As a landlord, renting your house does suck

Re: “Renting your house sucks, that is if you can even find a place to rent” Column July 24

Dear Editor,

In response to Kimberley Massey’s article ‘Renting your house sucks . . .’ in the July 24 issue of the Rocky View Weekly, from the perspective of a landlord, Realtor and prior experience, renting your house does suck!

My most recent experience is when I returned in May from teaching in Costa Rica for three months, to a house that required four solid days of cleaning! And this was only after a three month period!

And – the tenant was a 50-something ex-nurse!

The place had not been vacuumed since I left in January, stains in the master bedroom that I have not been able to get out, washing machine almost ruined because the detergent had not been used as required and the machine shut down (and on and on – including using and taking of things that were off limits to the tenant).

Another example – a young professional couple with children and pets rented a house from my work associate (a Realtor).

My friend called me in a panic when the couple did the midnight move due to not being able to pay the rent.

I still cannot believe, although I saw with my own eyes, the horrific mess this couple left behind – dog poop all over the house, mounds of never-done laundry left behind in the garage, carpet stained beyond repair, dings in the walls, absolute filth in the stove, fridge, and bathrooms. Yet another example? Sure thing – as a Realtor, I went to list a house that had dirty scraggly cats walking around on the counters and table, dirty dishes stuffed in a dirty oven, and putrid unclean smells attempting to be covered up with Febreeze.

The scenarios that you describe in your article are all too true and happen every day in rental properties. The age, gender, education or occupation of the tenant does not matter.

When respect for oneself has deteriorated to the point where people are slovenly, respect for another’s property matters not.

Landlords are attempting to the best of their ability to weed through tenant prospects.

Three 20-somethings with a dog come with obvious questions and concerns.

On the other hand, who would have thought that I should have been more concerned when renting to a 50-something ex-nurse?

Yes, it’s true that “. . potential landlord assumes things about you based on the actions of tenants who came before you.”

Although seemingly unfair, this is how society works in every regard, including the legal system.

Obviously, not everyone falls into the ‘assumption must be correct from prior experience status quo,’ nonetheless, how else are we to gather statistics, information, opinion, experience?

And so, it all is as it is . . .

Gail Pittman