Overly demanding tenant

username_x · 28-10-2013 1:03am #1

So I recently rented out my house to a new tenant and have an issue.

She calls me every single day. I got 24 phonecalls in one day from her and if I don't pick up, she keeps calling!! She's been saying she wants new this and new that. I got the carpet on the stairs redone cause it was awful. She wanted a professional painter in and I said no, bought the paint to do it myself and the paint is now gone.

She wanted a new sofa and beds which when I refused to pay for she said she would, I agreed but told her that it'd be a few weeks before I could get them outta the house, and she has called or text everyday asking me when. She wants a new shower cause hers is noisy, a new cooker because the timer button is broken (the cooker works without it), new kitchen chairs because the cushions on the current ones are "dirty", a new kitchen floor, and wants me to get rid of the blinds that she replaced.

Am I under any obligation to do any of this at all? I feel like just telling her to pack up her stuff and get out, it's ridiculous. I can't always answer the phone and I've told her this, but she just doesn't understand that my occupation is not "full time landlord". And if I don't answer she gets angry.

Media999 · 28-10-2013 2:23am

What happened to the paint?

JillyQ · 28-10-2013 2:25am

Has she signed a lease?

athtrasna · 28-10-2013 2:30am

If she has moved in and signed a lease she is only entitled to repairs and changes that bring the facilities in line with minimum standards. None of the issues you listed would warrant compulsory intervention. By acceding to her demands you set a dangerous precedent

foggy_lad · 28-10-2013 3:43am

Tell her you will be doing nothing more with the property and that she does not have permission to paint or change any blinds or anything else as in your opinion the house is in good repair and clean and habitable.

Tell her that if she needs to contact you she can write to you but that she may only ring in an emergency. And if she has any problem with your conditions she may give a couple of weeks notice and get out.

The_Conductor · 28-10-2013 10:03am

OP- you are under no obligation to do any of this whatsoever.
Normally- a tenant will contact a landlord only if there is an issue that requires your intervention.
Her being unhappy with the furniture, decorations, flooring, fixtures and fittings etc- is not your issue.
If she had an issue with these- this should have been brought up before she commenced the tenancy, and an agreement made vis-a-vis any work that might be necessary (or desireable)- not after the fact.

If someone called me 24 times in a day- I swear I'd be reporting to the local Gardai for harassment- I'm not joking.

Its your call what you want to do, at the end of the day- she is being wholly unreasonable and is making demands of you that you have no obligation whatsoever to accede to.

username_x · 28-10-2013 11:21am

She threw the paint out as it was under the stairs so she assumed it "wasn't needed". She has signed her lease. I have someone coming today to collect the sofa because she wants to buy her own.

Thanks for all your advice. She told me it necessary for a landlord to paint every year and I haven't heard this before. Can anyone shed light on this? As I said I didn't mind recarpetting some of the house as it was needed, but with regards to everything else no. She also removed two bathroom cabinets and put her own on, she is now asking for a skip to get rid of these items. Am I obliged to do this?

ted1 · 28-10-2013 11:29am

username_x wrote: »

She threw the paint out as it was under the stairs so she assumed it "wasn't needed". She has signed her lease. I have someone coming today to collect the sofa because she wants to buy her own.

Thanks for all your advice. She told me it necessary for a landlord to paint every year and I haven't heard this before. Can anyone shed light on this? As I said I didn't mind recarpetting some of the house as it was needed, but with regards to everything else no. She also removed two bathroom cabinets and put her own on, she is now asking for a skip to get rid of these items. Am I obliged to do this?

Get rid of her, tell her she is a pain the arse you are not doing the work and you think its best for both parties if she just moves out.
Before the usual suspects come in and start going on about the PRTB , evevtio s etc. thus ethos is not an evection but a mutual agreement.

Pawwed Rig · 28-10-2013 11:34am

username_x wrote: »

Thanks for all your advice. She told me it necessary for a landlord to paint every year and I haven't heard this before. Can anyone shed light on this? As I said I didn't mind recarpetting some of the house as it was needed, but with regards to everything else no. She also removed two bathroom cabinets and put her own on, she is now asking for a skip to get rid of these items. Am I obliged to do this?

