Did I Handle This Right?

I can second that from personal experience, when I rented out my former residence. Tenants entered the house 2 days early (they already had key), then complained that it wasn’t clean (my cleaners had not been in yet), and before I knew it I was being contacted by their sleazy attorney, and was sued for $15,000, even after refunding all their monies (deposit & rent)! All bogus charges, but according to my attorney would cost that much to fight and since Oregon only considers written communication legally binding, our verbal agreements would be invalid, making the odds of winning very low. Lesson learned…get it ALL in writing!

2 Likes

Please read the squatter thread here where I posted the ORIGINAL Palm Springs squattee (the host) story (the thread she started herself on Bigger Pockets) and all the replies, many of which were from UD attorneys. YOU CANNOT shut off the utilities. Cory discusses how she was advised to not only leave the utilities on but also continue to pay for the Internet and cable. The reasons for doing so are explained so well there I don’t want to reinvent the wheel and repeat it here.

It’s very very interesting. Once the guest comes a tenant, they cannot be evicted without due process. You can’t shut off the utilities… You have to follow procedures and they are strict. If you don’t do it correctly you have to start over.

2 Likes

Hi,

My experience is different in that I have had many relocating guests, people that rent my Airbnb to find a permanent home. I also rent for a minimum of 3 days. I go by my gut feeling and so far have had no problems with over 5 guests renting a month or more. Some of them have been doctors who are doing a stint at one of our hospitals - best guests ever!! They are never home, eat out and smart. For the guests staying more than a month that are moving here permanently I get them to sign a lease so we are both protected by our legal system. This agreement has a specific end date. I usually let them know we need the space for family & Christmas and a 90 day maximum which I changed for 1 long term guest (a rarity).

Good luck with your choices, determining who you host is more of a matching process than anything, so what “feels” right really does matter.

Long term can work with the right demographic. My long term guests have the following characteristics:
They come here from another country and intend to return home
They have a short term job, internship, few months-long schooling
NO children or pets ever, period, regardless

Because most apartments want a seven or twelve months lease, my guests who need to be here two to six months find my place perfect.

How much discount do you offer for long period?

Mine is 30%. WHich comes to around 1K/month for private room.

I just had my first 2 long term guests, both 1 month, and i think one will stay 2. They both transfered for work and looking for appartment. They work long hours, and i never see them. One girl cooks occasionaly, the other guest does not come even close to kitchen, even to make coffee. I had couple of retirees applied, and a guys who works from home, and i declined them. Dont know if i did the right thing, but i cant have someone hanging out at the house all day and night.

1 Like

i also prefer guests who have something specific to do. retirees were my most chatty guests. Not terrible, but tiring.

1 Like

Short term guests here usually have limited time to sightsee… Thus are my most favored guests. Gone early and back late. Too tired for cooking. If they are here longer than two weeks or so they hang out more as time is more leisurely.

I turned away a couple 2 weeks ago who asked to stay here for a week. They didn’t specify why they were coming, and when I asked they said that they were retired and just wanted to sit around my farm for a week. I just couldn’t do it! haha.

1 Like

I would love to sit at a farm just to breath the nice air and relax seeing the animals :slight_smile:

And I LOVE when guests do that! I just didn’t want that to be their sole purpose for visiting. I work here all day and I was just worried they may expect me to keep them entertained. A week would have been way too much!

1 Like

My experience with retirees is that they want to talk all the time and have things handed over to them. Had a family staging with us for over one week. I went out of my way so much for them I didn’t even do so for my own family. Not a single thank you, no review, nothing.
They didn’t make me feel as they were disappointed during the stay also, so, who knows?

Maybe you dodged a bullet.

@LegendsCreek

Yes, commune with the animals not with the host!

1 Like

Legends, what reason did you give when turning down the retirees? I’m just curious because I can’t think of what I would say to decline their request when they give such an innocuous reason for the purpose of their stay.

SandyToes,

When I decline people simply because I have a bad feeling about it, or am trusting my gut, I just tell them that I am holding the dates for someone else, or that I will possibly be out of town. I don’t want to be rude to anyone or make anyone feel bad.

2 Likes

Since most of my guests book so well in advance, many are not locked in to certain dates, so they can change their schedule to fit availability, so I am forced to tell the absolute truth. I tell them something along the lines of: “I don’t think the place is well; suited for you”. Eeek.

1 Like

That makes sense! I have been looking at your island and am hoping to schedule an entire trip around available dates!

Me too. I just don’t think I can plan anything 2 years in advance though. LOL.

Me either! I just don’t make plans that far in advance, but for an island like that I think I must!! haha

1 Like