Bad Renters: A Cautionary Tale

There are so many challenges being an expat living in Europe. I didn’t think renting a house would be one of them. When I left Minnesota in 2016, I rented out my house, first to family members who took loving care of it, and then to renters vetted by a local management company. I never expected bad renters.

RENTER NIGHTMARES

In 2017, three nice young men moved into the house with promises of taking great care of it. There were a few uh-oh moments on their watch. They neglected to remove a hose from the back of the house when winter set in, causing it to freeze. When my sump pump tried to push water out, it couldn’t. The result? A flooded basement and a burnt out sump pump. While they said things weren’t damaged, it was clear that was not the case. Some furniture stored in the basement was destroyed by the water.

And then, there was the problem with not clearing snow from the roof. I left an easy-to-use roof cleaning tool, but it may have been ignored judging by the ice dams that built up. The result of this little faux pas: nearly $3,000. I had to find a company to come out and steam the roof to clear it. Thank goodness for the Internet and the NextDoor app. I don’t know how else I would have a company to help. I’m lucky there wasn’t permanent damage.

The boys stay was shorter than expected when one decided to move out and the other two couldn’t afford the rent. I was taken by surprise by the move.

COVID COMPLICATIONS

I’d hoped to get back home during the transition to see if everything was okay and vet new tenants, but COVID happened. Belgium was in a complete lockdown. Boy, those were rough months. So, I had to trust the management company to find me new tenants. They found an older couple who also brought promises of caring for the house. They loved gardening, they said, and planned to upgrade my garden. It didn’t happen. They also took a number of liberties, which they were not allowed to do according to the lease.

What could renters possibly do to your home while you are gone? Well, they removed some plumbing in the bathroom, changed fixtures and actually cut holes in the venting from my furnace to create a homemade humidification system. Was I asked about any of this? No. Did they get permission from anyone? No. And I didn’t even notice the holes cut in the vents — which were covered with duct tape — until after funds from their deposit were returned. Being in Belgium, I had no idea what was going on. They paid the rent on time each month, so all was well, or so I thought.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

Well, they moved out in July and I returned home to quite a few surprises. First, the “adjustments” they made to my home and the disappearance of many of my belongings. They threw out my lawnmower and snow blower because they didn’t think they worked. The lawnmower just needed a new battery, and the snowblower is also tough to start on the first try of the season. With a helpful additive, it runs like a charm. Again, why didn’t they ask me or the management agency? I’ll ever know.

Some of the other surprises were noticed more quickly. Like more than $10,000 of items. Everything from my power tools and toaster to my leather sofa and camera equipment. The last renters actually admitted to taking my snow shoes and power tools, but didn’t return them when asked. To add insult to injury, these people actually asked for a rent discount because I was storing my things in the basement where they were not to be touched. That rule was ignored.

THE PROBLEM

Now, here is the dilemma. There were five people in my house during my absence, three of whom I never met. There is no way to prove when things disappeared or who took them. Of course, insurance wouldn’t cover anything, so I’m you-know-what. I can’t afford to replace things like my expensive camera equipment. Now that I am semi-retired, I just have to chalk it up to experience, a very bad experience.

FIND A GOOD RENTAL AGENCY AND LOCK THINGS UP!

For those of you thinking of renting out your home, find a responsible agency, one that will properly vet tenants and check on your house regularly, not just once a year. Check referrals and recommendations for any red flags. Also, don’t leave ANYTHING of value in your home. I was trusting and thought that people would leave my personal things alone, but there are dishonest people in the world. If you do leave things in the house, be sure you have a secure area, where you can lock things up and use an alarm. Insurance can cover losses when you do that. If it’s not locked up in a secure room, forget it. You are out of luck. Just like me.

MOVING ON

So, I decided to sell my house and move on with my live in Europe. I thought that would be easy, too, but those challenges are a story for another day. I’m looking forward to the day when I just have to deal with regular expat challenges, like the crazy citizen-based taxation that the US lovingly applies to those of us who leave our native soil. Maybe that will change someday, too.