This happens MORE OFTEN than DIY landlords or property managers might think or want.
One of the JOYS of using Craigslists is the DELETE/REpost option for listings. ALLOWING posts to remain in the AD ROLL for days can be DANGEROUS as.....
1) it allows rental prospects to view rental RENT reduction$; 2) it allows current residents to COPY/PASTE ads for their own purposes; AND 3) it allows the property to become STALE on the site for many users.
I've FLAGGED this ad on Craigslist this morning so hopefully the CL folks will see it and remove it. I doubt the DIY landlord will see it and I hope the current resident does not REpost it.
Original post reads, "3 bedroom 2 full bathrooms spacious home. Hardwood floors through out home and optional use of fireplace in living room. New windows and efficient heating system. Large unfinished basement and backyard. Call for information and schedule a showing. (XXX)YYY-YYYY PLEASE CALL INSTEAD OF EMAILING. ZZZZ Mulberry st. Waynesboro. Pets must be approved by owner. Deposit will apply.*** Please note that there is another ad that references this posting and that information has been reported to be fradulent and untrue, so please call owner with questions. This is the correct ad***."
***** I'm posting this because I have experience with this home and landlord and I hope that I can help others avoid getting into a negative situation. The house, while it could be repaired into a nice home, has many many issues which the landlord will not fix. The heating system (gas/radiator) has a number of problems, and is one of the more serious issues. For an extended period last winter it produced no heat, yet ran the boiler non stop (it would not turn off). The landlord would not have it serviced properly (citing that when he originally had the gas turned on, the man said it looked ok), causing an excessive gas bill and a cold home. Eventually, after many of our own financial expenditures, it was fixed to work partially. Two of the three bedrooms have no heat, and the landlord will not fix them, so space heaters are necessary in those (particularly the upstairs). It is not, by any means, efficient as advertised. Other continual problems that he will not fix primarily involve plumbing (a sewage pipe leaking into the basement from the downstairs bathroom, drain problems, leaking shower faucet, and the hot water heater leaks a couple gallons/half week onto basement floor), electrical (faulty light switches, circuit breaker that kicks regularly, broken porch light), and further issues with paint, and some wood rot. Some of these things are, of course minor, but the problem lies in that he will not fix any of it and expects it to be acceptable.
Aside from his unwillingness to repair things, he becomes very angry and accusatory when problems are brought to his attention. For example, this past weekend (in relation to original post), something went wrong with the upstairs toilet plumbing and after flushing, the water came through the downstairs bedroom ceiling, ruining a mattress, box spring, clothes and various items. When contacted about it, he immediately claimed that we "vandalized" the house, and is attempting to make us pay for it, by way of court (even after a plumber confirmed it was because a seal was not replaced when the toilet was installed). We've come to realize that his goal is to find a way to make more money by trying to force the tenant to fund and/or make repairs.
I hope that this helps those who are searching avoid a bad situation. ******
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