Terry has had some productive discussions with his tenants over the years.
If there is an issue, the Burnaby landlord brings up in a polite, non-confrontational manner because his goal is to just find a solution.
“We’re all just trying to get along, but some people have different ways of living and so you have to talk it out to reach a compromise,” Terry said. “But not everyone is receptive to this, no matter how kind you try to be.”
The landlord, who rents out several legal units in a South Burnaby home, learned this the hard way after approaching one of his tenants with some requests that he thought were reasonable.
One: no loud music after midnight.
Two: no major alterations to the basement suite without permission.
Three: no other people living in the home without permission.
“All of these items were set out in the lease agreement and so I met with this young man because he was violating all of them,” Terry said. “He removed part of cabinet for some reason and that’s just not acceptable.”
The tenant did not take it well, yelling at Terry to “f**k off” and to mind his own business.
“Well, it is my business,” Terry said.
Indeed, it is.
Terry stepped things up with an official letter reminding the tenant of the lease agreement. That’s when things really went off the rails. When it hit the first of the month, the tenant did not pay his rent and he ghosted Terry as the landlord attempted to get the renter to pay. Terry responded with a legal letter about non-payment of rent.
A few weeks later, Terry got a call saying that the door to the renter’s unit had been left open all night.
Terry dropped by and discovered that the renter had moved out without any warning.
“I walked in and my eyes immediately started to sting,” Terry said. “He had taken two cans of pepper spray or bear spray or whatever you call it and sprayed the entire place. it blinded me for an hour because I couldn't wash it out. My unit is furnished and this guy soaked in the pepper spray into the fabric and the carpets. Everything was ruined.”
Since then, Terry has been unable to find the “tenant from hell” in order to try and recoup the money he is owed, plus for new furniture and replacing the carpet.
“I don’t operate at a huge profit each month and so having to spend this much money hurts,” Terry said. “The entire thing made me want to just sell my place and never do this again.”
Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.
