Senior Aged Tenants, What You Need to Know

The statistics on how many seniors, aged 65+, are renters is staggering.  And those numbers are only getting larger as time goes on.

You might think that senior aged tenants are not really your market, but as time goes on, we bet you’ll be seeing a much higher number of this demographic as applicants.

This episode is all you need to know about what protections they have, what amenities they are looking for, and all the odds and ends landlords need to know about having this age group as tenants.

LINKS

👉 EP61: Fair Housing and Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s)

👉 Free Harvard University PDF: Housing America’s Older Adults

👉 Course on Seniors & Fair Housing: The Fair Housing Institute

Use CODE: YLR2024 for 15% off any course!

👉 Course Waitlist: From Marketing to Move In, Place Your Ideal Tenant
👉 Text Us a Question! Two ways: SMS text to 650-489-4447. OR

One way text only, you need to include your email for a response.

👉 Email us your questions! Stacie@YourLandlordResource.com, Kevin@YourLandlordResource.com
👉 Access all our Downloads (Forms and Docs)

👉 Please leave us a review of our podcast!

Apple Podcast or ITunes, go to the bottom of our main page (with logo) and click “Write a Review”.

Spotify, click the 5.0⭐ on the front of our podcast page.

👉 Want the podcast link emailed to you? Subscribe to our FREE newsletter! Check out a sample here

👉 Join our ...

Transcript

Stacie: 0:00

First and foremost, when someone puts in a request for a reasonable accommodation, whether it be for an ESA, a modification to your rental property or a live in aid, you cannot ask them why or what their disability is. Remember, disability is a protected class under the Fair Housing Act. So, when you're having a conversation with your tenant about the request, avoid any questions that could cause a Fair Housing complaint. You cannot ask them if they have a disability. If you can see they have a physical disability, you cannot ask them what it was caused from. But remember, as you do have the right to verify the need for the request, it is likely that the reason behind their need will come out during the verification process. As a landlord, your role is simply to inform and properly guide your tenant with the proper procedures on submitting their reasonable accommodation request.

1:02

Welcome to your Landlord Resource Podcast. Many moons ago, when I started as a landlord, I was as green as it gets. I may have had my real estate license, but I lacked confidence and the hands on experience needed when it came to dealing with tenants, leases, maintenance, and bookkeeping. After many failed attempts, fast forward to today, Kevin and I have doubled our doors and created an organized, professionally operated rental property business. Want to go from overwhelmed to confident? If you're an ambitious landlord or maybe one in the making, join us as we provide strategies and teach actionable steps to help you reach your goals and the lifestyle you desire, all while building a streamlined and profitable rental property business. This is your Landlord Resource Podcast.

Stacie: 1:51

Well, hello there, landlords. This is Stacie, one of the hosts of the Your Landlord Resource Podcast. I'm here with my co host Kevin, and today we're going to be discussing what it means to have senior age tenants in your rental properties.

Kevin: 2:05

Yeah. Hey everybody. And this one kind of hits close to home as both our parents and they rage in age from what, 84 to 96 have a sincere uptick in their needs. And some are physical assistance needs from grab bars in the shower and maintenance on their homes to needing to be living in single level properties because climbing stairs is, you know, just getting to be more challenging. Of course, as smart as our parents are, tech is becoming an issue too. And as most information is accessed, appointments made and communications done online, as well as most billing systems preferring electronic payments over the traditional way of sending in a check. Not to mention other limits we see coming down the pike, like no longer driving and increased management of medical and financial decisions. But I am very happy to say that we're not there yet. And that our parents are still, for the most part, managing most everything on their own.

Stacie: 3:04

Yeah, very lucky indeed. So here are some stats about senior households. Approximately 15 percent of rental households are headed by someone aged 65 or older with the average age of senior tenants being around 72 years old. That's much higher than I would have thought.

Kevin: 3:25

Yeah, me too actually.

