I have to vent!

[meltodd69]

I just have to get this out!
We have a rental attached to our house. It is a small one bedroom and the lady that rents it has been there for years. She always pays on time and sometimes early. We charge $300/mth (which is a great price), and we pay all the utilities. So that makes it an Unbelievable price! We told her when we bought this place that we wouldn't raise the rent. She does take care of it, and she is a very clean person.
Well we think she has moved her grown arse kids in and thier kids, so that makes 3 families living in a one bedroom apartment. They are always there running up our gas, electric and water. I mean they are ALWAYS there. They "supposedly" live here in town too. Why if you had your own place would you be here all the time? That apartment is VERY small. We've even seen them get dropped off here, so it will look like they are not there. They are sneaking around thinking we won't be the wiser. I can tell with the utilities. Plus with that many people in one room we can hear them. Kids are not quite and I bet they go crazy all cramped up. And nothing gets by our three little dogs lol. Someone can be walking down the street and they alert us.
I hate to raise the rent, but we are struggling to pay the bills at this point. Her $300/mth isn't even covering her utilities anymore. BTW she sets her heat on 80 in the winter and the air on 60 in the summer. We don't mind her having company but every single day and night. All day, every day! They are living here IMO.
DH is fit to be tied! We are nice people, but we feel like we are being taken advangtage of. I don't know what to do. It can't go on like this.

[Urban Cowgirl]

you are justified in raising the rent. I would also be putting a lock on the thermostat!

[SurferGirl]

You have every right to ask her to pay more because of the added utilities and you rented the unit to her and maybe you can suggest that family gatherings might be better at one of her children's homes. She should get the hint if they are all living there. Remember you rented to one person not a whole crowd.

[whatever]

you are justified in raising the rent. I would also be putting a lock on the thermostat!

I agree. I would show her how HER eletric bills have gone up etc. (as proof even though you don't need to) and explain thats why.
Also even though you "told" her you would never raise the rent you never put anything in writing. Plus she has to realize inflation utilities go up almost every year. I wouldn't hestitate to raise the rent!

[Jenefer3]

I think you'd be justified in raising the rent. Let her know that you've noticed that there are more people there and they're using more utilities and since you only agreed for her to live there and use utilities, that you'll have to raise rent, plus a new lease would need to be signed.

[SLance68]

What does her lease say? It should have a part that shows how many people are allowed to be living there. If she doesn't have a lease raise the rent by $ 300.00 per person.

[fleabones3]

I would either raise the rent or tell her she will be paying her share of the utilites that have gone up. If they are loud at night, tell her there will be a new time limit for company, that its keeping YOUR family awake

[meltodd69]

We've never have had a lease with her. We've lived here for years and rented before we bought it. I think she moved in right after we did.
DH said he is going to tell her next time she pays rent that its going up. That way she will have a months notice.
We thought about one of those governors for the thermostat. And I'm sorry but the window air conditioner has to go. We suffered this summer and our bill was still high. You don't think that is going to far, do you?
Thank goodness the place isn't big enough for a washer and dryer!

Thanks for making me feel better everyone. I've really been feeling guilty just thinking about raising the rent. But then I look out and the driveway is full. It helps knowing were not wrong for raising the rent. DH said even if she gets mad and moves, it will still be cheaper on us.

[Shann]

I agree w/ the others. If she insists on having her thermostat set to such ridiculous temps I'd make her transfer those utilities into her name. Also as it being a small one bedroom apt, I do believe you have the right to limit how many people are there. I would def put it in writing, when and how much the rent is going up and anything else you want to include and have her sign in when your husband talks to her and then give her a copy. You may even want to get it notarized that way there are no issues further down the road. he is right, even if she moves it will be cheaper on you and you can get someone else in there and ask a little more for rent that will help you guys out, you shouldn't have to support her.

