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A feast for the eyes ? Musings from the Saratoga Passage part one !


I think I am a pretty fair landlord . I want my tenants to be happy and to feel at home when they rent from me . It has always been my belief that if you treat people right they will treat you well also . The golden rule - do as you would be done by even !
In the main this generally works out but not always . Some people take generosity as a sign of weakness and push for more . Others take it as their due and give nothing back to the world .
I for one would rather be generous and therefore feel good about the world and myself . I would rather be taken for a mug occasionally than be cynical and treat everyone with disrespect !
I try to do any repairs swiftly and fully or pay for someone else to do them . If a tenant repairs something down to me I generally take that into account and reduce the rent accordingly .
If someone wants to spend money on one of my properties to make it better I generally come to some sort of agreement where either we share the cost or one pays and the other does the work - on the understanding that the improvement stays with the house should they move on .
For redecoration I generally pay for the materials or do the work - not both ! I let the tenant choose the colours as they live there and I do not .
I am a grafter and work is what I do most weekdays and very occasionally with long term tenants , if I have no other work , I have been known to both do improvements and even pay for materials . I do this because I chose to spend my time and money where I choose to spend it and if I was down on my luck I would truly appreciate the generosity of others . I would not expect it as my right !
I have had tenants who chose freely to skip paying the rent and simply spin things out as long as they can and in effect simply steal from me . I have had unlucky tennants whose situation changes and do their best but simply can no longer afford the full rent and move on without being pushed .
Others cant afford the full rent so decide to pay nothing and hang on occupying my property rent free whilst i struggle to keep up with the mortgage .
On the lighter side I recently decided to upgrade one of my properties - with a push from the " health and Safety Gestapo "
I fitted a new kitchen and bathroom and had central heating installed . I replaced the floors throughout with laminate and vinyl , I cleared a mountain of the tenants own rubbish at no cost to them with little complaint and fenced in a large area to make it child friendly .
To prettify the central heating pipes I decorated with the tennants choice of colours throughout .
Pictures here ! To adress the damp caused entirely by condensation I suplied a powerful dehumidifier wall mounted with an outside drain off so it didnt need emptying .
I even ran it through its own electric meter to record its power consumption which I have agreed to pay for . All this for the direct benefit of the tenant .
Am I a fair landlord , a clever businessman a mug or a fool ?
Answers together with financial assistance by post would be appreciated !

Comments

  1. Unknown18 May 2010 at 03:39

    I think your generally fair but some definetely take advantage

    ReplyDelete

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