Stacie: 3:28

It is felt that these statistics reflect the growing trend of older adults choosing to rent rather than own, often due to lifestyle changes, financial considerations, or the desire for lower maintenance living. So before I go into the pros and cons of renting to seniors, let me first discuss Fair Housing laws and the protections that most seniors qualify for. Now, this protection is not based solely on age.

Kevin: 3:57

Which is what I would have thought actually.

Stacie: 3:59

Right. And I think most people do as well. But no, many older Americans qualify for protections through other classifications of the Federal Housing Act. This particular law prohibits discrimination by landlords and real estate companies for race, gender, and gender identity, or color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability. And many seniors on some level are disabled. mean, it's no secret that as you age, many impairments are common, like hearing loss and vision loss and loss of mobility where they need to use a cane or a walker to get around. So, if you have a rental property and the entrance is located on the second level and there are several stairs that the tenant, regardless of age, needs to climb to get to their unit, you can't choose to not rent to them because you think the stairs will be too hard. That is the applicant's decision if the accommodation will work for them or not. If you suggest that they look for another unit that might be easier for them to enter, you can get slapped with a Fair Housing lawsuit, which I believe the first offense starts at$16,000. And the act of pointing out the stairs and their cane or walker, and then telling them a first floor unit is a safer option is considered steering and highly illegal. And I know it sounds crazy because you certainly don't want to have the tenant fall down those stairs and get injured or worse, but you can't say anything.

Kevin: 5:36

Yeah, you'd think you'd be looking out for their best interest, but that's a huge no no when it comes to tenant showings and screenings. And we will go into what you can do regarding safety issues in a minute. So, more housing laws seniors would be protected by would be, like Stacie mentioned, disabilities under Fair Housing. Which means that if they are disabled on any level, there are certain accommodations and modifications, being a reasonable ones, that landlords must make. This can include installing ramps, grab bars, or allowing service animals, even if the property has a no pet policy. Seniors are protected under HOPA or the Housing for Older Persons Law. This is the law that allows for exemptions to familial status protections for those communities that only house seniors, which can vary by ages from 55 or 62 and over. The ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, is another one. And where it usually only applies to public areas, this is something to consider if you have any amenities or areas that seniors may want to utilize. For example, in our sixplex, we have a large patio in the back that we have set up nice outdoor furniture and electric grill and a eating area. if we were to install a hot tub for our tenants to enjoy, and we had a senior age tenant or any tenant who is physically disabled, we would have to install one of those electric handicap chairs with the big arm, you know, that picks them up and carries them into the pool or hot tub.

Stacie: 7:13

Yeah, I'm sure you guys have seen those at the hotels. Never once have I ever seen it used, but I do understand the need.

Kevin: 7:19

Yeah, me too. I have yet to see one used either, but it's a kind of cool concept though, I think. But yes, if you own a large multi family complex or a building located within a large complex that might have amenities like a pool or gym or leasing office, then the ADA law would apply. And not that anyone who listens to us does actually own something that large, but the point is to understand now and also plan for someday if your goal is to grow and scale.

Stacie: 7:47

Yeah. Well, we're looking to buy our next sixplex or maybe even larger. So these are all things that we are learning now and having to know and understand as well. So that when we're doing our due diligence and seeing what is good with the building or complex and what may need to be done later, we can have a clear understanding of the scope of work, time and money that's going to be required at some point.

Kevin: 8:12

Exactly. I mean, we're talking to you today about these things because we are learning more about what it means to have senior tenants. We do have one in Idaho and we'll discuss him in a little bit, but it's important to know what needs might arise so we can be prepared. You see, hearing this information now, even though you may not need it now, will help cushion the blow of the unknown later down the line. And honestly, that goes with all of our podcasts. Okay, so let me finish up with the ADA law and we'll discuss service animals, not pets, not ESAs, service animals. These are animals that open doors, pick up a drop utensil, you know, stuff like that, that any disabled person is allowed to have one in your rental if they have a need for one. ESAs are not service animals. And if you want to know more about emotional support animals, check out episode 61 where we go into detail about that Fair Housing law. So the last thing I want to say about laws and legal protection for seniors is, as we say with most every episode, know your state and local landlord tenant laws. Many states and local jurisdictions have their own Fair Housing laws that offer additional protections beyond federal laws, like some states include age as a protected class or have a broader definition of disability.

