I suspect vandalism of my property

[D_VictorVikkiTielVictoria]

Here's my story..
I rent this small studio apartment to a young couple who seem like pretty nice people.
Last night, I heard them fighting, and this morning, right around the hour she usually leaves for work, I notice that the outside screen door is wide open, and the door closer is ripped right off of the door and the piece of metal that attaches the closer to the door was twisted so bad I had to straighten it out with a hammer
BTW, there were no strong winds...and whether there was a strong wind or not, how does it destroy a piece of metal to that degree?
Can see wind ripping the screws out of the wood, but twisting the metal as bad as it was?
For my thinking...that's takes a whole lot of force
Hmmmmmmm...are you thinking what I'm thinking?
I think the girl left the house angry, and in a fit of rage, destroyed my door.
In your judgement, what do you believe happened?
I'm pissed off right now, as I'm sure you can understand

 

[Xcuze]

You should go on Judge Judy with this one.

 

[D_Tintagel_Demondong]

You'd know better than I. Call in CSI Boston--they have those black light thingies. Have you considered that her boyfriend did it and not her?

On a side note, I had a tennant who was awful. She did all kinds of little things to the house, including damaging the front screen door. My insurance co. told me that because she was there for 2 years, it was normal "wear and tear."

 

[ManlyBanisters]

There is no possible way you can know what has happened with the info you have.

Maybe someone tried to break in. May she wrecked it. Maybe he wrecked it. Maybe one of them had a drunk friend around who wrecked it and that is what they were fighting about.

You just don't have enough info yet.

Just ask them - ask them straight up and try to listen to what they say with an open mind. Don't go in there with an idea that X is what must have happened and anything else is a lie. Trust me - unnecessary bad blood between a tenant and landlord is the last thing you want.

 

[nicenycdick]

Uh...this is the Large Penis Support Group, right? Or did I click on the wrong button? The Landlord Problems Support Group has a different URL....no?

 

[Xcuze]

This is etc etc where any old crap is welcome.

 

[atomicTIGER]

Here's my story..
I rent this small studio apartment to a young couple who seem like pretty nice people.
Last night, I heard them fighting, and this morning, right around the hour she usually leaves for work, I notice that the outside screen door is wide open, and the door closer is ripped right off of the door and the piece of metal that attaches the closer to the door was twisted so bad I had to straighten it out with a hammer
BTW, there were no strong winds...and whether there was a strong wind or not, how does it destroy a piece of metal to that degree?
Can see wind ripping the screws out of the wood, but twisting the metal as bad as it was?
For my thinking...that's takes a whole lot of force
Hmmmmmmm...are you thinking what I'm thinking?
I think the girl left the house angry, and in a fit of rage, destroyed my door.
In your judgement, what do you believe happened?
I'm pissed off right now, as I'm sure you can understand

Get used to it my friend--if that is the worse things that has happened you should feel EXTREMELY lucky!

 

[killerb]

This is one of the things I dread when I think about renting out my property...

since you heard the commotion, maybe someone actually broke in...

question your tenant & based on her response, maybe you should charge her extra in order to repair/replace the door.

 

[CALAMBO]

this is why i get a deposit on my rentals...when i figure the damage exceeds that amount...i give them a warning...after that...things normally quiet or a rent increase is demanded...

 

[ManlyBanisters]

this is why i get a deposit on my rentals...when i figure the damage exceeds that amount...i give them a warning...after that...things normally quiet or a rent increase is demanded...

The laws in my country would not allow that. You can really raise their rent if you think they are damaging things?

I let a house here before and found the French law much stronger in protecting the rights of both me and the tenant. There is no grey area regarding damage.

 

[CALAMBO]

i normally rent month to month...have found a lease gives too much power to the tenant...i can adjust rent at will...if they do not like it...i ask them to leave...if they refuse i send my son, the enforcer, over for a chat...problem solved...

 

[ManlyBanisters]

Bad system - that would be totally illegal here and the tenant could get you in trouble were you even to suggest a month to month arrangement like that.

 

[CALAMBO]

i think i like my ideal better...tenants can be a pain in the ass...letting them get the upper hand....no...in ohio if you have to evict a tenant can take 3-4 months if you use the legal system...and then they stiff you on the back rent....month to month works for my 6 units...

 

[silvertriumph2]

There are no laws against month-to-month leases here and a deposit
against damage can be requested. But I believe there are laws against
malicious damage to another's property.

If they were in my place, they would forfeit their deposit and would be
gone by the end of the month!

 

[nicenycdick]

There are no laws against month-to-month leases here and a deposit against damage can be requested. But I believe there are laws against malicious damage to another's property.

If they were in my place, they would forfeit their deposit and would be
gone by the end of the month!

Hmmm...unless I misread your info, it appears that you live in New York City. If that is the case, there certainly are no laws against month-to-month leases UNLESS the apartment is rent-regulated. Rent regulation comes in two forms in NYC.

Rent control is the older of the two systems of rent regulation. It dates back to the housing shortage immediately following World War II and generally applies to buildings constructed before 1947. These tenants do not need a lease of any kind (making a monthly lease unenforceable) and your ability to evict a rent-controlled tenant is extremely limited.

Rent stabilization generally covers buildings built after 1947 and before 1974, and apartments removed from rent control. It also covers buildings that receive J-51 and 421-a tax benefits. These tenants must be offered at least a one year lease.

And while de-regulation has seen a rapid increase in the last few years, most multiple dwellings in the city remain regulated. I can only assume that your apartment units are not.

 

[killerb]

month to month leasing is legal here as well...

 

[Pecker]

Make a simple statement to them that, as owner of the property, you provide upkeep and that this current repair is being paid for by you, but future repairs that cannot be ascribed to 'normal wear and tear' will be billed to them.