c/property-management

Tenant's dog tore up the lawn, here's how I fixed it without drama

Last month in Spokane, I got a text with a photo of a torn-up backyard and a note from the tenant saying the dog dug out of spite during a storm. I went over that day, took my own pictures, and gave them a written warning with a 10 day fix window. They reseeded and put down straw themselves, and I skipped the $200 damage claim. Has anyone else let a tenant fix something like this instead of invoicing them right away?

1 comments

sandra_moore30•3d ago

Landlord wants to handle his own repairs, now the tenant is stuck with a swamp

Had a property in Dayton where the AC went out last Tuesday, and the owner insisted he could fix it himself to save money. He spent two days tinkering, then called me saying the compressor was shot and he needed a referral. I got a tech out there Thursday, but the quote came back at $2,850 and he's still deciding whether to replace or repair. Meanwhile the tenant has a window unit I loaned them, but it's 92 degrees and the humidity is awful. I keep going back and forth, is it better to let owners handle their own stuff to keep costs low, or should I push back harder and demand licensed pros from the start? Has anyone else dealt with an owner who thinks YouTube beats a trained HVAC guy?

1 comments

rowan_ross•3d ago

Can we talk about the 24-hour notice trap that keeps getting landlords sued?

I keep seeing posts from landlords who think a text or a voicemail counts as proper notice before entering a unit. Last month in Columbus, I had a buddy who walked into a tenant's apartment with a verbal heads-up from the property manager and got hit with a $1,200 legal fee. Two sides here: some say any direct contact is enough if the tenant doesn't object, but the law in most states clearly says written notice within a specific window. Does your local rule actually spell out the format, or do you rely on tenant goodwill to cover the gap? Has anyone else had a judge laugh them out of court over this exact slip-up?

1 comments

ruby_bell47•3d ago

Do you actually inspect after handymen claim they fixed it

I had a tenant in Austin complain about a dripping faucet. Handyman said fixed, two days later the ceiling below was stained. I checked his work and the supply line was loose, just finger tight. Now I always verify before paying, is that too much or do you all trust your guys?

2 comments

zarat37•16d ago

Last month I stopped fixing tenants' issues out of my own pocket

I had a guy call me last week about a leaking pipe in his unit in Dallas. Over 3 years I always paid for repairs myself to keep people happy and avoid drama. But last month that cost me $1,200 for a water heater that was only 2 years old. Turned out the tenant broke it by messing with the settings. Now I send every repair bill to the tenant if it's their fault. Has anyone else had to switch to charging tenants directly for damage like this?

c/property-management

Tenant's dog tore up the lawn, here's how I fixed it without drama

Landlord wants to handle his own repairs, now the tenant is stuck with a swamp

Can we talk about the 24-hour notice trap that keeps getting landlords sued?

Do you actually inspect after handymen claim they fixed it

Last month I stopped fixing tenants' issues out of my own pocket

Last Tuesday was the worst property management day I've had in 3 years...

Drove past a complex in Phoenix with 25% vacancy last Tuesday

That Tuesday I had 5 empty units all get new leases in one day

Lost $400 on a smart lock system that never worked right

Heard a landlord at a coffee shop complaining about late rent and it got me thinking

That 2 AM pipe burst at the duplex on Maple Street taught me more than any landlord course ever did

I finally figured out why my tenants kept breaking the garbage disposal

Just realized my old property management software was double charging late fees for two years

Had a handyman tell me 'tenant loyalty is overrated' and it made me rethink my whole eviction approach

Small win: stopped a leak before the HOA got involved

Hot take: I actually prefer month-to-month leases over 12-month agreements now

I finally hit 50 units under management and it feels like a real job now

That time a tenant fixed their own leak and I learned a lesson

Tried raising security deposits by $200 and got zero pushback from tenants

Noticed a big jump in tenant turnover at my complex in Phoenix

Shoutout to the tenant screening service I almost didn't buy

Overheard a tenant telling a friend how to 'work the system' and now I'm rethinking my lease terms

Took me 5 years to realize I was overpaying my lawn crew by $200 a month

That brand new water heater I installed blew a gasket at 3am last Sunday

The Roof Technician vs Cherry & Clark Roofing?