Do you ever miss your old tenants?

[Bearded Man]

One of my rentals, the very first one decided not to renew since they are moving in with family after a divorce on the other side of the family. They really liked me and I really liked them. It was "only" two years, but I still am going to miss them. I don't know if it's because I liked them as a family or because this is my first rental that's vacating.

Maybe it's because they are the first chapter in my land lording journey and now that they are vacating, I will always judge every future tenant by them. Then again, perhaps it's because this was my first try at it and it went well and I will forever reminisce about this. Or maybe it's because I saw this late 20's couple grow in the last two years and they were talking about even buying a house.

[arebelspy]

It's a business. 

Yes, you can like them. Yes, when new tenants are paying late you may be nostalgic for the ones that always paid early.

But ultimately... it's a business.

[Another Reader]

Only when they are replaced by a less awesome tenant.

I have several tenants that have been in their houses for longer than 10 years.  The kids have grown up, the puppy has passed on.  They are good people, our conversations are friendly, but it's a business relationship.

[monarda]

We've had a lot of tenants in the past 14 years and developed a friendly business relationship with many of them.  But, there was really only one truly outstanding one, and we still keep in touch with her through Facebook. Like you, she was the one who came with the house when we bought it.  There's a couple who have been renting from us for five years who will be leaving the state next month. I think we'll also miss them. We've had other long-term tenants we don't miss so much. We've had short term tenants who have cooked dinner for us.

It's a business.  Humanity is at the root of it, though. How much we miss particular tenants is related to the type and frequency of communication we had with them over the years.
 

[kathrynd]

One of my rentals, the very first one decided not to renew since they are moving in with family after a divorce on the other side of the family. They really liked me and I really liked them. It was "only" two years, but I still am going to miss them. I don't know if it's because I liked them as a family or because this is my first rental that's vacating.

Maybe it's because they are the first chapter in my land lording journey and now that they are vacating, I will always judge every future tenant by them. Then again, perhaps it's because this was my first try at it and it went well and I will forever reminisce about this. Or maybe it's because I saw this late 20's couple grow in the last two years and they were talking about even buying a house.

Depending on the condition of the rental when they leave....your feelings may change.

Most of our tenants (40 rentals) think that paying the last month rent is optional, and love to leave all their garbage and unwanted furniture for us to dispose is acceptable....and  they never clean their fridge and stove...or  anything else, that the next tenant would consider acceptable.

[arebelspy]

You may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

[kathrynd]

You may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

no, it is this way for all landlords who have any amount of rentals.

The problem is, tenants think that lease isn't really a contract.

Tenants are tenants,mostly  because they have ruined their credit to the point, where they cannot buy a house.
Even on minimum wage here, they could buy a house. (min wage is $10.50)
Buying is cheaper than renting here.

[2Birds1Stone]

Kathryn, maybe this is true where you live. Here most people who Rent are just smart enough not to buy. =D

[arebelspy]

You may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

no, it is this way for all landlords who have any amount of rentals.

I disagree.  I have "any amount" of rentals, and I don't have tenants who think paying the last month's rent is optional, and the tenant who leaves stuff behind is quite rare.  It happens, yes, but not at the frequency you claim.  And they almost always clean, as well, or they lose their security deposit (or part of it).  I did have tenants just move out who hadn't cleaned the house, and had a few hundred deducted to cover that--they knew they wouldn't have time (big move out of state), and told me ahead of time.

The problem is, tenants think that lease isn't really a contract.

Tenants are tenants,mostly  because they have ruined their credit to the point, where they cannot buy a house.
Even on minimum wage here, they could buy a house. (min wage is $10.50)
Buying is cheaper than renting here.

Again, you may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

[Bearded Man]

You may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

no, it is this way for all landlords who have any amount of rentals.

The problem is, tenants think that lease isn't really a contract.

Tenants are tenants,mostly  because they have ruined their credit to the point, where they cannot buy a house.
Even on minimum wage here, they could buy a house. (min wage is $10.50)
Buying is cheaper than renting here.

Where on Earth can you buy a house on minimum wage? Detroit? I magine you can buy a house for the price of a VCR there.

[catccc]

The problem is, tenants think that lease isn't really a contract.

Tenants are tenants,mostly  because they have ruined their credit to the point, where they cannot buy a house.
Even on minimum wage here, they could buy a house. (min wage is $10.50)
Buying is cheaper than renting here.

Again, you may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

I have to agree with arebelspy here. 

It irks me when people assume DH and I rent because we can't afford to do otherwise.  We have excellent credit and plenty of cash, we are tenants by choice.  DH and I have been renting for 8 years and each place we have left we have vacated in arguably better condition than when we arrived.  We take our lease agreements seriously.  At our first little place, I even called up our landlord upon finding out we were pregnant to inquire about the "max 2 persons" part of our lease.  (He was very happy for us and acted like it was silly of me to ask!) 

[catccc]

On a more related note, DH and I sometimes miss our old landlords.  We've been lucky to have good ones.

[kathrynd]

You may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

no, it is this way for all landlords who have any amount of rentals.

The problem is, tenants think that lease isn't really a contract.

Tenants are tenants,mostly  because they have ruined their credit to the point, where they cannot buy a house.
Even on minimum wage here, they could buy a house. (min wage is $10.50)
Buying is cheaper than renting here.

Where on Earth can you buy a house on minimum wage? Detroit? I magine you can buy a house for the price of a VCR there.

lots of houses in Nova Scotia , Canada .

[kathrynd]

The problem is, tenants think that lease isn't really a contract.

Tenants are tenants,mostly  because they have ruined their credit to the point, where they cannot buy a house.
Even on minimum wage here, they could buy a house. (min wage is $10.50)
Buying is cheaper than renting here.

Again, you may have a location/tenant quality problem kathrynd.

I have to agree with arebelspy here. 

It irks me when people assume DH and I rent because we can't afford to do otherwise.  We have excellent credit and plenty of cash, we are tenants by choice.  DH and I have been renting for 8 years and each place we have left we have vacated in arguably better condition than when we arrived.  We take our lease agreements seriously.  At our first little place, I even called up our landlord upon finding out we were pregnant to inquire about the "max 2 persons" part of our lease.  (He was very happy for us and acted like it was silly of me to ask!)

I can only speak for my own province.
We don't have any maximum of people in a unit, in our province.

In our area, (and I'm in contact with  a lot of landlords)even when a tenant thinks it is clean...it isn't clean enough to rent..without further cleaning.
They rarely give proper notice either...

[NoNonsenseLandlord]

I only miss them until I get the new tenants in and collected the first month's rent.

Anytime I have a vacancy, I miss the old tenants...