Stacie: 9:36

Yeah, please please please get a good handle on where your state or local government might have more stringent laws. Especially over Fair Housing laws. Now, I do want to dive a little deeper into the reasonable accommodations that Kevin mentioned earlier. So landlords are required to provide reasonable accommodations, which means changes to your rules, policies, or services, as well as modifications, which would be physical changes to the rental property to enable tenants with disabilities to fully enjoy their homes. Examples of accommodations for seniors would be allowing a reserve parking space closer to their building for a tenant with mobility issues. Or adjusting rent payment schedules for tenants that are reliant on social security payments that don't come in before the 1st. This would also include accepting their rent payments by check if they're not capable of doing online payments. Examples of modifications would be installing grab bars in bathrooms or lowering kitchen cabinets for easier access. Removing carpet, and installing a hard flooring surface so that they can maneuver with their walker or their wheelchair or their cane easier. Installing better lighting so they can see better and installing handrails for any number of stairs that they might need to go up to get around at the property. Now again the wording is reasonable accommodation. It is our understanding and we have not dealt with this yet, so check to be sure, but if the tenant needs, say, like an elevator lift to get them to the second story of their unit, that is something that you can approve and be a part of the installation, but likely the tenant is going to have to cover the expense for it. We do know that there are some limits on the modifications that they can require to a private unit. And again, if this is a multifamily property with public space or common areas, then you could be on the hook for it under ADA laws. And lastly, document, document, document. As always in any procedure, ensure that every interaction and all the steps are thoroughly documented. Especially when it comes to someone who is protected by Fair Housing who is submitting a reasonable accommodation request. This can help you prevent delays in following through with the accommodation and any miscommunication between different members of your team. If there is a delay in the accommodation, having proper documentation will also help you give clear answers to the resident in case of questions or confrontations.

Kevin: 12:23

Yeah, that's for sure. Today's subject would be a good reason to have a real estate attorney in your back pocket or on your team. This allows you to have someone to lean on for really complex issues around compliance for those with disabilities. One more on protections for seniors is about evictions. There are certain laws under federal, state, and local laws, especially in subsidized housing or in areas like California and New York with rent control, or tenant protections. Some jurisdictions require landlords to provide a valid reason for eviction, which can provide additional security for senior tenants. Older tenants might be entitled to longer notice periods before evictions, recognizing their potentially limited ability to relocate quickly. And lastly, for the most part, most all states have some sort of law that requires a landlord to allow senior age tenants to break the lease if they need to relocate to a care facility or with a family member should they not be able to care properly for themselves. So again, our advice is to stay informed on Fair Housing and your state and local landlord laws, to make sure you are communicating very clearly with all tenants, not just senior age ones. This will allow you to have open lines of communication so you can understand their needs and be able to respond to accommodation requests promptly. And the last thing I want to say, what the FHA does not protect a senior from is if they pose a threat to the safety of themselves or someone else in the rental property. For instance, for people with memory loss, it is not uncommon for them to walk away and leave the stove on creating an opportunity for kitchen fires to happen. Sometimes people with dementia exhibit aggressive behavior and can feel threatening to the landlord or a neighbor. In cases such as these, a judge may deem the tenant exempt from protections through the Federal Housing Act.

