29 Landlords Document The Devastating Condition Of Houses Left By Nightmarish Tenants
Interview
Say what you want but dealing with peculiar tenants can be a challenging task for any landlord, however, nothing compares to the horror of encountering tenants from hell who leave properties in a state of unimaginable disarray after moving out.
Such tenants often exhibit what may be described as a sheer lack of respect for the homes they temporarily inhabit, often leading to significant financial and emotional stress for the actual owners of the property. From littered rubbish and pen-scribbled walls to broken walls and even unattended pest infestations, the aftermath portrays a big amount of damage that can take months, if not years, to restore before the owners decide that enough is enough.
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This Will Always Be The Most Memorable Reason For Evicting A Tenant
Surprise From A Person Renting House From My 92yo Great Grandmother (Its Pee)
It Took Six Months To Evict This Tenant. His Advocate Has Applied For Me To Return His Damage Deposit
Given the chance, Bored Panda reached out to one of the moderators from the r/Landlords community on Reddit. As a moderator and experienced landlord, "r2girls" is known for their knowledge on property management and insight into the landlord-tenant dynamic.
When asked about the most severe cases of property damage encountered on r/Landlords, r2girls remarked, "Some of the most extreme cases we've seen involve tenants causing massive damage to properties, ranging from tearing down drywall, leaving behind heaps of garbage, to even causing extensive water damage through neglect. It can be shocking to see the level of disarray some properties are left in."
Just A Warning About Trusting "Friends" And Not Doing Regular Inspections
Just a warning about trusting "friends" and not doing regular inspections. Tenant was a friend of wife, paid mostly on time, never had any problems or called for anything, was here 3 yrs before not renewing lease due to rent increasing. She always had excuse not to inspect. Wrong
Tenant Moved Out. This Is What They Left Behind
All that wood lathe showing makes me seriously question what kind of shape the place was in to begin with.
Look At The Carpet One Year After A Tenant
This is why I don't wear shoes in my home. * People who live in a winter, wet climate, or work in dirty conditions, will understand.
Regarding preventive strategies to avoid problematic tenants, they advised, "Landlords on our subreddit often recommend thorough tenant screening, which includes credit checks, references, and sometimes even background checks. It's crucial to pay attention to red flags during the application process, such as a history of eviction, a poor credit history, or vague and unverifiable references."
Landlord Finds Out Where Evicted Tenant's Money Was Going. Awful But Somehow Impressive At The Same Time
Renters Ruined My House. I Can’t Think Of Any Way To Resolve This That Doesn’t End In Filing Bankruptcy
Anything I Can Do Against My Tenants For Destroying The Place ? They Were Evicted And We Found The Place Like This
The moderator also discussed the steps taken by landlords when tenants leave a property in a state of disarray. "It's typically handled by documenting everything, estimating repair costs, and then subtracting this from the security deposit. If the cost exceeds the deposit, landlords often have to consider small claims court or other legal avenues to recover the funds."
And People Wonder Why Security Deposits Are Expensive
It's fine to keep the security deposit of a tenant like this. What is not fine is keeping everyone's security deposit to make up for c**p like this.
Found Out My Former Deadbeat, Evicted Tenants Who Trashed My Home And Did $60k+ In Damages Purchased A New Home. What To Do? Sue? Report Mortgage Fraud? Do Nothing??
I would seek advice from legal aid or attempt to get a free legal consult.
Tenants Say This Is Normal Wear And Tear. What Do You Guys Think?
They also highlighted the supportive nature of the r/Landlords community. "Many of our members have been in similar situations and can provide guidance on next steps, legal recourse, and methods to better screen tenants in the future. We also recommend professional consultation for complex situations."
Emphasizing the importance of documentation, they added, "Having every agreement in writing is vital. As I've mentioned in previous comments, deals are only completed when they are fully executed, including any lease modifications. Having everything documented helps in avoiding misunderstandings and potential disputes down the line."
Love It When Tenants Try To Fix The Plaster Wall After Their TV Rips Out Of The Wall
This is why I don't hang up anything large and heavy on my walls. This is one of my fears being a tenant.
Tenant Told Ll Her “4 Year Old Scratches For Comfort”. Idk, Something Feels Off To Me. Terrifying
Tenants Trash Home After Refusing To Pay Rent And Being Asked To Leave
The moderator also advised Bored Panda that one should look into using platforms like Capital One for efficient account management, particularly for handling security deposits and other financial matters related to each property.
They also noted that when dealing with legal matters, "It's always wise to consult with a lawyer. They can guide you on how to properly document issues, obtain necessary information and advise on court proceedings if it ever comes to that."
