Annoying Tenant

[noisefrazzle]

What is the name of your state? CT

My husband and I inherited tenants when we recently purchased a five acre property with a guest cottage. Before we had both feet out of the moving van the tenant husband was "suggesting" thing that might be fixed in the cottage. We told him put eveything in writing, which, after three weeks and multiple times saying it, he finally did. His list was not unreasonable and we got started on it right away. In two months of being the owners we have replaced their door, fixed the electric, fixed the sky light, installed a new washer/dryer, had a window expert come in to give a quote and are in the process of putting a filter on the well.

We also had a 4pm appointment yesterday with a "dampness" expert to come in and tell us how we can mitigate the slight dampness in the cottage ( it's nothing too serious but if we can fix it we will). We told the tenants last week when Mr. Dampness would be coming in. Mr. Dampness canceled the appointment yesterday morning, please call back to reschedule. Around 3:30 the husband tenant shows up early from work. 4pm rolls around and he comes over to ask where Mr. Dampness is. We tell him it was canceled, we are calling Monday to reschedule. The tenant says OK, be sure to let him know as he wants to be in on the appointment, and really he'd like to be in on any meetings we have with people that have to do with the cottage. Husband and I inform him there's no reason for him to be a party to the discussion. I have several reasons for not wanting him there, the main one being I don't need a tenant following me around while I'm trying to conduct my business. After all, it's not as if we have shown an unwillingness to fix things that need to be fixed.

Finally, my question. I have no doubt even though we have told him there's no need to be at the meetings he will show up. So, wiith appropriate notice, am I within my rights to insist that his family be gone when I have professionals come in to do work? My husband always stays with the workers while they are doing their this and that, so it's not a security issue.

Sorry so long!! Thanks! NF

 

[acmb05]

What is the name of your state? CT

My husband and I inherited tenants when we recently purchased a five acre property with a guest cottage. Before we had both feet out of the moving van the tenant husband was "suggesting" thing that might be fixed in the cottage. We told him put eveything in writing, which, after three weeks and multiple times saying it, he finally did. His list was not unreasonable and we got started on it right away. In two months of being the owners we have replaced their door, fixed the electric, fixed the sky light, installed a new washer/dryer, had a window expert come in to give a quote and are in the process of putting a filter on the well.

We also had a 4pm appointment yesterday with a "dampness" expert to come in and tell us how we can mitigate the slight dampness in the cottage ( it's nothing too serious but if we can fix it we will). We told the tenants last week when Mr. Dampness would be coming in. Mr. Dampness canceled the appointment yesterday morning, please call back to reschedule. Around 3:30 the husband tenant shows up early from work. 4pm rolls around and he comes over to ask where Mr. Dampness is. We tell him it was canceled, we are calling Monday to reschedule. The tenant says OK, be sure to let him know as he wants to be in on the appointment, and really he'd like to be in on any meetings we have with people that have to do with the cottage. Husband and I inform him there's no reason for him to be a party to the discussion. I have several reasons for not wanting him there, the main one being I don't need a tenant following me around while I'm trying to conduct my business. After all, it's not as if we have shown an unwillingness to fix things that need to be fixed.

Finally, my question. I have no doubt even though we have told him there's no need to be at the meetings he will show up. So, wiith appropriate notice, am I within my rights to insist that his family be gone when I have professionals come in to do work? My husband always stays with the workers while they are doing their this and that, so it's not a security issue.

Sorry so long!! Thanks! NF

No you are not within your rights. The tenant has just as much right to be there as you do. After all it is his home and he wants to make sure he knows what is going on in his home.

 

[noisefrazzle]

Is that a legal opinion? It's *not* his home, it's mine and I let him live there as long as he behaves and pays the rent on time. He certainly does not have "just as much right" as I do to the property. For example, I can paint the cottage if I want. He can't, not without getting my permission. So what right does he have to be there contributing to the discussion of money, payment terms, etc. when he's won't have anything to do with that end of it? His opinion, in the end, does not matter, especially since he is not paying for the work.Of course I will discuss timeframes and what's going to happen with him so his family is minimally distrupted but beyond that, I can't see where he has a right to be involved in the hiring or getting a quote process.

