Do you take race into account when making decision on tenant?

[steveadl]

"No" is the correct answer.

Do you ask your property manager what race the tenants are?

I don't.

They never tell me either.

Everything is decided on more relevant factors. Do they work? Where? For how long? Do they pay their rent on time in the past? Their ages, relationship to each other.

The first conversation I ever had with my PM I told her about a certain group of people I would not accept in my properties. She replied that she doesn't allow them either.

To all those that think it's a strange poll or a stupid/outrageous question - is it because you haven't seen any major issues before? Would you still be willing to rent to a certain group if you've seen what a lot of them have done?

I have 2 groups that I won't rent to. The first because I have seen numerous examples of what they have done to properties, and would not take a chance of that happening to mine.

The 2nd becuase whilst I don't know what they're like as tenants, they just plain scare me as people. My fiance knows police officers that have told her some very scary stories, and if I have the choice - of which I do - I will have absolutely nothing to do with them if it can be helped.

I don't consider myself racist for these feelings. If I meet people from these 2 groups (and I have with the first) and they are nice people, I have absolutely no problem with them and get along well with them, and might even rent to that specific person. But when you have so many bad apples in 1 social segment - I don't feel there is a choice but to be biased.

I don't think it's a silly poll question at all.

 

[Alabex]

i prefer to rent to middle class - upper class are of the ilk of "make people wait for their money", and the lower class are "where is MY money?".

middle class are afraid of "going down" to lower class so they pay everything on time to avoid the embarrasment of being evicted, blacklisted, whatever...

...generally...

I can see where you are coming from on this point, and although it is a generalisation it is pretty true...... I have seen time and time again tenants on huge incomes in executive high rent properties not paying rents on time without having a few reminder calls and being incredibly demanding... i even had one request that a tiny (as in less then half a centimeter long) paint chip be fixed and the entire door frame repainted so he couldn't see the patch job.

 

[wylie]

I even had one request that a tiny (as in less then half a centimeter long) paint chip be fixed and the entire door frame repainted so he couldn't see the patch job.

I hope you didn't do that for him.....

 

[Witzl]

i even had one request that a tiny (as in less then half a centimeter long) paint chip be fixed and the entire door frame repainted so he couldn't see the patch job.

I would've walked in with a little bottle of liquid paper (or those touch up paint bottles from supercheap auto), and hand painted it whilst they looked on with horror.
Then stand back, look at it with a twinkle in my eye and say, "Just like a bought one mate".


I dont think this is such a silly thread - so long as you look at it in the correct light. We are not here to discriminate against people, we are here to discuss our business of owning investment properties and renting them out.
It's just like any employer chosing people for a job; they should have the right to chose what is best for their business.

Clifmand.... thats bloody funny. Queenslanders!!

 

[Pushka]

Such a sad thread. I have a relative who is Sri Lankan - he is the nicest person, but according to some here, he should not be given a rental home.

 

[firstmillion]

Race, Culture, grouping, economic status, employed what is the selection criteria

This is turning out to be an interesting discussion. Coming from a different 'RACE' and culture, its quite impressive to see, the best of SS contributors are still stuck with Race, colour and prefer grouping people.

I would prefer any one with stable income and employment as my tenant rather than a someone on dole or a single / drunk mum. I have tenants from two different cultures and both of them are good. I think it depends on the individuals than a 'RACE'. Generally speaking people from Indian / Asian backgrounds always pay the rent on time, keep the house clean and are lot less demanding - This was told to us by our erstwhile landlord (before we bought our PPOR). She always prefer people from this background as her tenants.

By the way the recent IP we bought had really smelly toilets, meat pieces in the oven and the Centelink letters are still coming to the address .

For me, the deciding factor for a tenant is a small family, stable income (employment or pension), and good references.

Cheers

 

[jaycee]

Pushkka's post hit the nail on the head. I am surprised by people's naiivety - aisans smell / whoever don't wear shoes..... geeez, I honestly thought less people had those stereotypes in their heads.....dissapointing

 

[Alabex]

I hope you didn't do that for him.....

From memory i think i burst out laughing and continued on with my inspection... definately never painted it.

Love the liquid paper idea!

 

[steveadl]

Pushkka's post hit the nail on the head. I am surprised by people's naiivety - aisans smell / whoever don't wear shoes..... geeez, I honestly thought less people had those stereotypes in their heads.....dissapointing

I couldn't care less about shoes in the house. My feelings are towards people who completely destroy houses.

 

[jaycee]

why go to lengths about certain races when 1/2 the time you can tell on first sight if they are trustworthy or not - isn't THAT what it comes down to...

If an aborignal family who looked like real bad troublemakers applied to rernt your place, and I & my family who looked just as bad & threatening and dangerous and irresponsible and possibly not be able to keep up with the rent, would you give it to me over them, or would you refuse both of us ?

I know what I would do....

If your answer is that you would refuse us both, is it really a race issue ?

 

[Dazz]

Jaycee,

I don't think Pushka's post hit the nail on the head at all. I wouldn't give a rats if her relative came from Sri Lanka or Timbuktoo, or anywhere in between.

Importantly though, I also wouldn't care less if they were the nicest person in the world either. Some of the nicest people I know are horrible tenants and refuse to pay their Landlord rent and think it's a great laugh, cos they have the Law on their side....and they know it.

we are here to discuss our business of owning investment properties and renting them out. It's just like any employer chosing people for a job; they should have the right to chose what is best for their business.

Top stuff Witzl !!!

.....now this is what's called "hitting the nail on the head"...IMO.

Business is business...and when you've got significant dosh on the line, all of this fluffy feel good politically correct "enshrined in law" anti-discrimination legislation dreamed up by well meaning, but unrealistic folk doesn't cut the economic mustard.

