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Although I never in a million years ever thought I would go back to the hell called being a Landlord I am there again!
New people moved in a family of 4 kids and 2 adults, the house is a 3 BR house. The house is very big though and we have a partially finished basement that could with a little carpet be turned in to a illegal 4th BR we advertised it as a 3 BR home. The tenant asked me if she could let her Mother live with her which would make it 7 people and of course they do not want to pay extra for the additional person. Right now as it is I have had to discount the rent to where we are only "making" 45.00 per month after expenses. One more person brings at least one shower a day, one load of laundry and 5 toilet flushes a day. We have a 30+ year old septic.
So now I am in a catch 22. If I let the mom live there and charge her 400.00 a month, I am renting an illegal apartment. If I don't let her Mom move in they are going to leave. These people are used to living in very close quarters, they came from a 2 BR garden Apt with 6 people. These are nice people, could be good tenants but as it stands I am only making 45.00 a month and we all know you can't maintain a house on that little bit of money. Suggestions? Facts to help my argument without simply sounding like a greedy landlord which I am not.
Although I never in a million years ever thought I would go back to the hell called being a Landlord I am there again!
New people moved in a family of 4 kids and 2 adults, the house is a 3 BR house. The house is very big though and we have a partially finished basement that could with a little carpet be turned in to a illegal 4th BR we advertised it as a 3 BR home. The tenant asked me if she could let her Mother live with her which would make it 7 people and of course they do not want to pay extra for the additional person. Right now as it is I have had to discount the rent to where we are only "making" 45.00 per month after expenses. One more person brings at least one shower a day, one load of laundry and 5 toilet flushes a day. We have a 30+ year old septic.
So now I am in a catch 22. If I let the mom live there and charge her 400.00 a month, I am renting an illegal apartment. If I don't let her Mom move in they are going to leave. These people are used to living in very close quarters, they came from a 2 BR garden Apt with 6 people. These are nice people, could be good tenants but as it stands I am only making 45.00 a month and we all know you can't maintain a house on that little bit of money. Suggestions? Facts to help my argument without simply sounding like a greedy landlord which I am not.
Just for clarification. Do you think they will accept the extra rent for mom, but will only leave if you do not allow her to move in? Or they will not accept the extra rent. If it is the former my post isn't very relevent but I think your out of luck. If they want to live with mom that will probably take precedence.
Why can't you just make them pay utilities and adjust the rent accordingly, by the average amount? I have no idea about the legality of occupancy where you live and I'm not a lawyer so I can't comment on that aspect. I really doubt "mom" is going to use $400 worth of water in a month. In the end its up to you though. Can they find a cheaper place somewhere else(at about the same quality).
If you say they are going to leave over this, then its safe to say they think they can. That's really all that matters in the end. Not really how much you make. That's an issue you have to use to decide whether it's worth being a landlord for what you can make. But that's not their issue.
As it turns out, they will stay and the Mother will not be moving in............or at least put it this way, they say no Mom. We'll see because I am sure they rented this house with the intentention of bringing in realitives because the house is spacious. Not a huge house but spacious.
I had to discount rent to where after expenses I am left 45.00 per month. Sorry but 45.00 for maintenance doesn't even cover the damage from paper towels thrown down the toilet resulting in an over flow of the drains & dmamged a ceiling in the first floor that now needs to be replaced. Let along the dishwasher that neeeds to be replaced. The way I look at it ya can't get a 1 BR in NJ for under 800.00 a month so to ask 100.00 per week for another adult doesn't seem out of hand. It isn't my responsibility to allow their mom who doesn't work free housing. Call it what you may but I am older then this Mother and work 3 jobs!
Thanks for the info on the amount of people in a 3 BR, I scowered septic design sites and the towns zoning and no where did it clearly define how many people could live in a 3 BR.
Plumbing problems due to tenant actions should be paid for by the tenant. You also should be having them pay all the utilities. If they renew, re-think your lease.
Renegotiate the entire contract if the renters want to add an additional person. Most importantly you must abide by the occupancy laws of your state/municipality. Secondly, you should research how much it would cost to have a "honey wagon" come clean out the septic tank a couple times during their rental period and add that cost to the rent.
I'm with the crowd that says your renters should be paying utilities + rent.
Just read the OP's last post. With the damage done for flushing inappropriate items down the toilet why would you even want these renters? Were I their landlord they would have had to pay for that damage and there would be no renewing of any rental agreement. Good riddance to bad rubbish!
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chayleah
Some states have maximum occupancy laws that state only 2 people/bedroom can live in the house so 7 people in 3 bedrooms would violate that.
And that is what most septic systems are designed for. That's why a septic permit is based on bedrooms, not bathrooms. So a 3 bedroom house has a septic designed for the water use of 6 people.
OP seems to have solved this problem, but yes, a 7th person on the drainfield could be a problem. Could be fine, too. I'd actually go back to the original permit and double check the septic load. We have a 4-bedroom system but only a 3 bedroom house.
But on the topic of septics and renting - for anyone else who LLs a house with a septic - do you pump at certain intervals? We are about to turn our house into a rental, and I'm thinking of pumping every 2 years no matter what b/c I don't trust renters to be nice to the tank like we have (i.e. no feminine products, no bleach, etc)
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