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Advice for tenants.

BEFORE moving into an apartment make sure you have an emergency fund in place. You should have AT LEAST 6 months salary saved up in case something bad happens. The more savings, the better. You won't need to worry about your credit going to hell or an eviction haunting you. This will give you plenty of time to get a job and insurance is also crazy to go without especially if you have kids. When you lived with family and/or friends you SHOULD have done this. It is very simple to do because the household members who all should have jobs or several jobs to share and pay bills. you have very little to pay and some families let you live with them for free. During this time SAVING should be you're top priority. Don't use this time to blow your entire paycheck every month on a bunch of nonsense that you don't need. Also cutting back on all luxery items, no air conditioning, no eating out, no cable, no trips to best buy/toys r us, no shopping for new clothes just use what you have, shop at the dollar store, turn off the cellphones/internet etc.... you can save big money. Use this time to go on a diet and get healthy, killing 2 birds with one stone.

I have dealt with several tenants who live paycheck to paycheck and had no insurance. They spend whatever they have and blow their income tax money as soon as they get that or any money they get period. It never occured to save the money for a rainy day. Then they tell me, "oh landlord you won't be getting the rent for a while because I need to buy christmas presents or I decided to quit my job or I need money to buy a truck" or some other excuse. Why don't people save during the year and plan for christmas presents or ask landlord if it's acceptable to quit their job? This is not the landlords problem. RENT is first priority and I tell them not paying rent is unacceptable before other things. These other things can wait and rent is due on the due date. I ask them why they have money for a cell phone and other items that aren't necessities and not for rent? This shuts them up real quick because the roof over their head should be TOP priority. I tell them that rent is due promptly and a 5 day notice will be given so they know you are serious and will evict promptly and not wait around to let them come up with the rent. You should put them on notice right when they move in because they know some landlords don't want to go to court because it's a hassle and costs money. Let them know right when they move in you will evict promptly and aren't afraid of eviction court. The laws are in tenants favor so action needs to be taken because it takes a long process to evict. I will not be chasing people down for the money owed because it's too hard to collect and the longer you wait the more money you will be out and it's impossible to collect these days. Many of these people are judgement proof and don't own anything. It's very hard to collect,just try it sometime. This is a business and landlords rely on their rental income to pay bills and feed kids. Imagine if you're employer said you won't be getting paid because they don't feel like paying. Most landlords would rather have their property empty than deal with the headache tenants that will cost them more money than it would if it were left empty.

Previous tenants lived with family, made 50-70 grand a year and saved no money the entire time and took advantage of family until their own family gets fed up. I am just shocked at the people living paycheck to paycheck and don't have money for rent. One guy was a trucker and made 80,000. many people on social security and public aid could find work or do things to make money if they tried to tackle their debt or start paying their debt even 20 bucks a week from their social security check to make any attempt to get rid of debt. many are overweight, have cell phones, internet and cable. Instead of tackling their debt even 20 bucks a month by using the money from these non essentials they know they are judgement proof so they don't bother at all. they have no plans to and yet complain.