*SIGH*
As most of you guys know, we have a house in Chesterfield, VA. It has been rented and paying for itself since we moved to CA. Well The first couple that rented it, was there for like 3 months and then the guy got a promotion and moved out, thankfully they paid 3 months and also found a tenant, which to me was the best thing on earth. It was another couple with 2 dogs, and 2 kids. I didn't have a problem, they assured me that the dogs were mostly outside dogs and that they were house broken.
So for almost 4 years, I rented to this lady, a couple of times she was late and I even had to send someone out to collect rent, but other than that it was good. Through out her stay at the house she would call me sporadically saying that something needed to be repaired, I would let her take it out the rent, always keeping track of these things etc. One day she called saying that her husband had lost her job and that they could no longer pay full rent, around that time Erick (ex husband) also had lost his job and I knew exactly what they were going through, so I lowered the rent by $200.00. Which still covered the mortgage payment. Any who, I never reinstated the original rent, so for over 2 years they paid at the lowered rate, and still I let them take out for repairs. It is my house, and I wanted to keep it just how I left it according to her, she took care of the place she lived in, she had 2 kids and needed to keep that place spotless cuz her son had asthma.
Back in August 2011 a few days after I had gall bladder surgery, I get a call saying that a tree branch had made a hole in the roof as well as other damages. Of course, I got paperwork for insurance started etc. long story short, I had sent a little over $6,000.00 for repairs and replacements. My tenant NEVER sent receipts or photos, although she said she did. Anyway with my own problems here I put that in the back burner.
Back in January, she called me saying that she was ready to move out, she had already told me that she would this year, due to them moving to Ohio or some place like that, she told me her brother was moving in etc. I was OK with it, just because of the fact of the short notice and the hassle. She assured me that the house would be cleaned and that she would even pay for carpet cleaning etc.
A couple of days after the expected move in date, I get a call from the new tenant. The call broke my heart. He said that the house was filled with roaches, since I had the house under pest control for 2 years before cancelling the service (my mistake) it had to had happened after they stopped coming out, the carpets were awful, according to the tenant he had someone come out and try to clean them and they wouldn't even do the job, it wasn't dirt, juice or regular wear and tear, it was URINE, the porch, which the old tenant had called me about and I let her discount from the rent to have fixed, looked like it was about to fall apart, the shed which should have been replaced when I sent the money for the roof (it was part of the structures that were damaged) was NEVER put together and appeared to be a less than $200.00 but I was told it was more like $1300.00...the list just kept on and on. So, I had the guy have the place fumigated, changed part of the carpeting and thankfully he agreed to tackle the other issues one by one and with a whole lot of patience. He sounds trust worthy and he has sent me pictures of the house, I haven't seen the receipts for the carpet or pest control I do have the checks that were cleared...which is more than I can say for the previous person...which btw still had the damn audacity to text me asking for her deposit back..HA! I texted her back, very professionally and in control, although I wanted to send her to hell...
When I spoke to both new tenants, the both said that they were told that I was difficult to deal with etc, and both said that from the moment they spoke with me the first time, they knew that was a lie, and that far from being difficult, I had too much of a good heart...
Ironic...life doesn't seem to think so ...and keeps hitting me and hitting me with things one thing after another...maybe...my heart is not "good" enough...and still needs to learn something...
....chelitta
