Is landlord heartless?

[pickle pickle]

I read an article in the hearld sun about a tenant kicking out the tenants because of late rent. The main income earner died. In my opinion the article was suggesting the kids should be able to live in the property for 30 days rent free. Reading the responses to the article many people agreed with this.

I feel sorry for the landlord. The landlord has been portyed at heartless in a major newspaper. I don't think it's fair that the landlord must forgo rent.

 

[murph14]

This is highly subjective turf.

The landlord is entitled to their rent. That’s the bottom line. But how you feel if you put yourself in their shoes is the decisive factor. Maybe you feel compelled to help out and it is your job to help out people in these situations. Or maybe you feel that everyone has to overcome adversity in life and this time it’s their turn. It all comes down to the individual.

I heard of an elderly gentleman who had a lease in a shopping centre. He was diagnosed with cancer and pleaded with his landlord to let him off so he could focus on recovering. They wholly refused and there was nothing he could do, except have his wife go in each morning to open up and run the shop all day while he went through chemo, etc. He did survive, and good on him!

The newspapers will side with whoever they think the public sides with – in this case, the tenant who due to tragic circumstances cannot pay the rent to the greedy, rich and now heartless landlord. They sensationalise it and make it a big of a deal as possible because being materialistic is simply unacceptable. Why do they do that? I think it comes back to their profits. Hypocrisy much!

So the landlord is heartless. The landlord is not heartless. Grass can be green or yellow (or you could go crazy and splash paint all over it and turn it any colour you want. Not sure what my point is here – it’s late, bed time).

 

[kathryn d]

I assume there was a bond the LL could take the rental arrears from.

If not, I would also assume there would be assistance this family would be entitled to from Social Assistance.

Either way, it is not the LL's problem. I'm sure his mortgage lender doesn't care.

 

[Dazz]

It's a contract - there is no heart, there are no feelings, there are no emotions.

The biggest trouble with residential is everyone wants to turn a contract clause into a feeling. The tribunal administering the Act just lerve to ignore contract clauses and turn on the emotional tap.....

Best thing is, they get away with it, the Tenant's know it and so they lay it on thick. Guilt trip is laid on and eventually the weaker Landlords buckle.


I can assure you all of the newspapers and TV stations are ruthless when it comes to their own contracts and contract negotiations. I've come up against a certain media proprietor twice now in my career over property matters and been soundly beaten twice. He understands and abides and enforces contract clauses very well.


All of his underlings, 8 layers down, who write and make these journalistic twaddles, have no idea themselves and therefore lay it on thick.


Rest assured, when the big media companies are owed a debt, they enforce it well.

 

[Melbournian]

when i used to go out with this girl, and then she became my tenant. ... many times the rent was late and i kept no increases due to us knowing each other but after one year with other issues. i just said time to go.

many ppl manipulate you with situations. Gotto be smart and know they are ppl out there who do this sort of thing. I don't mind helping out others who are in need but not free handouts to everyone i know.

 

[RumpledElf]

Dazz makes commercial real estate so appealing

 

[skater]

While I might feel sorry for the family if this kind of thing happened, why should I (as a landlord) have to foot the bill for someone else's tragedy. I still have my bills to pay, and if it were a large corporate that money was owed to, there would be none of this pull at the heart strings.

Ask yourself this: If the tenant owed money to one of the banks, their phone provider, their insurance company, their finance company, or any other faceless company/institution, would the debt be forgiven? NO, it wouldn't! So why should the Landlord be painted as the "greedy landlord" or in this case "heartless"?

The tenant has entered into a contract and rental arrears should be treated like any other kind of arrears, no matter the circumstances. You (as a landlord) are not a charity. You should not have to feel pressure to "do the right thing" when something beyond your control happens to a tenant or their family. Owning rental properties is a Business, and you should treat it as such.

 

[our obsession]

Personally, speaking only for myself, (not other landlord/property owners), if a family was suffering hardship in one of my properties--> in a case of children (and the adult remaining) had just lost their spouse/parent I would want to 'offer' help in any which way I could. If it meant some free rent, I would be glad to help out. Least I could do.

 

[Goofy]

That article made me so mad that the RE Agent was the a'hole because they were taking the tenants to VCAT and evicting them.... what are they supposed to do just let them stay on without paying rent? The RE has to follow the correct procedure according to the RTA which is taking the matter to VCAT.

I feel for the tenants, but who is to say that the 'nasty' landlord can afford to cover the rent as it is? It may seem heartless, but as the article said the RE agent put them in contact with the Salvos and other organisations to assist them. The government can also provide emergency rental assistance as well, so there are avenues the tenants can take to assist them during this most difficult time and the owner is also not being forced to cover something that he/she simply may not be able to afford.

 

[skater]

Personally, speaking only for myself, (not other landlord/property owners), if a family was suffering hardship in one of my properties--> in a case of children (and the adult remaining) had just lost their spouse/parent I would want to 'offer' help in any which way I could. If it meant some free rent, I would be glad to help out. Least I could do.

OO, I applaud you for your selflessness. What I personally object to, however, is that there is a culture that it is expected that all landlords do this and that all landlords are rich. That you are branded "greedy" if you don't. That the tenants (or their family/friends) may call the media to do an expose on someone simply going about their business. How many times have you seen this kind of thing on shows like Today Tonight? I have never once seen a good news story about a philanthropic landlord who has helped out their tenant who has fallen on hard times when I know that there are some that have done exactly that.

I suppose really it is a personal choice but I do have a huge problem with people expecting that the landlord will foot the bill. If the landlord does choose to do it, then that is their choice (and kudos to them), but it should be accepted that the landlord does have a choice and that they not be condemned for not footing the bill.