Stacie: 14:23

All right. I want to switch gears here a little and where it is somewhat in line with the protections, when you have senior age tenants, you might at some time have to consider their use of a live in aid. So let's go over that and discuss what you need to know. First and foremost, when someone puts in a request for a reasonable accommodation, whether it be for an ESA, a modification to your rental property or a live in aid, you cannot ask them why or what their disability is. Remember, disability is a protected class under the Fair Housing Act. So, when you're having a conversation with your tenant about the request, avoid any questions that could cause a Fair Housing complaint. You cannot ask them if they have a disability. If you can see they have a physical disability, you cannot ask them what it was caused from. But remember, as you do have the right to verify the need for the request, it is likely that the reason behind their need will come out during the verification process. As a landlord, your role is simply to inform and properly guide your tenant with the proper procedures on submitting their reasonable accommodation request. And how do you do that? By making sure that your forms are complete and up to date. Now, you're not required to use a specific form. You can absolutely create your own. However, you must make sure that the questions that are asked on your reasonable accommodation request forms are direct and to the point. You do not want any open ended questions that could come back later and be a cause for a Fair Housing complaint. So for the need of a live in aid for seniors, you might have a form that has questions such as these. Does the resident require 24 hour care? How many hours a day does the resident require care? What services are needed to provide adequate care for the resident? Will the live in aid be permanent or a long term solution? And the last thing about reasonable accommodation forms that you need to know is that you may not need a form at all if your tenant has provided a letter from their medical professional that states the need.

Kevin: 16:37

Yeah, that's right. Much like an ESA letter. Well, not the fake ones, but just like with emotional support animals, a doctor can provide a letter stating the tenant has a need for this animal to help them with their mental health. And that letter eliminates the need for the request form, if all of your questions from your form are answered on the letter. And also much like for an ESA, which we discussed in episode 61, and is also linked in the show notes, is that as a landlord, you have the right to verify the need for this live in aid, and do a background check on this person who will now be living in your unit along with the tenant. And when I say a background check, this is not a financial check, as living aids are not on the lease as tenants and have no financial responsibility to the landlord while living there. What I mean is that you have the right to make sure they do not have a criminal background. And before you say, well, live in aides come from a service company and they do the background checks, right? Yes, they would, but you can also contact the agency that the caregiver works for, if applicable, to ask about licensing, insurance, or bonding. But live in aides are often a family member of the tenant, like the tenant's child or grandchild, who is moving in to assist them with day to day tasks like cooking, laundry, cleaning, and running errands. And this is 100 percent permitted as long as their need to be there can be verified by a medical professional. There is a chance that now, because someone will be moving in with your tenant, that they may need more space. If you are in a multifamily situation like we are, where you have units of different sizes within your complex, your tenant can request a larger unit if that space is available. And I want to touch on this briefly because we do not have a lot of experience with Section 8 or subsidized housing, but in these types of housing, live in aids do have special requirements that those in the private sector do not have to abide by. For instance, if a senior age tenant has a child who they want to move in to assist them, they cannot be put on the lease and their financial background cannot count towards the income that determines the Section 8 voucher amount. In Section 8, the live in aide has no right to the unit or the voucher and rents cannot be raised. For those tenants who are not Section 8 or a voucher household, the landlord can allow for the aide to join the lease and raise rents. Of course. they should be doing a very thorough background check, but to be honest, we do not recommend adding someone to a senior's lease unless it makes sense. But they absolutely can become a resident and landlords can raise the rent to accommodate for the additional wear and tear, that can be caused from this extra person now living in the unit.

