Why does being a renter mean you aren't a human being? (Sheridan: apartments, leasing)

[tidmode]

Good post, OldTrader.

My mother smokes, only outside, and her whole house reeks of cigarette smoke. When she sends my daughter some banana bread, I can smell the cigarette smoke in the bread. (My mother is a wonderful person, and I love her dearly.)

The cigarette nastiness is in your body and it comes out everywhere you spend time. It doesn't matter if you only light up, outside. Everyone you come in contact with instantly knows you are a smoker.

I would never rent to, nor hire a person that smoked. I can't stand the smell.


Cigarette smoking is a really hard addiction to break. I wish you the best.

[Timberwolf232]

I'm not as extreme as the previous poster.. But I do understand the hesitation of landlords. In this political climate, since you can't pick on minorities, homosexuals, disabled people, or anyone really, the smoker is the new face to cast judgement on.. Unless you smoke pot... just remember that tobacco companies paid lots of money to a certain political party over the years, but said party doesn't like marijuana... So the proponents of marijuana (smoke is ALL bad for your lungs, even if you get high off of it) are somehow exempt from the new persecution, because their folks contribute to another political party...

How about live and let live? If I don't want smoke (of any kind) in my rental, or my bar, or my restaurant, or if I do want to allow it in my property... Shouldn't the choice be mine and not the governments??

[oldtrader]

Actually the reason that landlords take applications, and demand references is to be able to select the best tenant in their opinion for their property. They are not picking on anyone, they are just selecting the best tenant based on the application and references. They have a lot of money invested, and they want to protect their investment.

It is unreasonable for prospective tenants to think that they are special, if they do not meet the landlords standards as long as the standards are reasonable and think they should be selected to be the tenant.

Certain things, will keep you from being selected.

A history of late rent payments is a good example. If a person is going to be late on their rent, why would a landlord want to rent to them.

A history of being rough on the property, and causing higher than normal costs to prepare the unit for the next tenant. Why take on this expense, if you know in advance and can rent to others that take good care of the property. Two examples: 1)--Smokers, that are going to cause you extra expense when they move are a good example of extra cost to keep your property in good condition and cause longer down town between tenants where you lose money on lost rental days. 2)--Animals, that will cause you more expense, and more lost revenue.

Unpleasant Tenants. Tenants that bother other tenants and make life unpleasant for them. Tenants that make excessive noise. This causes excessive turnover of units, as other tenants move to get away from them. This causes excessive costs to the landlords, due to lost days of rent and excessive maintenance costs as tenants move out and in.

This list can go on and on. The smart landlord asks previous landlords one question that is legal to ask without being discriminating.

Question: Would you rent to this tenant again? If the landlord gives an enthusiastic Yes, they would love to get them back. They get a plus mark on their application. If the answer is no, the landlord cannot ask for why. But it will get the applicant rejected as a renter. The landlord does not care why. If the tenant is not good enough for a couple of former landlords to want them back, the new landlord does not want them either.

If you want to be able to rent an apartment or house, you must be a good tenant for previous landlords. One that took care of the property and did not cause damage except for wear and tear which depends on how long you stay in the unit for how much is acceptable, paid your rent on the property, do not smoke, do not have animals. One that gets along reasonably well with neighbors, does not play music loudly that other units are bothered, do not shout at each other in arguments that disturb neighbors. Etc., etc., etc. When the question is asked, "Would you rent to that tenant again?", you want the previous landlord to give an unqualified yes.

It does not matter if you are young or old, handicapped, what your sexual orientation, color of skin or country of origin, etc., etc. Those are not what gets you a rental. What does is your history of being a tenant with other landlords, and how you pay your bills. Plus in today's world, not smoking or trying to rent with pets. In our leases, we had a no pet clause that said if a pet was brought onto the property, the tenant had to pay a monthly charge equal to the rent for each pet. If we heard they had a pet and we would always hear, we would just stop by to collect the extra pet charge, and that pet was gone immediately instead of paying. We charged a $50 per month higher rent than many did, but if the rent was paid on or before the due date they tenant could take $50 off of their rent for prompt payment. This was started with a set of units one time, where everyone was always paying late. The first month, all rent was paid on time and every month after that.

This is how landlords think, and why they think this way. Don't get angry at landlords if you cannot rent a place to live. Remember there are less units available most areas, than there are renters. Just make sure you are are the ones that meet the landlords standards and you will have no trouble.