[DAVESBABYDOLL]

It would probably be cheaper on you and your husband if you give her notice for her to MOVE. I mean if the $300 doesn't cover her electric and she(and her family) are living there basically rent free, then I would convert the place into an office for yourself. JMO

[atprm]

Not only would I raise the rent and get new meters installed for her apartment, I would also inform her that FIRE CODES state that there is a limit of 2 persons living in the home (or find out the max number of people allowed to be in the home at one time.)


I would also make her sign a lease.

[Char]

My parents owned a cottage on the same property as the house... we lived there 30+ years. They (Mom & Dad) rented the cottage for $350.00 a month, and paid everything except cable and/or phone. It was a 1 bedroom, and, they would only rent to one person, or a couple. You need to get a lease drawn up. Every adult living in that unit MUST be on the lease. And, you HAVE to raise the rent, you are close to being in the hole. That woman knows it too, as they are trying to hide it.

You may even be doing her a favor, her family may have moved in on her, and, there's nothing she can do about it... maybe she couldn't say 'no'.

Also, if someone gets hurt on your property, you could get sued for that as well.

GOOD LUCK with it !

[mosdata1]

I was just thinking the same thing that Char said, if anyone in her apt gets hurt, you would be on the hook for that. It is your property & you have allowed her 'guests' to stay there. When your DH speaks to her, he needs to give her something in writing too.

Having so many people there is def a safety hazard. If she wants to stay put all the rules in writing (you can still keep it month-to-month), new rent pmnts, let her know that she many not have more than "X" number of guests over for an extended period of time (1 week max prob), there can be no more than 1 person living there, no RAC, and you will control the thermostat from 4/1

[whatever]

I agree with everyone. I would raise the rent and then give her either the option to pay her OWN utilities, since she feels the need to keep herself toasty warm in the winter and ice cold in the summer, OR if she does not choose option A you will be controlling the thermastat. And putting it at an average temp. Which is like 70-72 in the winter and 70-74 in the summer.
Because if you have only been charging $300 for several years she is getting a bonanza from you!

[April78945]

That's crap. She knows she is screwing you, hence having people dropped off and trying to sneak in. I'd be pissed. Raise the rent, make those people leave and tell her she has to pay her own utilities...even after the extra people leave.

[kelblend]

Yes, definitely a lease. Most places that pay utilities also control them. The woman has to know it's coming.

[LitWtch]

Before you do anything that you are justified doing, I would confront her iwth the increased bill. Explain to her that due to the huge increase, and the cost of living raising, you are drawing up a lease in which she would be required to pay one third or whatever amount you feel reasonable of the utilities since they are shared.
Also inform her that the lease will specifically spell out the number of occupants for her unit. Give her the option then of 60 days notice or sign the new lease papers.

On the flip side, perhaps something changed that requires her to be cared for around the clock and her family is helping? You never know, thus the reason to confront the situation. Have a rental agent wirte the lease and spell it ALL out.

[ma4angels]

You are being taken advantage of. I would raise the rent and make her pay for her own utilites. And don't feel bad because she is the one who ruined it for herself

[Anniston]

Good luck. Everyone else covered what I was going to say. You are not doing a bad thing by getting rid of the extra people (you are setting yourself up for legal troubles there) or raising her costs due to the overhead increasing on your end.

[dv8grl]

I would raise the rent AND demand those "family members" leave. You rent to her, not to those people. Most landlords I've delt with have had in the lease that NO GUEST SHALL STAY OVER a ONE WEEK 7-DAY PERIOD.

[CLARKS4]

:hug hope you are able to get things worked out. Dont feel bad. You have to think of yourselves.

[msmom79]

Oh my gosh you cant rent anything here for $300 a month,let alone this includes utilities!!! Wow i'll rent from you for that! And i own my home. You do need a lease with this woman,i would charge her 350-400 a month for rent,and she pays all her own utilities-which would include she pays half the trash pick-up and for her own water. Have the lease to state-no-one lives in the apartment but her,and that she is allowed company ,but they must go home at a certian time. Good luck sweety