Stacie: 19:33

And the reason we do not recommend adding a live in aid as a tenant is twofold. What if after a period of time that live in aid does not work out for the senior? They are a tenant now and have the same equal rights to the use of the unit as the original senior age tenant does. If that live in aid refuses to leave, that tenant now has, as do you as their landlord, a really messy situation to deal with. They are in essence roommates. And the other reason is, should that senior pass away at some point, that quote unquote live in aid now has the right to stay and live in the property. And for many states, you can move forward with the eviction should they become a problem tenant. But in tenant friendly states, getting them removed can be a major headache, a time suck, and a huge financial drain. So think long and hard and if possible, discuss these potential issues with your senior age tenant before allowing their live in aid to become a tenant on the lease. And a legal tenant as a resident is different than an occupant you guys. You can absolutely, and we do recommend, adding a live in aid as an authorized occupant. This way they have no financial rights to stay, they can be removed easily, and they have to follow all the rules as outlined in your lease. If there are any damages or lease violations that occur from the occupant, the legal tenant is responsible for payment and remedying the issue, not the occupant. Occupants have authorization to live in the unit with the tenant, but that's it. Think of it the same way as you would a young child of a tenant. Now that I've said all that, in some areas, live in caregivers and other live-in service workers do have limited rights. These rights cover the ability to stay after being fired or after their client dies. Living caregivers may be entitled to tenant rights, similar to those of subtenants if they pay rent or are given room and board as compensation. So we'll say it again, know your state and local landlord tenant laws before approving a live in aid to move in. Understand the ramifications, especially if they have the right to stay after their client passes away or if they're fired. And while requests for a live-in aide come mostly from senior living properties. Live in aid requests can happen at any property. About 40 million adults rely on live in caregivers for help with their daily needs, ranging from medical care to cooking and cleaning. So having a basic understanding about how to handle the situation is very important. So what happens when a live in aid is causing problems? What if you cover the cost for water, sewer, and trash, and which is common with many multifamily rental properties and the live in aid keeps watering the lawn for hours at a time every single day, raising your water bill. What if they cause a fire while cooking a meal for that tenant? What if you stop by after arranging a time to come by and do an inspection and the live in aid will not let you in? What if you suspect that they're not doing their job and caring properly for that tenant? You first have to start with talking to your legal leaseholder, the tenant, and if they have a power of attorney, you can speak with them. If they're coming from a service, you can call the service to discuss issues with them as they are the ones in charge of the work being performed. You technically cannot evict a live in aid unless they are signed on as a legal tenant. You'd have to evict the senior tenant and that's really tough to do.

Kevin: 23:19

Yeah, just as with any additional occupant, whether it's a significant other or a child of the tenant or even an ESA, getting rid of someone after they have authorization to live in your unit can be really hard to do. Again, if you find yourself in this position, find a good attorney that specializes in real estate law and can assist you or walk you through handling the situation. All right, let's move on. What are senior tenants looking for in a rental? This depends on how active they are. And I almost said how old they are, but honestly, age really doesn't matter. I mean, we've met seniors who are in their sixties or seventies and barely do anything. And we know seniors in their late eighties who have more energy and do more than we do at our age. First and foremost, they want a safe, secure, and comfortable space. Likely, they do not want stairs, but remember, as mentioned earlier, this is up to them to decide. But if your property is a multi family with multiple stories and it has an elevator, then a senior may feel more secure knowing they don't have to worry about falling down any stairs. Grab bars and handrails might also be something they prefer, and again, they can ask you for a reasonable accommodation to add these if they are not already available to them.

Stacie: 24:40

Let me jump in here a sec. When we sold our single family home, weren't handrails code for more than say like three steps?

Kevin: 24:49

I don't know how many steps required a handrail, but yeah, I know in California having a handrail is code. I mean, the new owner could have required us to install one on the side steps, but did not. Yeah.

Stacie: 25:02

I seem to remember that the contractor, when we did our remodel here in our personal home several years ago, stated that we should have a handrail for the two steps up to the dining room. So maybe it's, maybe it's any step that needs a handrail, but regardless, if you don't have a handrail and they ask for one, it may be code. So make sure whatever you install is proper code so it doesn't come back at you later.

Kevin: 25:25

I mean, didn't we have to install a handrail a few months ago on the steps, you know, going down to the basement in Sacramento?

Stacie: 25:32

We did, but that was for the new insurance carrier that we got.

