The Accidental Landlord

The housing slump has created a new breed of investors. There are many new landlords who couldn't sell their homes and needed/wanted to move. Because they they couldn't sell and instead of ruining their credit, they rented out their old home. Hence, the accidental landlord was born. There seems to be a mindset of accidental landlords I have met. They think, "This isn't too bad. After all, I am a few miles away. I can fix/mow/inspect whenever necessary."

One of the biggest mistakes accidental landlords seem to make is when they take on managing their home as a hobby. Sadly, they learn the hard way, nobody, I tell you, nobody, is going to love their former home as much as the accidental landlord does.

Tenants aren't going to prune the trees the way you did. Tenants might not wipe down the wall smudges as diligently as you did. The tenant's dog may not be as well behaved as the hamster you had. Essentially your tenants won't treat your cherished home like their own. They treat it like a temporary domicile. When the tenants move out, the landlord is appalled at the footprints on the ceiling. Who lives this way? They ask.

There are other issues directly related to this too. Accidental landlords like to check on their homes. Often. So, if something isn't quite right, they mention it. And though they may not mean to cause ill-will, the tenant doesn't take kindly to anyone nosing into their lives. I am not equating minor transgressions to significant damage. But the accidentally landlord doesn't really see much of a difference between a torn window screen and a hole in the roof.

Accidental landlords aren't very familiar with landlord-tenant laws either. I find that a great majority of professional tenants are. Tenants know in Arizona a landlord has to give a 48 hour written notice before entering the premises. When an accidental landlord just drops by to bring over air filters, the tenant may not be terribly friendly. They weren't expecting company. Even if the company is bringing something useful under the guise of checking out the place. The accidental landlords might get fussy because the tenants didn't invite them in. And, the tenant isn't under any obligation. Even if the accidental landlord is standing there looking like they have a bladder ready to burst.

I am finding right now, Accidental landlords have the best of intentions but the execution leaves something to be desired. Through their inexperience they tend to drive away decent tenants (AL: "Hey tenant, I see you let the rosebush die... I planted that for my wife on our fourth anniversary" T: "You have been married 35 years! It was dead when I moved in."). All the tenants want to do is be left alone to live their lives. All the accidental landlord wants is the tenant to babysit the home long enough for the market to pick up.