Tom Green says William Shatner was Great Landlord

Actor Tom Green recently said in an interview that he once lived in a rented house owned by legendary actor William Shatner. Green said Shatner, best known for his role as Captain Kirk on Star Trek, was a very hands-on landlord and would even occasionally stop by the home to pick up the rent check in person.

Green said he was a tenant in the Shatner rental during a time in his life when he was battling testicular cancer. While living in the house, he decided to turn to religion and began praying daily that his cancer would be cured. The actor is cancer-free now, over a decade after he was living in Shatner’s rental home.

Shatner isn’t the only celebrity to try moonlighting as a landlord. Oprah Winfrey, Pamela Anderson, and Leonardo DiCaprio are just a few of the famous folks who also make money on the side as real estate investors.

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Silly Excuses and Tricks Used By Tenants

New landlords beware: Some tenants or applicants can be deceptive. If you are gullible and fall for the lies, you could lose money on your investment. Here are some tips for spotting and exposing a tenant’s excuses.

“The bank messed up.” – This excuse might be given if a rent check bounces. Don’t be fooled. In 2013, banks have excellent technology and usually don’t make mistakes.  However, it could happen. If a bank error did occur, the tenant should easily be able to provide a letter sent directly from their financial institution. If the tenant cannot provide any letter from the bank, than you should be skeptical. Do not waiver on charging a late fee.

“I just forgot to mail the rent check, again.”  - It’s understandable that mistakes can happen once in a blue moon. Chances are though if you let a tenant get away with it once, they will do it again and again. Stay firm on charging your late fees. If you slap the tenant with a $25 fine, it’s likely they will not “forget” to mail the rent again. Don’t be the nice landlord and let it slide month-after-month, or you could be taken for a ride.

Falsifying employment. – A really deceptive tenant applicant might try to fake their job status by providing landlords with a phony phone number to their so-called place of employment. You should verify all business telephone numbers with published listings, so you know if the place you call for a reference is an actual employer. Also, conduct a thorough tenant screening with employment verification included in the package.

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Landlords: Easy Updates For the Kitchen

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Last month, we talked about cheap and easy ways to freshen up the bathroom in your rental unit. This month, we offer landlords and property owners advice to making their kitchen look good for less.

Freshen Up Cabinets If you are a new landlord, costly cabinet replacement or refacing is likely not in your budget for 2013. The good news is that you can improve their look without breaking the bank. Cabinets can be given new life with a good cleaning, and the addition of new hardware. If you are feeling really ambitious, sanding and painting the doors can change the look entirely.

Put in an island A kitchen island is functional in so many ways. They can provide extra counter-space for eating, food prepping, and most importantly more kitchen storage. Tenants love having more storage. The best part is, sometimes you can find really nice second-hand islands on Craigslist or in consignment stores.

Improve the backsplash If you are not a handy landlord, the good news is you can have new, inexpensive backsplash installed for about $10 a square foot. If that isn’t in the budget for this year, than consider re-caulking the area behind the countertop and wall to freshen up any unsightly areas.

Replace lights or ceiling fans Replacing outdated light fixtures or a ceiling fan can make a room feel brand new. If your kitchen has decades-old brass fixtures consider replacing with more modern, sleek options. It will immediately appeal to prospective tenants and make your rental instantly more desirable.

The kitchen is the heart and soul of any home. By making a few simple changes, you can create an inviting area that is sure to please any tenants.

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Landlord Finds Child Porn on Tenant’s Computer

Earlier this month, an Oklahoma City man was arrested for downloading child pornography using the shared internet connection at his apartment complex. The situation was brought to the landlord’s attention when another tenant began experiencing problems on the shared wi-fi connection. When the landlord discovered child pornography was on the network, he notified authorities.

This case highlights some concerns that come with offering a shared internet network within a multi-housing unit. First, the only reason the suspect was identified was because he was the only tenant using a Windows computer. Authorities were able to establish that a Windows computer had been used in the crime. Had this not been the case, it would have been harder to identify which tenant was breaking the law. If all tenants had previously passed criminal background screenings, a landlord would be hard-pressed to determine which resident was currently breaking the law.

If you are a new landlord or property owner who offers free wi-fi service, it is important to establish some ground rules with your tenants.  Did you know some landlords have even been targeted in the past when their tenants illegally downloaded music on a shared server?  You need to make it clear in your lease agreement that tenants will be liable for any improper usage of the shared internet connection.  You might also want to establish a connection that requires username/passwords, to determine which residents are using the service and to deter their temptation to commit any cyber crimes.

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New Marijuana Laws Make New Landlord Headaches

The US Justice Department is not the only group trying to deal with new marijuana laws now in effect in Washington and Colorado. Landlords in both states are also scratching their heads as they try to understand how marijuana legalization affects their current and future lease agreements with tenants.

What new landlords and property owners need to remember is this: You can still ban smoking of any substance on your property, and you do not have to give exception to tenants with medical reasons. So, even though Colorado law says a person can grow, possess and smoke marijuana, a landlord can still make specifications in their lease agreements that prohibit a tenant from doing all three.

One thing a landlord cannot do is amend the smoking rules mid-lease. So, they have to wait until renewal to enforce any new marijuana-specific agreements with tenants. However, some landlords are dealing with tenants who ingest marijuana in liquid form or by vaporizing it.  Again, a landlord has the right to prohibit marijuana usage in any for, but one would be hard-pressed to police a tenant who chooses to take the drug in these ways.

The new legislation will take some getting used to for landlords and tenants, and there is no doubt the federal government and the two states still have a lot to sort out. However, landlords should rest assured knowing they do still have rights. Even though marijuana is against federal law, you the property owner will not be charged with any federal crimes as a result of tenants who possess the drug on their property. 

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Landlords Can Discriminate Against Dog Breeds

The Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from discriminating any tenant based on race, color, sex, national origin, disability or familial status. However, it is within your rights as a landlord to decide what breed of pet is allowed to live on your property. 

Why should landlords be concerned with the breed of dog a tenant owns? The Insurance Information Institute says about $479 million was paid by all insurance companies for dog bite claims in 2011. As a result, insurance companies are getting stricter about the terms of their coverage with homeowners and renters. Rates are increasing, and in some cases, coverage is being denied if certain breeds of dogs reside on a property.

Eleven dogs make up the list of “riskiest” by insurance standards: They are: Pitt bulls, Dobermans, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Chows, Great Danes, Presa Canaries, Akitas, Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, and Wolf-hybrids. Knowing that insurance companies are taking certain breeds more seriously than others, perhaps you should, too.

While some landlords and property managers make vague references to their pet rules, such as stipulating a “50lbs-and-under” rule, it might be in your best interest to include verbiage in your lease agreement about specific dog breeds. A pet deposit or weight restriction might not be enough to protect you from the difference in rising insurance costs, or even worse,  the liability costs should the actions of the pet result in a claim.

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