LOL of course you do not need to paint every year!! You should paint as is needed. Generally I do it every 5 years or so or if the tenant really wants a different colur I will provide paint and they sort it.
Also I would be concerned that she is removing your fittings. What happens when she moves out? Do you need to buy a new sofa and cabinets etc?
You need to read up on your obligations as a landlord and hers as a tenant as this girl seems to be running rings around you.

The_Conductor · 28-10-2013 11:46am

username_x wrote: »

She threw the paint out as it was under the stairs so she assumed it "wasn't needed". She has signed her lease. I have someone coming today to collect the sofa because she wants to buy her own.

Thanks for all your advice. She told me it necessary for a landlord to paint every year and I haven't heard this before. Can anyone shed light on this? As I said I didn't mind recarpetting some of the house as it was needed, but with regards to everything else no. She also removed two bathroom cabinets and put her own on, she is now asking for a skip to get rid of these items. Am I obliged to do this?

No- you're not obliged to provide her with a skip.
Is she fully there? Seriously- she sounds a little touched.
As for painting every year- lol- there isn't a house in the country- owner occupied, or rented, that is painted every year.
She sounds like a ridiculously high maintenance tenant.

Btw- if she has taken down your bathroom cabinets and thrashed them- without your express permission- she owes you for them.

What the hell game is she playing?

djimi · 28-10-2013 11:55am

Do you have a clause in the lease that states that she may not make any changes to the property without your permission? Taking the bathroom cabinets off the wall would certainly constitute a breach of lease if you do...

Your best course of action is to inform her that that property will remain as it was when she moved in. No painting, no furniture changes/removal and certainly no changes to fixtures and fittings. Inform her that all future communication is to be in writing only (letter or email); that you will respond to all of her queries, in writing, within 24 hours of receiving them, but that you will not be answering the phone to her in future. What she is doing is borderline harassment, and you do not have to entertain it. None of the demands that you have outlined above are reasonable from what I can tell.

This may well be one of those times where the money that you spend on a letting agent could prove to be the best money you spend this year...

murphaph · 28-10-2013 1:43pm

Get rid of her if at all legally possible. Did you get a reference from her previous landlord by any chance?

JillyQ · 28-10-2013 1:48pm

username_x wrote: »

She threw the paint out as it was under the stairs so she assumed it "wasn't needed". She has signed her lease. I have someone coming today to collect the sofa because she wants to buy her own.

Thanks for all your advice. She told me it necessary for a landlord to paint every year and I haven't heard this before. Can anyone shed light on this? As I said I didn't mind recarpetting some of the house as it was needed, but with regards to everything else no. She also removed two bathroom cabinets and put her own on, she is now asking for a skip to get rid of these items. Am I obliged to do this?

I seriously hope you had a clause in the lease about her removing or damaging any items in the prooerty, if so its an immediate eviction. As for the painting every year thats total BS. Under know circumstances provide her with a skip.

odds_on · 28-10-2013 2:12pm

Just check your lease clauses and if she has broken anyone of them, then you can give her a 28 days notice of termination. No warning necessary. If you don't get rid of her during the first six months, she is entitled to remain for a total of 4 years without signing a new lease.

username_x · 28-10-2013 5:23pm

The sofa she demanded she wanted rid of was due to be collected today, and she was not home after me arranging a time that suited her. Now I am at a loss.

She also gave me a list of problems that were checked out last week and proven to be fine saying she wanted them fixed?

And yes I got a previous landlord reference and it was glowing. Starting to question the validity of it now.

pwurple · 28-10-2013 5:42pm

username_x wrote: »

The sofa she demanded she wanted rid of was due to be collected today, and she was not home after me arranging a time that suited her. Now I am at a loss.

She also gave me a list of problems that were checked out last week and proven to be fine saying she wanted them fixed?

And yes I got a previous landlord reference and it was glowing. Starting to question the validity of it now.

Reference was written or over phone? I always try to speak to them.

mrs vimes · 28-10-2013 5:43pm

Also, a landlord has to come around and hoover twice a week and do all the ironing. Do you have anywhere to let in Cork, I'm in the market for a landlord like you :-)

Sorry, shouldn't mock, you sound like a nice person but she is taking you for a ride and won't stop until you stand up for yourself. Tell her to replace the paint she threw out and leave the rest of the house as it was when she moved in. If she isn't happy then suggest that you could be persuaded to let her out of the lease.

mari2222 · 28-10-2013 6:21pm

you can read up on landlord (and tenant) responsibilities on the website of www.prtb.ie

sunnysoutheast · 28-10-2013 6:34pm

username_x wrote: »

And yes I got a previous landlord reference and it was glowing. Starting to question the validity of it now.

