Contracts aren't for the good times. Can we be clear about that? When all is going well, agreements are forgotten. It is the times when the poop is hitting the fan that contracts are used.
I've been reading the lease agreement in place by my seller client and their tenants. Oh dear. Basics such as complete dates are missing. Also, there is no indication the lease is valid, as it was signed in 2017 and indicated it went until "Nov. '19." Therefore, by the words on the page everyone signed, it is a month-to-month contract.
The "additional occupants" are listed as the pets--though the section underneath says no pets allowed. I bet when this was written (by someone other than me), all the parties had a laugh over that part.
There is no security deposit. Sales tax has not been paid by the tenant, so the owner has been coughing this up. Also, per the lease, the property is supposed to be maintained and kept in a reasonable manor according to health and safety conventions. The tenants have already announced they are "too old" to clean. Yep. This will be fun.
I'm told the tenants aren't terribly cooperative and things are a wee bit tense between the owners and the tenants at this moment. The tenants don't want to clean or allow showings. Unfortunately, the lease states those items are grounds for eviction.
Tomorrow, I'm hauling my optimistic self across town and meeting with these folks, trying to convince them they want to cooperate--because the other choice is a 30 day notice to vacate. Because that's what the lease says. The tenants are North of 80, with a meager income and questionable health. The owner doesn't want to put them out on the street any more than I want to quote the contract that is in place to them. Hopefully we can find some common ground.
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