If you recently rented out a property only to find that your tenant ruined the place, you might be saying, “Help! My last tenant trashed my Stockton house!” Don’t worry, this guide will discuss all of your options.
Every landlord will have an experience with a tricky tenant. Some might be irresponsible when it comes to paying rent and others will constantly phone in service requests, but one of the worst things they can do is leave your home in ruins. It’s a surprisingly common problem, and it puts landlords in a tough spot. What can you when you find out you tenant trashed your Stockton home? Here are a few options:
Help! My Last Tenant Trashed My Stockton House!
Decide if It’s Worth Going After Them
Go ahead and assess the damage. Take pictures, record videos, and stock up on all of the evidence you can. If the damage is very severe, then going after the tenant for compensation might be worth it. If the damage is minor, it might be more work than it’s worth. That’s a common but unfortunate truth since phone calls and emails are often avoided, making legal action the only option.
Is it Worth Making Repairs?
Sometimes the damage can be fixed without blowing too much money. A few hours, a paint can, and some drywall might make everything look like new. On the other hand, if the damage is bad – and I mean really bad, like holes in the walls, missing toilets (yes that really happens), then it might be too expensive to repair yourself. You might just have to accept it as the cost of doing business, as unfair as it seems. We’ll explore what you can do in this scenario next.
Handymen are the Best Tenants
If you’re saying “Help! My last tenant trashed my Stockton house”, there’s a unique solution out there – try finding a handyman who will rent out your home. You can negotiate a discounted payment for rent if they agree to fix up the home while they live there. This can be a great option, free up your phone line from tenants calling for repairs, and when the handyman is ready to move out, you’ll have a home in great condition again.
Just Sell the House
If you’re ready to move on with your life, you can just sell the house and avoid future frustration. Of course, if you try to sell using a real estate agent or by listing it on the market, you’ll need to make substantial repairs first (and pay hefty commission fees). That’s why it might be best to sell it directly to a house buying company, like what we do at MCB Homes Inc. (That’s right, we’ll buy it in as-in condition, and we’ll fix them up ourselves).