Things are not always black & white. A landlord may have their own issues, they should not be made to feel guilty and to explain why they have made a certain choice, whether they have made it due to their own financial situation or whether it is just "business".

 

[Dazz]

if a family was suffering hardship in one of my properties--> in a case of children (and the adult remaining) had just lost their spouse/parent

......therein lies the solution to this "heartless" problem.

Never purchase a property that attracts families.
Never purchase a property that attracts children.
Never purchase a property that attracts spouses or parents.

....and above all,

Never allow women or even worse babies into your properties.

This my Landlording colleagues, is the key to removing all emotion from your rental income stream.

 

[Sez]

As Goofy said, there is a process laid out in the RTA for exactly this situation. The agent was doing their job and also referring the tenants to organisations which could help them if they needed it. The landlord is not heartless, simply following the rules which the legislation has laid out for them.

I've seen a case where the husband had cancer, the tenants were terribly in arrears why he was ill and he did eventually pass away. The landlord did everything possible to help the tenants, allowing them time in the property, letting the rent arrears accrue and the situation just got worse and worse. The landlord gave all these extra chances AGAINST the agents advice. The tenant took advantage of this and never paid off the rent owing, left the place terribly and moved in with one of her kids.

There is a reason the process is there and I think that it should be followed despite how 'heartless' the media will make the matter seem.

 

[rugrat]

When my FIL passed away from cancer, we were given 1 week by the Dept of housing to emove all his stuff from the housing commision unit he lived in. It isn't 'nice' to have to move on with things so quickly, but that is all a part and parcel of dealing with the passing of a loved one. I can feel sympathy for the tenants situation, but it doesn't mean the LL should be the one to give them a free ride. If they need support and help, there are organisations like the salvo's out there who can give it to them.

If my Tenants suffered a similar circumstance, I would have no choice but to evict them straight away - because I NEED the rent to pay the mortgage, and I have my own personal drama's going on at the moment, I cann't afford to fund someonw elses.

 

[our obsession]

...that there is a culture that it is expected that all landlords do this and that all landlords are rich. That you are branded "greedy" if you don't.

I think we can have 'cultures of attitudes' on so many things Skater, (there are other cultures of attitudes that grieve me the same way)...I'm not sure if it just works through it's own changes, or pressure and protest does help. At the end of my day I answer to my own conscience, (as you can only do to yours), we are all walking to our own drummers.

I get called 'more names here' on this forum than (anywhere) eg in the street, or dealing with people in real life, business, vocation, or investing..etc. In fact the only place I've ever been labelled!!

I'm still learning on all this, (life I mean).

 

[locko24]

......therein lies the solution to this "heartless" problem.

Never purchase a property that attracts families.
Never purchase a property that attracts children.
Never purchase a property that attracts spouses or parents.

....and above all,

Never allow women or even worse babies into your properties.

This my Landlording colleagues, is the key to removing all emotion from your rental income stream.

Too true!
In fact, the next place i build will be devoid of doors and windows. That should keep everyone out.

Only problem left, is who to rent it to...

 

[handyandy]

And off course the undertakers should bury the deceased for free.

Following up on the newspaper point - see how much they charge to list a death notice.

Cheers

 

[skater]

I think we can have 'cultures of attitudes' on so many things Skater, (there are other cultures of attitudes that grieve me the same way)...I'm not sure if it just works through it's own changes, or pressure and protest does help. At the end of my day I answer to my own conscience, (as you can only do to yours), we are all walking to our own drummers.

I get called 'more names here' on this forum than (anywhere) eg in the street, or dealing with people in real life, business, vocation, or investing..etc. In fact the only place I've ever been labelled!!

I'm still learning on all this, (life I mean).

I'm a little confused. I was not having a go at your choices at all, and I'm really sorry if it sounded like I was. We are all entitled to our own opinions and choices and I truely do applaud you in your view on this subject.

I was just venting that many (mainly the media & some tenants) feel that the landlord should subsidise the tenant, and if they don't, then they are somehow subhuman.

 

[Peter_Tersteeg]

If it's your own home and the main income earner dies, the bank will still want the mortgage to be paid. They'll try be nice about it, try help you through it, but ulitmately if the surviving family doesn't pay the mortgage, the bank will reposes the property.

People do have options to protect themselves from bad stuff happening. Life insurance, income protection, trauma, TPD, etc. If tenants don't have the foresight to potect themselves, it shouldn't fall to the landlord to do if for them.

 

[Aaron Sice]

if someone died on my tenant list, i'd give them 30 days free.

why? i dunno - maybe because someone just died and money aside, let them grieve.

they should have insurance - in fact, it should be law IMPO (like in France) but it's not and until it is, it's all discretionary.

 

[our obsession]

I'm a little confused. I was not having a go at your choices at all, and I'm really sorry if it sounded like I was. We are all entitled to our own opinions and choices and I truely do applaud you in your view on this subject.

I was just venting that many (mainly the media & some tenants) feel that the landlord should subsidise the tenant, and if they don't, then they are somehow subhuman.

..and that is the spirit I understood your point, (generalising about 'evil/heartless' landlords). You just got me contemplating about the 'culture of attitudes' toward many aspects of us, businesswise, class, gender, race, religion, politics etc...

I merely had an 'associative thought' moment going on.

I'm very comfortable to talk with you, listen to you, you have 'been there-done that' in investing. I always listen very closely to the Skaters. No apology necessary, definitely no applauds, it's just a personal thing. I inwardly debated on posting 'how I would react'...being a very personal response, but it's nice to get a broader spectrum of responses on some hypotheticals.