NF

ETA: just want to make it clear that I am not talking about tenants hanging around going about their business while work is being done. I'm talking about a tenant who seems to think he should be part of the decision making process regarding the property. Thanks! NF

 

[weenor]

No you are not within your rights. The tenant has just as much right to be there as you do. After all it is his home and he wants to make sure he knows what is going on in his home.

Actually the tenant has MORE of a right to be there than the owner because the tenant has legal possession of the home per the lease. OP the ultimate decisions are yours but you cannot interfere with his possession of the property.

 

[noisefrazzle]

thanks, Weenor, that is what I was looking for. I will tell him he has every right to be home while Mr. Dampness is looking around but that he is not part of the contracting, consulting that is going on.

Thanks!!

NF

 

[Hot Topic]

You have the right to request that he not be there, but you don't have the legal right to insist that he not be there unless there's some reason to believe that his safety might be compromised in some way.

 

[treese]

Finally, my question. I have no doubt even though we have told him there's no need to be at the meetings he will show up.

The tenant has no right or reason to insert himself in your business.

So, wiith appropriate notice, am I within my rights to insist that his family be gone when I have professionals come in to do work?

You can insist, but the legally the tenants do not have to comply.

So what right does he have to be there contributing to the discussion of money, payment terms, etc. when he's won't have anything to do with that end of it? I can't see where he has a right to be involved in the hiring or getting a quote process.

He has no right to be involved at all.

You can meet the contractor outside and explain that you would like to discuss any findings, suggestions for work to be done, payment terms and the like AFTER you have exited the cottage. Instead of having the actual meeting in the cottage have it in the main house.

 

[BL]

LOL , I just had work done the first of Aug. in MY APT. The people wanted to give us a free pass to a Jewish Center . I declined .

Bottom line , The tenant occupies the property , and it's NOT uncommon for the tenant to " Observe " what's going on in and around THEIR rented property .

 

[noisefrazzle]

Thanks again, everyone!

BL, I wouldn't care about him physically being there but he wants and is attempting to be in on the decision making regarding the cottage. After all, for the original appointment that was canceled, he actually left work early to come home and meet the contractor, without letting my husband or me know that he would be there too. What I am trying to avoid is him following the contractor and me around interjecting and opining while I'm trying to conduct business. Anyway, I know what I can and cannot do to manage this situation now, so...cool

NF

 

[acmb05]

Is that a legal opinion? It's *not* his home, it's mine and I let him live there as long as he behaves and pays the rent on time. He certainly does not have "just as much right" as I do to the property. For example, I can paint the cottage if I want. He can't, not without getting my permission. So what right does he have to be there contributing to the discussion of money, payment terms, etc. when he's won't have anything to do with that end of it? His opinion, in the end, does not matter, especially since he is not paying for the work.Of course I will discuss timeframes and what's going to happen with him so his family is minimally distrupted but beyond that, I can't see where he has a right to be involved in the hiring or getting a quote process.

NF

ETA: just want to make it clear that I am not talking about tenants hanging around going about their business while work is being done. I'm talking about a tenant who seems to think he should be part of the decision making process regarding the property. Thanks! NF

That is not the question you asked. You asked,

So, wiith appropriate notice, am I within my rights to insist that his family be gone when I have professionals come in to do work?

and the answer I gave you was correct.

If you had asked whether he has any authority to discuss contract terms and who does the work I would have told you no he does not.

Also he does have as much right to the property as you do if not more as someone said.

Very true that you can paint it and he cannot, however he can come and go as he pleases and YOU cannot. You must give him notice when you will be comming into HIS home. As long as you are renting to him it is HIS home to live in. He has every right to be there when work is going on and when anyone is in his home for any reason whatsoever.

