led me to finally say "no".

In any case, I am exhausted by it all and now have to begin again, looking for a suitable tenant. Maybe this isn`t the business for me unless I get a lot tougher, but not sure I really want to be tougher either.

Thanks for listening.

Terry
 

ChrisDavies

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Unfortunately, it does get a little easier with time and volume. Just be glad you let it go.
 

HeatherBrandt

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Good for you for sticking with the fact finding mission and not giving in.

I think they`ll find something else. Someone else will not go to the lengths that you have.

Even if they are being truthful, they seem to have bad karma right now. So much easier to deal with people who aren`t dealing with so many issues.

Kudos for your effort.
 

NeilUttamsingh

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QUOTE (TerryF @ Aug 6 2009, 07:32 PM) Maybe this isn`t the business for me unless I get a lot tougher, but not sure I really want to be tougher either.

Terry,

It will get easier as time goes on and as you gain experience.

Don`t feel bad for declining these applicants.

You are running a business, and you have to protect your best interest.

Stay the course.

Regards,
Neil.
 

TodorYordanov

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Oct 10, 2007
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Absolutely stay the course and follow the system. Trust your gut instinct on top of that.
 

invst4profit

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One or two inconsistencies may be legitimate but my opinion is you were definitely getting strung along. You made the right decision.

When dealing with an application that has so many problems and the applicant has a reason, excuse, for every one but no solid supporting evidence for there excuses they are lying every time.

Personally I believe it does not get easier, it`s still demanding work, it only feels easier because you learn to distance yourself from the people.
Best approach is to consider an applicant as nothing more than information on a piece of paper. There is no room for personal
feelings.
They are not people until they become tenants.
 

Greatful

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QUOTE (invst4profit @ Aug 6 2009, 08:11 PM) One or two inconsistencies may be legitimate but my opinion is you were definitely getting strung along. You made the right decision.

When dealing with an application that has so many problems and the applicant has a reason, excuse, for every one but no solid supporting evidence for there excuses they are lying every time.

Personally I believe it does not get easier, it`s still demanding work, it only feels easier because you learn to distance yourself from the people.
Best approach is to consider an applicant as nothing more than information on a piece of paper. There is no room for personal
feelings.
They are not people until they become tenants.

Love this guy.
 

JessHunt

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Jun 8, 2008
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Wow! These guys have studied the con`s guide to successful manipulation as earnestly as we`ve read guide to successful real estate literature. shred all evidence - gotta love that one! don`t worry for a second. These guys will find their next accommodation soon enough, until some hapless landlord is forced to evict them. Glad it isn`t you.
 

CalvinPeters

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Sep 19, 2007
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Hire a professional management company and go for a holiday. Let them worry about stuff like this. Be an owner. cheers.
 

TerryF

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Okay...... I`m a LOT better now. Amazing what 24 hrs. can do for one`s perception.

The responses are dead on. All of them and thanks to all of you. Looking back at the weeks events there is no longer any doubt in my mind that I was being played by master manipulators. They knew right off that they didn`t have good credit or good references,etc. but assumed I would only ask but not check for confirmation. So they lied on the applicaton form. Then, before I had a chance to really get at confirming the details they started distracting me from what I was going to do (what a beautiful house, we are awesome tenants and see a great relationship with you, we have wonderful friends, we go above & beyond to look after your property like it was ours, etc, etc.........). Soon after that, the sympathy card was played on me with the health issues. Then it was... we know people in the trades that can fix this or install that for you. I nearly fell for it too.

When I had trouble getting information early on, I was tempted to skip that particular step. Actually did, and went on to the next step. Another brick wall. There was always an excuse or explanation for me not getting the info I needed to qualify them.

All along though, my gut was churning so somewhere underneath my clouded judgement were all my doubts that I was trying to ignore because I liked these people.

I couldn`t get a call back from the current landlord so insisted on speaking with the previous landlord and guess what?? He won`t call me back either! Supposedly he tried and got voice mail and is going to try again. Wonder why he didn`t leave a message? Anyway, these people took themselves out of the running for the house when they realized I was either going to get the confirmation I needed or they weren`t going to get the house. They said they should just give up, and they did. Probably knew they couldn`t get those bank statements or cheques to show they paid rent every month on time.

What a great lesson for me (and a cheap one too). I would have stuck to the tried and true method of qualifying tenants if I had maintained a business like distance with these people. Instead, I got too friendly, listened to the BS, and they almost succeeded getting what they wanted. Next time I will do 2 things - follow my system, and listen to what my gut is telling me.

Whew - that was a close one!
 

invst4profit

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The responses are dead on. All of them and thanks to all of you. Looking back at the weeks events there is no longer any doubt in my mind that I was being played by master manipulators. They knew right off that they didn`t have good credit or good references,etc. but assumed I would only ask but not check for confirmation. So they lied on the application form. Then, before I had a chance to really get at confirming the details they started distracting me from what I was going to do (what a beautiful house, we are awesome tenants and see a great relationship with you, we have wonderful friends, we go above & beyond to look after your property like it was ours, etc, etc.........). Soon after that, the sympathy card was played on me with the health issues. Then it was... we know people in the trades that can fix this or install that for you. I nearly fell for it too.

Text book professional tenants.
They are very easy to spot when you know what to look for. I always double check any applicant the seems too nice.
 

Tango2fast

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Aug 31, 2007
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QUOTE (invst4profit @ Aug 7 2009, 05:13 PM) The responses are dead on. All of them and thanks to all of you. Looking back at the weeks events there is no longer any doubt in my mind that I was being played by master manipulators. They knew right off that they didn`t have good credit or good references,etc. but assumed I would only ask but not check for confirmation. So they lied on the application form. Then, before I had a chance to really get at confirming the details they started distracting me from what I was going to do (what a beautiful house, we are awesome tenants and see a great relationship with you, we have wonderful friends, we go above & beyond to look after your property like it was ours, etc, etc.........). Soon after that, the sympathy card was played on me with the health issues. Then it was... we know people in the trades that can fix this or install that for you. I nearly fell for it too.

Text book professional tenants.
They are very easy to spot when you know what to look for. I always double check any applicant the seems too nice.

definitely be glad you passed. All the feedback you`ve received so far has been great.

You have to run it like a business. Just as you take the emotion out of the purchasing side of things,
you have to take it out of the landlord side of things.

I have a few friends that became unintended landlords (got caught pretending to be investors) that really got burned
by some of these master manipulators.

Definitely a good learning experience!!!
 

UTCVenturesLtd

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Jan 9, 2008
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If you had this much trouble in the first place, one can only fathom how much more would have awaited you following through! There are tons of vacant rentals out there these days!
Pat yourself on the back for separating business from emotions! You are far better off waiting for good renters, than high stress ones. I have had both. If things do not feel right, then your gut has given you the answer!
 
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