Kevin: 25:36

I guess we are trying to say that handrails are likely a necessity regardless of whether you have seniors live in your rental or not. Okay, moving on. As we said, seniors who are mobile usually will stay in a rental until they can no longer take care of themselves. One thing that many seniors need at some point is wide hallways and doorways to accommodate a walker or maybe a wheelchair. Step free showers and lowered sinks are also a plus. So, some safety items that you should have regardless of the tenant's age is well lit entrances and common areas. Good lightings and hallways, entrances and parking areas reduce the risk of falls and enhanced security when they are coming and going. And I think this is where you doing your research about what amenities are near your rentals and proper marketing would pay off. But seniors are looking to be in close proximity to their healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and grocery stores. They also prefer to have an onsite manager that they can get a quick response from for maintenance requests or immediate needs. So where that is not really reality for many of you landlords, I think it's safe to say that quick, open, and good communication is really important to focus on, again, for any tenants, but especially for senior aged ones. Outdoor space where they can garden or sit and read or enjoy some fresh air is also something that senior tenants are looking forward to. In unit laundry or easy access to on site laundry are really preferred, as is ample storage. Remember, these are people with a lifetime of stuff. And some don't have much or live very simple lives, but I'd venture to say that it's more likely they will need somewhere to store their wares. And lastly, seniors really want to have accommodations for pets. Companionship is something that seniors need and in many instances, a pet is all they need to fulfill that. And yes, they can claim the pet is an ESA, but that is more hoops for seniors to jump through. So just by allowing pets is a big plus for them.

Stacie: 27:46

Yeah, absolutely. So we're not huge on allowing pets in our apartments, but in Idaho, we do have a senior who has a dog and he loves that little ball of fur and would likely be very lonely without it. So we do get it. Certain scenarios call for some give on your policies, you guys. I also wanted to point out that the accommodations Kevin mentioned are if you own a regular old rental property. We are not getting into amenities that would be needed or desired for senior living communities or assisted living homes. That is a pretty specialized and focused rental that we don't handle. But understanding and providing these amenities can not only attract senior tenants, but also foster a safe, comfortable, and engaging living environment that meets their specific needs. For you as landlords, these features can enhance tenant satisfaction and retention, contributing to a stable rental property experience. And we get it. Many landlords might think, oh man, I don't want to deal with handholding a senior citizen tenant. But there are a couple advantages to leasing to these aging tenants. For one, they do typically prefer longer leases and they tend to not move often or ever again. Because obviously it's a major upheaval in their day to day living and is likely more than they can handle. From our experience, seniors don't like change. Once they're comfortable in a home, they want to stay as long as they financially or medically can. Another advantage is that they tend to live a quiet lifestyle. So you're not going to have to deal with noise complaints from music or revving motors or anything like that. I will say they might be kind of sloppy or messy, but they really do keep to themselves. So we found this 40 page PDF all about housing seniors or quote unquote, housing aging adults. And it has a lot of really good information in it. It was created and published by Harvard university in 2023, so it's relatively up to date. But it essentially says that because we humans know so much more about health and are working to live better lives, that we're living much longer and living healthier now. It states the U S population of older adults defined as those at least 65 years old. That's you Kev. Is increasing at historical rates. Up 34 percent from 43 million in 2012 to 58 million in 2022. The Joint Center for Housing Studies, also known as The Center, projects the number of households headed by an adult age 80 and over will be more than double between 2021 and 2040 to 17 million people. In 2021 that number was around 8 million. It goes on to discuss how many seniors are tenants in single family homes, but that the number of seniors living in multifamily rental properties is rapidly increasing. Which is obvious that they need to live somewhere and most all new rental properties to the market are multifamily, not single family ones. And I certainly am not saying seniors are able to afford to move into these new beautiful apartment complexes, but as the younger generation who are seeking more of the amenities those complexes offer move into those, the smaller multifamily owners likely are going to see more senior age tenants applying. I kind of like to nerd out on that kind of information. So if you want to check it out, we're going to link it in the show notes for you. It's a direct link to the PDF. There's no need to sign up for anything.

Kevin: 31:35

Hey, it's not nerding out. I think it's kind of cool to look at all that information. And as rental property owners, regardless of the size of the property, we all need to know where the market is heading. And if those numbers about the senior demographic are on point, there might be some consideration in moving to rentals that can accommodate them. It could be quite lucrative if done correctly. So as we have mentioned, in our fourplex in Idaho, we have a senior age tenant in one of our downstairs units. His granddaughter lives with him and is on the lease as a tenant. I believe because she is also financially supporting this tenant as well. I will say that the unit needs some work, but it's tough to go in and do all this work when the tenant really doesn't want to leave. I mean the bedrooms and the hallway all have carpet and where we like carpet personally in our own home, carpet is a pain in rentals. Especially when it comes to senior age tenants and tripping or falling hazards. And like we also said, some people are just messy, and with pets, carpet stains are inevitable. But we do need to do some updates to his unit so he can function a little easier. Not because he is asking, but because it's the right thing to do.

