Ken, I've never figured out why people so often take the toilet paper and light bulbs. And, these are really nice houses.
When a new tenant comes in, everything works and everything is clean. There are fresh rolls of TP, a new roll of paper towels, all light bulbs work and the lawn is freshly mowed and edged. I have started deducting the cost of TP and bulbs from deposits when people move out. If it needs mowing and edging, I also deduct that.
When they move in, we do a walk through and I note every potential issue. I even open the oven to show that it is clean. I tell them that I deduct cleaning expenses, if needed, from their deposit when they move. Want a cat or dog? Put up an extra $1,000 pet deposit per animal. I have learned the hard way.
Most of the renters that I have dealt with are living "hand to mouth". When they lose their job, I try to work with them. I do not enjoy conflict and I understand that these things happen.
However, when somebody tells me that their Grandmother in North Carolina died and they had to use the rent $ to go to the funeral, I go from zero to sixty in a heckuva hurry. That's when they find a new place to live or come up with the rent in 3 days. I've heard that story too many times.
