I’ve seen my fair share of tenant disputes as a property manager. Most are run-of-the-mill gripes about security deposit deductions for cleaning or minor repairs, but nothing prepared me for this tenant.
His complaint stemmed from a $40 deduction to repair a hole in the bedroom door of a condo he had recently vacated. During the final walkthrough, I noted the damage as a glaring defect compared to the pre-move-in photos. I’d sent him the usual itemized list with photo evidence, expecting him to grumble. He was a difficult guy. What I got instead was a full-on meltdown.
He stormed into the office unannounced, a towering man with a red face and an energy that radiated anger. Before I could speak, he marched straight up to my desk and launched into a tirade about “unfair charges” and “being set up.”
“I didn’t damage that door!” he yelled, his voice reverberating through the office, frightening everyone.
“We took detailed photos before you moved in—” I began, sliding the printed evidence across the desk. The pictures were dated and time-stamped. “I don’t know if it was you, but somebody in the home while you rented it put a hole in that door.”
“YOU THINK I’M PAYING FOR THAT DOOR?” he screamed, raising a fist at me. “I want my $40 right NOW!”
I looked at one of my staff, standing rigid against the wall, and motioned for her to call 911. As she ran toward the phone, I turned back to the tenant and said, “Your behavior right now is only proving that you put the hole in that door.”
That’s when he lost it and jumped onto my desk, knocking over my soda and scattering papers everywhere.
By now, my assistant was on the phone with 911. Calmly, I stood and started backing away. “Threatening me doesn’t change the facts. The photos are proof that I can use in court.”
“Oh, so now I’m guilty because I punched one little hole in a door?” he spat, inadvertently confessing.
The tenant jumped down and walked out, still muttering about me being “a greedy f*cker.” When the police showed up, I filed a report and went about my day, relieved that I had good pictures of that door before and after his tenancy. Property management is not just about managing units and leases; it is also about managing chaos. And sometimes, that chaos lands squarely on your desk.
🔑 Always take tons of pictures before a tenant moves in and encourage the tenant to do the same.
Make 2025 the best year ever, Bill
Comments(20)