Boatin_Guy
Junior Member
California
I took a deposit on a small house I was remodeling a few weeks ago. I gave them the keys at that point. I told them that plumbing and electrical would be finished but I would likely have to work around them after they moved in to finish door trim, baseboards, etc.
The Tenant was to move in the 1st and pay the rent. They avoided me on the 1st, Saturday, and did not show up. They showed up apparently on the 2nd, Sunday, in the evening and stayed overnight. I saw them on Monday the 3rd and they were going shopping for house items. They did not return that day and did not stay Monday the 3rd. They were to be there Tuesday the 4th and pay their rent. I was there all day and they apparently showed AFTER I left.
Now they say the house is UNINHABITABLE because of spiders and a couple of missing / broken windows. The windows are still boarded because it was a foreclosure and I did not want anyone breaking in until the Tenant moved in and took possession of the property.
The Inspector did a final inspection today and all plumbing, electrical and so on is working. There are a couple of missing / broken glass plates that I am replacing tomorrow, the 5th. They claim they have had to stay in a hotel and want "compensation" even though TODAY on the phone, at the end of the day, was the first time they complained of broken windows and spiders.
I think they have been avoiding me and do not have the rent and are making excuses. True, I have to (and I am) fixing the broken windows. If they refuse to pay rent on the 5th after the windows are fixed or they want unreasonable compensation (for a hotel, even though they did not notify me, I am willing to give them $20 per day the fair daily rental value of the property for four days) what can I do? Can I change the locks since they haven't paid rent at move-in? Do I give them a 3 day Notice? Demand the keys back and tell them to take their belongings? Thanks in advance!
I took a deposit on a small house I was remodeling a few weeks ago. I gave them the keys at that point. I told them that plumbing and electrical would be finished but I would likely have to work around them after they moved in to finish door trim, baseboards, etc.
The Tenant was to move in the 1st and pay the rent. They avoided me on the 1st, Saturday, and did not show up. They showed up apparently on the 2nd, Sunday, in the evening and stayed overnight. I saw them on Monday the 3rd and they were going shopping for house items. They did not return that day and did not stay Monday the 3rd. They were to be there Tuesday the 4th and pay their rent. I was there all day and they apparently showed AFTER I left.
Now they say the house is UNINHABITABLE because of spiders and a couple of missing / broken windows. The windows are still boarded because it was a foreclosure and I did not want anyone breaking in until the Tenant moved in and took possession of the property.
The Inspector did a final inspection today and all plumbing, electrical and so on is working. There are a couple of missing / broken glass plates that I am replacing tomorrow, the 5th. They claim they have had to stay in a hotel and want "compensation" even though TODAY on the phone, at the end of the day, was the first time they complained of broken windows and spiders.
I think they have been avoiding me and do not have the rent and are making excuses. True, I have to (and I am) fixing the broken windows. If they refuse to pay rent on the 5th after the windows are fixed or they want unreasonable compensation (for a hotel, even though they did not notify me, I am willing to give them $20 per day the fair daily rental value of the property for four days) what can I do? Can I change the locks since they haven't paid rent at move-in? Do I give them a 3 day Notice? Demand the keys back and tell them to take their belongings? Thanks in advance!