 

[jaycee]

Dazz, you say you don;t care wher epple come from as long as they pay the bills. MY point & Pushka's (I think) was that others DO care where people come from even if they can & do pay the bills.

Same employing a staff member, if I don;t think they will turn up & do the job I won;t employ them... But I'm not so naiive to think that this is determined by their race / background alone.

Didn't say anything more than that

JC

 

[steveadl]

In your example Jaycee, I would dismiss one group out of hand - not worth finding out if they happen to be the few good apples amongst a bad barrel. The other applicants would be checked by my PM's, and I would trust their opinion if they say 'yes' or wait for someone 'else.'

 

[steveadl]

Dazz, you say you don;t care wher epple come from as long as they pay the bills. MY point & Pushka's (I think) was that others DO care where people come from even if they can & do pay the bills.

Of course if they pay their rent and treat the place well, I wouldn't have a problem either. The problem is amongst some races, these sorts of tenants will be few and far between, and you won't know that until it's too late. So why take a chance when you know there's a much higher than average chance there will be trouble with one group over another?

 

[jaycee]

From memory i think i burst out laughing and continued on with my inspection... definately never painted it.

Love the liquid paper idea!

And he wanted thsi done what ? before he would promise to pay his rent on time - geeeez

Just visted my tenatn the other w/end - dropped of an exhaust fan for the bathroom as the other stopped working, he offered to install it as he;s an electrician, I made the pint of mentioning "if that was still ok" when I dropped it off - yeah no dramas...

I looked at the badly weather beaten front door whose paint if quite faded & starting to peel a little bit, I menitoned it but also that atm I am a bit buys with some other personal health issues which will see me out of action for a bit... No big deal mate, it's just paint....

Some pple are just dreamers... Imagine if your tenant got a hotel room & the ribbon over the toilet bowl wasn;t straight

 

[jaycee]

In your example Jaycee, I would dismiss one group out of hand - not worth finding out if they happen to be the few good apples amongst a bad barrel. The other applicants would be checked by my PM's, and I would trust their opinion if they say 'yes' or wait for someone 'else.'

Perhaps you misssed my example... In my example it was blantanlty obvious that I was just as bad if as the aboriginals, you could see it plainly... You'd still give me a go ?

or perhaps you didn;t miss it

 

[Witzl]

jee, some people get their knickers in a twist pretty easily....

To Pushka, jaycee, and to anyone who has got offended by this thread:
Do you really think people here are trying to discriminate people by race simply to offend you? Comon, really.

If you want some real racial discrimination, go back in time to the 1950s, and speak to any italian/german/greek/other immigrant. Todays world of "political correctness" and the cries of "racial hate" are nothing compared to what the post WW2 immigrants endured upon entering this country - but you never hear them complain do you?


If someone wants to incorrectly read into what I've written here and take offense, then they are the lesser person for doing so.
This is my opinion, and my opinion only.

 

[ermen]

.

For those who think this is a stupid thread I think its perfectly legitimate. I'm just trying to get a sensing of what people's (prop investors) attitudes are and as you can read from the discussion.. it's pretty interesting..

Why i brought it up was because me and my wife were rejected for two places (single lofts) in a mainly white-australian (that's what I think) area surry hills and woolloomooloo (ranging from $450-$510 pw). Now IMHO i would think that my application was pretty strong... stable professional white collar workers, owns 2 IPs and always paid rent on time. Alas, we did not get both places. A qualifier though was there were a lot of applications for both places (now for those who don't think there is a rental shortage in Sydney... go attend a rental inspection...) and my wife thought that they didn't pick us because we were not white. I didn't think it was fully the case but more so if they had 2 similar applications, it may be the tipping point.

Oh well... but all is good now though... managed to get somewhere in Pyrmont for a cheaper price as well... though I must say the other 2 places were much nicer and i would've prefered them!

But an interesting thread nonetheless...

 

[steveadl]

Perhaps you misssed my example... In my example it was blantanlty obvious that I was just as bad if as the aboriginals, you could see it plainly... You'd still give me a go ?

or perhaps you didn;t miss it

In my example - the aboriginal applicants would'nt have been interviewed in the first place, yes this I'll grant you. This is due to my experience seeing what they have done to houses. By no means am I saying they all do that, but a vast number do - enough for me not to even let my PM's deal with their applications. If you like, I can show you photos of 50 Aboriginal Housing Authority houses (incl. one in the street behind me) vs 50 Housing Trust Houses, and I can guarantee you which one's will appear worse. I can also describe how I've seen Aboriginal families that have completely ripped apart houses, even tearing down doors to use as firewood.

Why on earth would I knowingly take the chance of this happening to one of my properties?

Then, following on with your example - my PM may well have interviewed you, but I would fully expect them to reject you, and I would choose to leave the property vacant rather than letting to a clearly poor candidate as you described. Race may get you in the front door of my PM, but it won't get you into my property if the application is as poor as you described.

 

[wylie]

Last time we advertised, we had BIG islander chap inspect the house. He had a good job and offered references. He needed somewhere NOW because he and his wife and four little kids were staying with relatives, and he said there were problems with that arrangement.

When we said we would get back to him and that we had others also wanting the house, I caught his eye and got the distinct impression that he was thinking we would not take him because of his race.

I actually felt really bad about it, but the truth was that with a smallish queensland with only one combined lounge/dining room and a small front verandah which couldn't be used in winter as it is not enclosed, the thought of this big chap and his wife and four littlies in three bedrooms was just too much potential wear and tear.

It had nothing to do with his race, but I feel quite sure he thought that is why we didn't take him.