Stacie: 32:51

I will say we have never had reports from the property manager about any issues with receiving rent on time or any noise complaints. And when each year, when it's time for their renewal, they resign even with an increase in rent. So that's always a nice thing. It did make me really sad though when his wife passed away last year.

Kevin: 33:14

Yeah that was sad, and to be honest because of course we like to acknowledge when something significant happens in our tenants lives but we were not made aware of the loss from our property manager until several months later. I mean we sent him a card, but we felt bad there was such a delay.

Stacie: 33:30

Yeah, I mean that's the hard part of of our property manager. I mean communication is not their strong suit back there.

Kevin: 33:36

Yeah, that's for sure. Okay, so the last thing we want to quickly talk about is what to do if a tenant passes away while living in your unit. The exact laws vary by state but the initial best practices are the same. Usually, you should have an emergency contact for each tenant. On our application we have a place to add two emergency contacts, and each year, with their renewal, we'll ask them to verify that the information is still correct. Now, if you discover the person's remains, you need to contact the authorities for proper removal, as well as the tenant's emergency contacts. It is of utmost importance to secure the property and lock all the windows and doors to prevent theft. I mean, it sounds horrible, but there are criminals who will monitor death notices and target the now unattended home.

Stacie: 34:28

Which is exactly what happened to my brother. It wasn't an official obituary or a death notice, but word of mouth that got to the wrong side of town.

Kevin: 34:36

Yeah. I mean, it was an awful mess they made too. They stole a bunch of his stuff and almost burned down the place with their stupidity. The securing of the home is not only for their belongings, but for the damage to your unit they can cause as well. Now you cannot just let anyone into the unit to gather the tenant's belongings. You have to first verify that the person you hand the unit keys to is the executor of the deceased estate or a court appointed representative. And before you can terminate the lease, you should have something written from this executor or representative. Often a death certificate will suffice. If no one steps up, I believe you have to hold the belongings for a certain period of time before getting rid of them. And you don't have to hold their belongings in the unit. You can store them in a storage unit or your garage or something for the proper amount of time. I know that Texas is 30 days while Florida is 60 days. But each state has a different timeframe for abandoned property of which this scenario would qualify.

Stacie: 35:42

Yeah. And I think we pretty much say this every single episode, but get to know your landlord tenant laws. This is all the stuff you need to be aware of. Cause you never know if a family member will come back later on and take you to court for dumping their mother's antique dressing table that, you know, ended up being a family heirloom. So one more thing that I want to say is that if you want to learn more about Fair Housing and seniors, the Fair Housing Institute has a course that you can get, uh, we will link the Fair Housing Institute in the show notes with a discount code for 15 percent off that course. We have taken it. It's a good, it's a good course. It's short, doesn't take long. But something that if you're interested you can check it out.

Kevin: 36:27

Yeah, I mean, they're a really good resource.

Stacie: 36:30

All right, you guys that's our show for today. For more information on housing seniors check out that PDF that we have linked and I believe you can find some good articles through ARP as well. We really appreciate you taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to all we have to say each week. If you like what you hear, subscribe to the podcast or give us a follow so you don't miss out on any episodes. If you really, really like what you hear would you do us a favor and leave us a kind review and maybe tell other landlords that you know all about us? We would be very grateful if you could. We'd like to stay in contact with you. So in the show notes, you can find links to all of our free downloads that we offer, ways to sign up for our free weekly newsletter, and the waiting list for our upcoming course on placing your ideal tenant, of which a significant portion of that course will be on tenant screening. There's also links to our social media accounts where we share very informative and detailed tips and tricks for landlords. So check those out. And that's about it. Thanks again. And until next time, you've got this landlords.