Group: Some Landlords Need to Clean Up Their Acts, Properties
To the Editor-
Rental properties have always played a part in the Old Main Neighborhood. The original rental properties were either single family houses or duplexes that were home to families. There were some homeowners who rented out single rooms to students and there was the occasional student rooming house. The emphasis to provide off campus student housing within the Old Main Neighborhood Association boundaries isn’t a new phenomenon but it has evolved over the years.
Each rental property brings two components into the neighborhood; the landlord and the tenants. OMNA strives to have a good relationship with both. As in any business – and make no mistake, owning and maintaining rental properties is a business – there are those who do a remarkable job and those who do the minimum required of them. OMNA thanks those landlords who take pride in their properties. We would like all landlords and property management companies to rise to your level.
I asked members of the OMNA email list to send me suggestions on how to be a good landlord knowing that I could get responses from tenants, landlords and neighbors. Then, like many people,I turned to the internet to gather some information on this subject.
A quick search found these suggestions for landlords at http:// freelandlordkit.com/renting- to-students.html found these tips:
*Always add a clause to the effect… ‘The landlord reserves the right to alter this agreement in the case of unforeseen circumstances that may impede or enhance the comfort and safety of the landlord, the neighbors, and/or all other tenants.’
*Give tenants a clean place to live. If someone sees garbage all over the place they are more apt to add to it rather than clean it up.
*Help tenants be good neighbors.
*Have house rules that must be adhered to ‘or else!’
*Post the house rules in the unit for all to see – most of the time people will self-govern their actions…and for those who don’t, you have every right to oust them…but legally though.
*Be a visible landlord. Tenants tend to appreciate their surroundings more if they know the landlord also cares for the property and for their well-being. Introduce the tenants to the neighbors and the other tenants. Tour the premises at least once during the term to show you are up on the condition of the unit and that you care how it looks and is maintained.Note any problem areas and inform the tenant in writing of problems that need to be addressed before the term ends.
*And lastly, if you find you are having too much trouble with students always insist on a guarantor for the lease. Parents who are responsible for their child’s actions are more apt to monitor their kids as tenants in your building. Make sure you have the right to contact the parent in case you are having problems with a student tenant.
Responses from the OMNA email list included a landlord who owns rental property within the OMNA boundaries. He said, “A good landlord understands balance. It is important to address every tenant question/ request in a timely manner, and immediately take care of anything needed to provide a safe environment for the tenants/ neighborhood. That said, I’ve found that 50% of tenant requests are really the tenant’s doing/responsibility and 50% are the landlord’s responsibility, and a good landlord must understand the difference between the two — otherwise, he/she will not be a landlord for long. I’ve found the same is true working with neighbors — approximately 50% of requests are legitimate and deserve immediate attention and 50%come from neighbors who are desperately searching for something to complain about. A good landlord explains tenant rights to the tenants before they sign a lease, and does the best he/ she can to enforce the rules contained within the lease. A good landlord is not a babysitter, but rather someone who deals with issues when they arise and works to make things right.”
Cindy Nebel, president of OMNA said, “The police and inspection departments have asked OMNA members to report ordinance violations because they would like to resolve these issues as soon as possible. Many of the issues that are reported may seem to be a nuisance call to the landlords, however these are issues that all homeowners must be held accountable, not just rentals.”
An OMNA member suggests that landlords make sure the property is safe and well-maintained and communicate exactly what is expected of the tenant in this regard as well as spelling out who will provide equipment needed such as lawn mower, snow shovels, etc. The landlord should have a written contract that spells out the rights and responsibilities of both the renters and the landlords, such as when trash pick-up for the particular property occurs and that the renters are aware of the procedures. Another suggestion was to be present when students move in.
Let the students know about ordinances they may not be aware for example no upholstered furniture on open porches. A member suggested weekly drive-by inspections by the landlord, especially on the party nights, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Very importantly, many OMNA members ask that landlords and management companies be honest and obey the law.
If the property they own is not licensed as student housing, not more than two unrelated people are allowed to live there. There is at least one house within the OMNA boundaries that is listed as a duplex but is not being rented as such. More than two unrelated people are living in what is essentially a single family home and not the duplex it is purported to be.
A landlord who owns rental properties in the campus area and has been looking at properties to purchase shares his experience, “I can’t believe some of the things I’ve encountered since I took on this new business venture 26 months ago. Rotting floors, leaky roofs, mold infested bathrooms/poor ventilation. Just last night I observed an attic with bare wiring.”
The girl’s exact words to me where as follows: ‘I keep a fire extinguisher and 3 smoke alarms in the closet, because I’m afraid it is going to catch fire.’ 2 weeks ago I toured a property where a student was sleeping on the couch. When I asked him why he didn’t have a room, he told me his room was a converted back porch with no heating, and he’d freeze if he slept there.
I’ve actively reached out to the city inspector about what, if any, inspections have been done on these properties. His answer to me was they are done annually. This is not the case, at least not the case with my property. If they are doing these so called annual inspections, why are properties like this allowed?
Other landlords in the area also have reported to OMNA members that their properties are not inspected annually. It is also interesting that not all rentals are treated equally in respect to licensing. The city does not require duplexes or single family rental properties to be licensed.
At a recent OMNA meeting it was suggested that perhaps a Rate My Landlord website should be created for and by UWSP students. It would not only be a site where tenants can give a score to their current landlord, but would also be a place where prospective renters can look for a landlord that is rated well.
The Old Main Neighborhood Association is not against rental properties, their owners/managers or the student tenants. As always we invite students, home owners, rental property owners and management company representatives who have an interest in the OMNA area to join. For more information visit www.omnastevenspoint.com .
By Maureen Pogorzelski, OMNA Member
Stevens Point