[Redraven]

As the years go by, and I watch what the world is becoming, and what the people who live in the world are becoming. I get very glad I am nearing the end of my life.
I am getting more and more sick and tired of those people who seem to think it is their God-given right to be the arbiters of how to live.
I am tired of CCRs (BUT, they enhance property values! Perhaps, but I don't think so!)
I am tired of hearing about HOAs. (Again, they enhance property values. I wouldn't know, I have never owned property in one, never will.)
I am tired of intolerant people preaching tolerance; but, they will ONLY accept tolerance that matches THEIR idea of tolerance. They will NOT tolerate ANY deviation from their ideas!
I am tired of protesters biting the hand that feeds them.
I am tired of those people who say I have too much, because I have worked for years to get what I have, but they think they should have the same, even though they are only 21 years old.
I am tired of those who are constantly telling us all how and when to exercise, what to eat and not eat, what to buy and not buy, etc. Yep, I am fed up with the "nanny state".
If, in your experience, renters are the scum of the earth, WHY on earth are you still a landlord? SELL the place, and get away from the annoyance!
Long ago and far away, I was a renter. I found some landlords to be wonderful people. I also found some landlords (both owners and managers) who were incredibly annoying, like the guy in Great Falls who was always trying to enforce rules that were not in the list of printed rules; "Well, they are just rules that are understood when renting property, they don't HAVE to be written down, they just ARE!"
The only thing I rent these days are sites in campgrounds.
To the OP, I recommend checking the Gazette and the Thrifty Nickel for places that are advertised as "lease to own" or "rent to own". Also, check the mobile home marketplace. There are a lot of mobile homes for sale or rent in the Billings area, quite a few that are available as rent or lease to own!
Good luck.

[Degra]

Dont tell them about the cat btw lol

[JanND]

Redraven I Like your post!

[oldtrader]

If you don't tell them about the cat, that is grounds for eviction when they find out, and they always do.

In most leases and rental agreements, your lease prohibits animals or as ours did, sets a very high cost ($300 per month payable immediately) if you bring animals in that are not listed when you rent. If you bring in animals behind the owners/managers back, that is legal grounds for immediate eviction such as 72 hours notice to move no matter how far ahead your rent is paid.

[NDak15]

Originally Posted by Redraven

As the years go by, and I watch what the world is becoming, and what the people who live in the world are becoming. I get very glad I am nearing the end of my life.
I am getting more and more sick and tired of those people who seem to think it is their God-given right to be the arbiters of how to live.
I am tired of CCRs (BUT, they enhance property values! Perhaps, but I don't think so!)
I am tired of hearing about HOAs. (Again, they enhance property values. I wouldn't know, I have never owned property in one, never will.)
I am tired of intolerant people preaching tolerance; but, they will ONLY accept tolerance that matches THEIR idea of tolerance. They will NOT tolerate ANY deviation from their ideas!
I am tired of protesters biting the hand that feeds them.
I am tired of those people who say I have too much, because I have worked for years to get what I have, but they think they should have the same, even though they are only 21 years old.
I am tired of those who are constantly telling us all how and when to exercise, what to eat and not eat, what to buy and not buy, etc. Yep, I am fed up with the "nanny state".
If, in your experience, renters are the scum of the earth, WHY on earth are you still a landlord? SELL the place, and get away from the annoyance!
Long ago and far away, I was a renter. I found some landlords to be wonderful people. I also found some landlords (both owners and managers) who were incredibly annoying, like the guy in Great Falls who was always trying to enforce rules that were not in the list of printed rules; "Well, they are just rules that are understood when renting property, they don't HAVE to be written down, they just ARE!"
The only thing I rent these days are sites in campgrounds.
To the OP, I recommend checking the Gazette and the Thrifty Nickel for places that are advertised as "lease to own" or "rent to own". Also, check the mobile home marketplace. There are a lot of mobile homes for sale or rent in the Billings area, quite a few that are available as rent or lease to own!
Good luck.

Redraven you rock! But I have to be the one to ask what HOAs and CCRs are/

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by WyoEagle

Redraven you rock! But I have to be the one to ask what HOAs and CCRs are/

Inventions of the devil. Otherwise known as

Homeowner Association
Homeowner association - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Homeowners Associations - FindLaw

Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions
Restrictive covenant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) - FindLaw

[Evan_Lanctot]

Well, I am in Maine and currently I am renting a room in a rooming house, and the woman I rent from is not giving me any heat and insists I use a space heater for that. I am diabetic and burned the hell out of one of my feet using that(I can't feel anything in my feet).

So at least you're not dealing with that.