Did you stop to think that maybe it would have been a good idea for him to be there because this dampness expert could give him some nice pointers on how to hold down a dampness problem. I'm sure he does not want to hear it second hand. Maybe he does not trust you to let him know if it is something he could be responsible for or something you are responsible for. I mean you could always come back to him and say the dampness guy said it was your faault that it is like this and you want him to pay for it when in actuality he would not have to pay for anything.

 

[noisefrazzle]

You're right, I had two questions really, "can I keep him out?" and "does he have a right to be there at all?" and you answered the first one

My reasons for not wanting him there are sound based on my oddball experiences with him in the last two months of renting to him. I won't go into them here. Suffice it to say that I think it's extremely presumptuous of him to leave work early and show up unannounced to be in on a meeting he wasn't invited to. He certainly has no reason to distrust us, or act like we are going to pull a fast one, since we have done everything they asked for so far, in a timely fashion. We told them flat out that their list was reasonable and we would take care of the things, as quickly as we could. We have also rearranged his rent payment schedule to match his work commission schedule, to make the payment more convenient to him. We're not jerks or slumlords (though I might become a jerk if he doesn't change his ways. )

Thanks again to all!

NF

 

[Ohiogal]

You're right, I had two questions really, "can I keep him out?" and "does he have a right to be there at all?" and you answered the first one

My reasons for not wanting him there are sound based on my oddball experiences with him in the last two months of renting to him. I won't go into them here. Suffice it to say that I think it's extremely presumptuous of him to leave work early and show up unannounced to be in on a meeting he wasn't invited to. He certainly has no reason to distrust us, or act like we are going to pull a fast one, since we have done everything they asked for so far, in a timely fashion. We told them flat out that their list was reasonable and we would take care of the things, as quickly as we could. We have also rearranged his rent payment schedule to match his work commission schedule, to make the payment more convenient to him. We're not jerks or slumlords (though I might become a jerk if he doesn't change his ways. )

Thanks again to all!

NF

He has a right to be at a meeting with people that are going to be working on HIS home. Because that is what it is since he is renting it.

 

[justalayman]

He has a right to be at a meeting with people that are going to be working on HIS home. Because that is what it is since he is renting it.

Come on ohiogal. The tenant has absolutely no right to involve himself in this. As long as the tenant is supplied housing per the lease agreement, that is all he is entitled to.

Although the tenant maintains a temporary control as resident of the building, he has absolutley no control as to how it is repaired or what is required to repair it as long as it is safe and meets any other regulations or rules of the housing laws of their state.

So while it may be his home, it is not his house.

 

[BL]

Come on ohiogal. The tenant has absolutely no right to involve himself in this. As long as the tenant is supplied housing per the lease agreement, that is all he is entitled to.

Although the tenant maintains a temporary control as resident of the building, he has absolutley no control as to how it is repaired or what is required to repair it as long as it is safe and meets any other regulations or rules of the housing laws of their state.

So while it may be his home, it is not his house.

And while the tenant can't make decisions in the contract , the tenant has a Right to observe an inspection and make comments , and ask questions .

As the OP stated they are on bad " moral " terms now , and even thought the LL has taken care of everything requested , there must be a reason why the tenant wants to be there , even if to make sure the problem is going to be properly dealt with .

 

[justalayman]

And while the tenant can't make decisions in the contract , the tenant has a Right to observe an inspection and make comments , and ask questions .

As the OP stated they are on bad " moral " terms now , and even thought the LL has taken care of everything requested , there must be a reason why the tenant wants to be there , even if to make sure the problem is going to be properly dealt with .

The tenant has no such rights. The actual builiding is none of his business. How it is maintained is none of his business. He has no right to observe, make comments or ask questions unless he is directly paying for the work. We are dealing with a contract between the LL and the repair company. The tenant is in no way a party to that contract and as such has no rights to any info regarding that contract.