...or the motives of the person providing it?

The tenant has asked YOU to provide a skip to throw away YOUR items that she has removed from the property without YOUR permission, having already thrown away several things.

Things aren't going to get any better, so......

username_x · 28-10-2013 7:48pm

I spoke to her previous landlord over the phone. To say I regret moving her in is an understatement. I got 10 missed calls in 7 minutes today. It's gone beyond a joke at this stage, I've asked her to be in this evening as I need to speak to her and have arranged for another collection of the couch.

MagicMarker · 28-10-2013 7:54pm

You haven't mentioned anything about trying to evict her.

I would forget about having the sofa removed and instead figure out how to have her removed.

username_x · 28-10-2013 7:56pm

She's only there two weeks into a 12 month lease

MagicMarker · 28-10-2013 7:57pm

username_x wrote: »

She's only there two weeks into a 12 month lease

And...?

The_Conductor · 28-10-2013 8:04pm

username_x wrote: »

She's only there two weeks into a 12 month lease

Do you really want another 11 months of this sort of crap?
Normally you can evict in the first 6 months- without reason.
What have you written into her lease?
Do you have a break clause?
You really are being taken for a fool here- I admire your patience with her- but you're only 2 weeks into a 12 month lease- what the hell is it going to be like further down the road?

moochers · 28-10-2013 8:07pm

Hey OP,

Tenants that make ridiculous demands are a total nightmare. You will probably have problems even getting rent from her as she will more than likely refuse to pay in full unless you pander to her needs. She has no right making changes to your property. Seek advice and get rid of her. Next time you rent, make sure you have a full itinerary and photos of all furniture,fittings, fixtures, utensils etc.

Best of luck OP.

abbeyrock · 28-10-2013 8:17pm

Holy C%rap

She sounds like my last tenant I had, what a nightmare, the dishwasher broke and i bought a new one the next day and had a delivery guy deliver it and install it and when he arrived she turned him away saying she wanted a black dishwasher instead, i refused and she held back rent until i would get her a black dishwasher, i eventually gave in and after a few more demands i kicked her out on the grounds she was with holding rent.

Giver her 30 days notice to get out

DoozerT6 · 28-10-2013 8:18pm

OP this woman sounds unbalanced, tbh. Personally, I would not meet her on your own - I would refuse to meet her unless you BOTH have another person there to act as witness to whatever is said. If you meet her alone, she could say you said or did anything to her. If you meet her with someone with YOU only, she could say that she felt intimidated. If you meet her with only a friend of HERS there, they could make up anything as to what happened, with each other as back up.

Also could you bring a copy of the lease and ask her to point out where it says you are obliged to do everything she is asking you to?

the_syco · 28-10-2013 11:49pm

username_x wrote: »

She also removed two bathroom cabinets and put her own on, she is now asking for a skip to get rid of these items. Am I obliged to do this?

In the long run, it'll be cheaper to go to a solicitor now, with a view of evicting her.

okidoki987 · 28-10-2013 11:56pm

she is entitled to remain for a total of 4 years without signing a new lease

Where does it say this anywhere?
Surely if it's a 12 month lease, it's renewed every year and if either party don't want to renew, they walk away?

djimi · 28-10-2013 11:56pm

username_x wrote: »

The sofa she demanded she wanted rid of was due to be collected today, and she was not home after me arranging a time that suited her. Now I am at a loss.

Deduct it from her deposit.

djimi · 28-10-2013 11:57pm

okidoki987 wrote: »

Where does it say this anywhere?
Surely if it's a 12 month lease, it's renewed every year and if either party don't want to renew, they walk away?

After 6 months a tenant aquires part 4 tenancy rights, which entitles them to remain in the property for a further 3 and a half years, signed lease or not. Only under very specific circumstances can a landlord terminate a part 4 tenancy, and if those circumstances cannot be met then they must wait until the first 6 months of the next 4 year cycle.

Overly demanding tenant

Comments