Landlords - time to wise up and get nasty!

Landlords – time to wise up and get nasty, what are those tenants doing!

Janet Jackson said it best in her 80's tune:  Nasty, nasty boys, don't ever change!

Well this post will hopefully change all that.  I offer help for the little guy that has not only gotten ripped off by the tenant but the system too!  The subject of Deadbeat Tenants has been a terrible sore spot for me over the last couple of years.  There have been a few situations where small landlords are definitely getting screwed and financially beaten up by the current system.  The system being the credit reporting companies and real estate companies alike.  That’s right – I’m saying that brokers are also to blame for not stepping up to the plate!

When we sign a listing agreement with a landlord for a tenant search, part of the rental agreement states that we will run a credit report and do some due diligence on behalf of that landlord.  We get a credit report run and check out all the references that we can.  The system is not perfect and that’s what the problem is!

I think that when we assist the owner running a credit report we should also be able to report pay habits of the tenant – both good and bad.  The problem obviously comes in when the tenant is a no-pay, slow pay or just plain lunatic.  We (at least my company and I) could not go in and report these tenants to the credit bureaus because we were NOT A MEMBER.   I am sure that you are also working under this misconception.  

What do you mean we can’t report someone?

Well, what if you can't afford to be a member of a credit bureau?  What happens if your company, such as mine, doesn’t want the liability of being a member?

Here’s another solution that you might be interested in!  You can join Tenants Screen Online and do just that – report both good and bad pay habits of your past and future tenants.  

Tenants Screen Online lets you report good AND BAD pay habits yourself.  Yes I said YOURSELF.  Membership is free but you must be checked out which is a reasonable request.  You must submit your identification which will be verified.  I sent in my listing contracts for 2 of my rentals where:  one tenant was a looser, trashed the place to the tune of $2,000 or so.  Also didn’t pay the last month’s rent.  Other owner/landlord ran away with the tenants security deposit!  Yes the owner stole the tenants money.  So they helped me report that nonsense too!

Another solution you might try is the Deadbeat Database!  

Ahhh the Deadbeat Database!  I like the sound of it as my fingers are flying across the keyboard with the tenants social security number!  A blessing for landlords across the U.S.  Please use it and stop tenant abuse and nonpayment.  As a part of the Landlord Protection Agency you can join with a membership or just use their suggested forms, leases, etc.  It’s worth the time to check them out.

They offer many types of services and are all interconnected to help solve as many landlord problems as possible.  You can run your credit reports online fast and easy and I thought the costs were reasonable.  

Good luck and hope you solve your deadbeat problems successfully.  I know I have.



We’re gonna git you nasty boys -- and girls, yeah!

    Lyn Sims (847)230-7324 at RE/MAX Suburban

I proudly serve and sell real estate in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago.  If you are thinking about purchasing or selling your home in the communities of Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Roselle, Palatine, Medinah, Itasca, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Streamwood, Elgin, South Elgin, St. Charles and more importantly, want to work with a local area expert, contact me immediately.

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Deadbeat Tenants - Landlords wise up ©2009 Lyn Sims - RealEstateConsumerInfo.com and RealEstateBuyMe.com