How to you handle tenants who just don't follow the rules? Maybe they leave trash around, or smoke where not permitted. How do you keep these rule-breakers in line?

Raise their rent. Nothing says you can't raise rents on individuals as you see fit. If need be, raise it until they leave. 1 bad apple CAN spoil the whole bunch.

Tell them that because of their constant rule breaking it costs more to police them and clean up after them. They get to pay the added cost.

The last one I had I got fed up with the constant arguing and issued a 10 day notice. The moved down the street -- on the fun side I saw his name on in the public sale add for that location this last week!

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Wayne
All American Self Storage
Palmdale, CA.
webmaster@all-americanselfstorage.com

I have found that the rule breakers are hard -- if not impossible to re-train.

It also sends a strong message to your other customers about acceptable behavior.

It's much easier to put them on notice and terminate if the negative behavior continues. I don't have alot of patience with those who think the rules don't apply to them.

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Aloha ke akua,
Stoho

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

Thanks for the insights. Funny and helpful.
And, I couldn't help but laugh at: "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
I'm gunna use that one on my kids when they're pummeling each other

[b]I have found that pretty much you get what you give so to speak. There are always going to be people that think because they pay for storage that they lease that little piece of land and can do whatever it is they choose to do. I am always nice and polite when trying to handle situations like these. But the bottom line there is only so far that niceness can get you, sometimes it's like the fast track, they mistake niceness for weakness and try to run over you. So on that note I first ask nicely for them to correct their actions, then if it continues I notify them in writing of what rules they have broken and what they need to do to comply to the rules, then if the behavior continues and the tenant is a slow pay, or no pay, there is always the option of lease termination. But I first try to get them to rectify their actions and comply to the rules.

It also helps to be 6'5" 255#.

I can pretty well sense the situation and how it's going to go prior to me correcting some bad behavior on my facility. Sometimes it is more effective to hit them hard and hit them fast rather than take the nicey-nice approach. I've caught a couple of tenants relieving themselves on adjacent unit doors, and believe me, they did not get a warm fuzzy from me..... I caught another tenant peeing inside my brand new $40,000 elevator and although I came down on him hard and fast, I didn't do nearly as much damage as a .99 cent zipper did when I barked at him.

By the way, we do have 2 state of the art public restrooms on the facility, so they had absolutely no reason other than disrespect to do what they did. They reaped what they sowed.

I run a tight ship and my customers know it. I am very nice and pleasant to work with IF you follow the rules and don't cause a nuisance. General rule: First time is a easy going verbal, 2nd is a little harder and meaner and 3rd time they screw up, they're gone. (10 day notice)

We had problems after taking over a property where the "inmates ran the asylum," in other words, the previous managers let the tenants do pretty much what they pleased. We constantly had tenants filling our dumpsters to the brim with old sofas, appliances, and junk that they brought into the property from home despite there being signs posted advising that the dumpsters were not for tenant use, and unauthorized use was subject to a $50 fine. Enough was enough, so we had one dumpster removed, and the other replaced by a locking type. It was pure joy to watch their faces when they realized their junk dumping days were over.

Still, it's been very frustrating that most tenants have the attitude that the rules don't apply to them. It carries over to the attitude that they can let their accounts run very delinquent, because they are not used to any action being taken against them. Anyone else encounter this attitude in their tenants? What did you do about it?

had that same situation here when we took over. It has taken us over two years, but WE ARE IN CHARGE NOW!!

I got so tired of "well, the other owners let us ______________ !"

They convinced everyone that they OWNED the place!!

We even had some that demanded to talk to the "other owners!" I don't know how many times I had to explain that they were just managers and they retired and moved away - one lady got me so pissed I gave her the old managers phone number and address!!!

Anyway - after getting everyone back on track with fees and sticking to the rules - we auctioned a few off and people found out we were serious.

We now have very few problems, but like anyplace you always get tenant the one that pushes your buttons.

Stick to the rules - know them inside and out and don't take no crap!

Good Luck.

__________________
Wayne
All American Self Storage
Palmdale, CA.
webmaster@all-americanselfstorage.com