Long distance landlord representative

[inquiringminds]

What is the name of your state?I own a house in Oregon which is rented out since I live in another state. The current tenant, who moved in Nov. 2004, has always been late with the rent (still waiting for April Rent) and has yet to pay the utilities. Since I am 2000+ miles away, can I "hire" a local manager or agent to take care of things such as filing eviction papers with the court, etc.?

'Lost' inquiringmind

 

[south]

Why not? You can have who ever you want look after your home.

What is the name of your state?I own a house in Oregon which is rented out since I live in another state. The current tenant, who moved in Nov. 2004, has always been late with the rent (still waiting for April Rent) and has yet to pay the utilities. Since I am 2000+ miles away, can I "hire" a local manager or agent to take care of things such as filing eviction papers with the court, etc.?

'Lost' inquiringmind

 

[nanaII]

If the utilities are in your name, have you thought of turning them off, or are they included in the rent with them reimbursing you?

 

[panzertanker]

What is the name of your state?I own a house in Oregon which is rented out since I live in another state. The current tenant, who moved in Nov. 2004, has always been late with the rent (still waiting for April Rent) and has yet to pay the utilities. Since I am 2000+ miles away, can I "hire" a local manager or agent to take care of things such as filing eviction papers with the court, etc.?

'Lost' inquiringmind

Look in the yellow pages, where your house is located, for "property management companies". You can hire them to manage the prperty which service CAN include: upkeep, rent collection and eviction.

 

[panzertanker]

If the utilities are in your name, have you thought of turning them off, or are they included in the rent with them reimbursing you?

And doing that will probably landyou in HOT water. Don't ever do something like that without checking the laws in the state your rental is in....

 

[inquiringminds]

The lease states the tenant is to put the utilities in his name. Last I talked to him he said he forgot and would do it first chance he got. A month or so later now and he still hasn't. I know better than to have the electric cut off as I've heard landlords who have had to pay BIG from doing that. Even though electric is not needed for heat or electric, it does essentially cut off the water supply, which one cannot do.

 

[longneck]

just for future reference, the place i just moved in to will not hand over the keys unless you arrange with the electric company to turn on the electric the day before you are scheduled to move in. there's a clause in the lease that allows them to cancel or change the start date if tenant doesn't get the electricity turned on.

you might want to add something like that to your next lease.