New Tenant Is Set To Move-In 3 Days From Now. I Don’t Think It Is Happening. This Is One Of The Worst I’ve Seen
It Turned Out That The Tenants Made Some Incredibly Tasteless Yet DIY-Enthusiastic ‘Renovations’
I mean, you need to stipulate that this is or is not allowed? Over here with many rental properties, you are allowed to paint the walls etc. But when you move out the landlord can make you paint it all back to the original color.
My Tenant Took The Locks Out Herself, And This Is What I Found Inside: Mountains Of Trash. Trash Looks To Be Hoarded In The Attic For Months
Would You Even Bother Responding?
Tenant Hasn’t Paid Rent Or Utilities…what Are My Rights?
I have a property that has been rented out to a couple (with children) for a one year lease. They have paid their rent (always late) up until 3 months ago. Their lease ends at the end of July but I was notified by them on July 3rd that due to them not paying the water or electric (which is in their name) the utilities were cut off. Mind you I live in Virginia so it gets almost a 100 degrees daily. I told them that I would like them to vacate the premises on July 3rd due to it being uninhabitable and non payment of rent.
I also notified them that I would be doing a walkthrough July 7th to assess my property. Well I did the walkthrough and it was horrible. Only had the place since 2020 always a rental property and it was a new build and the house is destroyed. Their was dog and rabbit feces on the ground, apparently they also had 2 cats (the lease says no pets!) and their was layers of waste in the toilets because they weren’t able to flush so they just left it there. I told them that they need to leave ASAP.
They both agreed to leave on Sunday July 9th. On July 9th one of the tenants (they have broken up) stated she has left the keys and she is gone. Then the other tenant says she can’t come and she doesn’t have a key and that since she doesn’t have an eviction notice she will leave on Wednesday July 12th. I provided them 3 keys so how is it my responsibility to get you access to the property again? Also I want to change the locks on July 13th, am I legally allowed to do this? My court date for the eviction isn’t until August 1st but if the place is uninhabitable what am I supposed to do? Let feces and rotten food sit for 2 weeks to get more flies and damage my property further? If anyone has any advice I would greatly appreciate it!
Finally Got Them Evicted And This Is What The Basement Ended Up Like
Would Anyone Rent To This Guy? 😂
1/3rd is absolutely unrealistic for the rental market today. Rents are too damn high. On a previous home I easily paid half my income on rent. It wasn't great, but I always paid my rent on time.
How Do I Itemize Their Letter To Let Them Know They Won't Be Getting Their Deposit Back. New Landlord Here
Before and after pictures with estimates should do nicely a security deposit letter.
[landlord] What Renters Can Do In A Year Is Beyond Me
![[landlord] What Renters Can Do In A Year Is Beyond Me](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/64b1029d5eff7_cwatfaeo06k51__700.jpg "[landlord] What Renters Can Do In A Year Is Beyond Me")
Update On Noise Complaints
The unnecessary capitalization of every word pisses me off an unreasonable amount
How To Bill For This Damage?
Countertop was brand new when tenant moved in. There are cut marks across the entire countertop. They lived there just over two years. I'd rather not replace it right now so I'm curious how to bill for this damage
They must've thought it was real marble. I got cut marks from the previous tenant all over my counters. It was never fixed. We use a cutting board. Still get stains and marks on the cheap counters. Found SOS pads clean the rust stains. Just make sure not to press too hard.
Does This Justify A Loss Of Deposit?
It depends on how long the contract has been in place. Tenant is not responsible for the "normal" wear.
My Tenant Moved Out… What Is This And Why?
Tenant Had An Accidental Fire In Kitchen. Stove, Vent, Part Of Cabinet Are Damaged. Walls Blackened
I am not from the USA, and every time I see a photo with holes in the walls, I ask myself the question - what are these walls made of?
If being a landlord is so bad, why do people do it? I guess, overall, the money makes it worthwhile because everyone knows this is the risk you take, yet plenty of people make property their first choice in investments.
Sometimes to diversify investments. Sometimes becuase the person is leaving a place temporarily, but hopes to return sometime. Sometimes they don't realize that there are tenants who absolutely will destroy things. (Or are optimistic about it not happening.) I think the last is most common for Mom and Pop types. An awful lot get out of the business pretty quickly as the money honestly isn't good enough to deal with some of this stuff.
Load More Replies... I am not from the USA, and every time I see a photo with holes in the walls, I ask myself the question - what are these walls made of?
If being a landlord is so bad, why do people do it? I guess, overall, the money makes it worthwhile because everyone knows this is the risk you take, yet plenty of people make property their first choice in investments.
Sometimes to diversify investments. Sometimes becuase the person is leaving a place temporarily, but hopes to return sometime. Sometimes they don't realize that there are tenants who absolutely will destroy things. (Or are optimistic about it not happening.) I think the last is most common for Mom and Pop types. An awful lot get out of the business pretty quickly as the money honestly isn't good enough to deal with some of this stuff.
Load More Replies...