TENANTS, ANYONE? CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE EXCUSES
By Erik Lacitis
Landlords have never been portrayed as sympathetic figures, so it
naturally caught my attention to hear one burst into tears.
"I don't know what I'm going to do. He just keeps coming up with
all these different stories," Judy Rekola told me in her first call.
She was referring to her initiation in dealing with a certain kind
of tenant -- the one whose payment is forever in the mail or whose
check never clears.
KEEPING A LOG
As she described the tenant's excuses, I must admit I felt a certain
admiration for his creativity. Judy kept a log:
- She was to just resubmit the check to the bank. Everything would
be fine.
- The tenant's employer sent money to the wrong bank, one that
happened to be in Florida. Just wait a few days.
- The money now was in California and wouldn't arrive that
afternoon.
- "Two days, at the most."
- Someone identifying himself as a church bishop called on Judy,
never offering any proof he was a bishop, vouching for the tenant's
integrity.
- The money was in Canada.
- The money was in the bank, but the bank officer who converted
Canadian dollars into U.S. dollars was on vacation.
In TV shows, movies and real life, the landlord is usually depicted
as evictor of the downtrodden. Often, however, the landlord is someone
like you, the regular Joe who invested in a duplex.
Judy Rekola makes a living running a plant nursery and housecleaning
business. Her husband, Ed, sells ship heating-and-refrigeration units.
They have virtually no savings, but they own a duplex and a rental
house. This was their retirement nest egg.
TOO TRUSTING
As landlords, they were trusting. No credit checks, no calling
tenant's bank. For a long time, it had worked out.
Then the new tenant, with his wife and daughter,arrived at their
rental home, writing a check for $1,585 to cover first and last month's
rent.
Two months later, after the Rekolas filed and eviction notice and
called the police, the tenant came through with the money and moved out,
leaving the utility bill unpaid.
By then, Judy had been up nights worrying about having to borrow
money to make the mortgage payments, worrying about going to court,
worrying that the tenants might cause damage out of spite.
"I can't believe it. They acted like they were the victims," Judy
said.
These days, if you want to rent from Judy, be prepared for scrutiny.
As for Judy, who might feel like a sucker, she can join the club.
Here are tenant excuses that landlords sent to L/T Services, a
professional eviction firm here:
"I can't pay my rent as my BMW is in the shop, and I cannot afford
to pay for both."
"I can't pay my rent because the checks come out of Japan and the
plane crashed."
"If I move, my friends won't know where to find me."
"Well, you see, I cannot pay the rent because my daughter ate my
husband's paycheck."
"I deposited my paycheck in the bank teller machine and it got
caught in the rollers. It took six days to tear apart the machine."
"I had my choice of paying the rent or buying a car. I bought a
car. I knew you would understand."
"I am sure I paid you -- YOU must have lost it."
"You towed my car away that was illegally parked and I refuse to pay
my rent until you get my car out of impound."
"It's your fault. You deposited my check too late. My automatic
withdrawals went through the bank before the rent check."
"There is nowhere else to go. The place I applied to will not take
me because you are evicting me."
Finally, courtesy of Randy Chapman, office manager for the Apartment
Association of Seattle & King County, this reason for not paying the
rent:
"The house is haunted."
So, Judy, no more bursting into tears. If you're going to stay in
the landlord business, just think of your tenant from hell as the
opening act.
Erik Lacitis' column runs Sunday, Tuesday and Friday in The Seattle
Times. His email address is [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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