Need Advice - Henderson,NV

Imagine you are new renters, not the old owners. If you were choosing to rent a house with a pool and it was stated in the contract that it would be your responsibility, then wouldn't you just clean the pool so you don't have a mosquito's haven of stale water and algea growing in your backyard? Take all the emotion out of the situation (easier said than done, I know) and do what needs to be done to get through the next six months with as little drama as possible. If you were going to be staying for an extended amount of time, I'd probably put up a fight about it, but it sounds like this guy probably won't budge anyway, and for a mere six months of pool cleaning it's just not worth arguing with the jerk.

This is over a pool?
No offense, but I wouldn't use it.
$100 per month for something in the backyard?
I wouldn't care if it was the fountain of youth....I'd just stay away from it and pocket the money.
I know you are in a tough situation. I have friends who went through this after the husband couldn't work for a while due to a health issue.
There was no option for them to stay in the house. The buyer wasn't nearly that generous.
It doesn't matter what this guy paid for the house. All that matters is that it isn't yours anymore. He can do what he wants. You can also find somewhere else to go which is a huge pain, I know, but you have that option.

Perhaps have him drain the pool and take the pool maintenance off the table until you vacate and then he can negotiate whatever he wants with the next owners or tenants. You can't swim in an empty pool and that way he will have no liability on his homeowner's insurance.
Pools are a huge liability when it comes to rentals. He has to make sure it's safe one way or the other and that will be an expense for him.
Landlords can call it an extra charge or just raise the rent.
It sucks, but it's how it works.

I hope you find another place soon.

I would make sure that you have a contract with this person. Seriously- it will protect you both and it sounds like he may be in the habit of "changing the rules" midstream.

I would say that your responsibility as a renter is to keep the place clean and in the same condition that he bought it in... no better or worse. If he schedules contractors to come do work or improvements, then maintain that work. As for "upkeep"... who mows the lawn, maintains the structure, etc... that should all be outlined in a contract.

Be smart about this b/c he has the upperhand and he knows it!

I'm confused -is he asking you to provide the pool maintenance or else pay an extra $100 for him to send someone to do it? What shape is the pool in right now? Is it covered for the winter? If it is, I simply wouldn't uncover it while I lived there. It should be fine over the next 6 months with a cover on it. If it's not, then you are going to have to sit down with him and discuss just leaving it alone and unswimmable during your lease. Is he wanting you to maintain the chemicals in it and pay for those?

OK -read your update -does the pool need repairs? If it does, I would leave it alone and not use it while living there -and therefore you won't have to pay for repairs. I would tell him that you simply cannot afford to pay for pool maintenance, repairs or anything of that nature. He bought the home at a foreclosure auction and you're the people who got foreclosed on, so he should have some clue that you don't have a bunch of money right now! Also, I could be way off base because I'm not sure where Henderson is, but isn't the LV area experiencing an enormous housing glut, foreclosure rate and vacancy issue? If you're in that market, he should be glad to have renters in there, because it's my understanding that it's even worse than Atlanta where there are scads of vacant homes, condos and lofts and people are having to rent VERY cheaply or just eat the cost of their empty rental property. If this applies to you, you may want to bring that up.

L.,

I'm so sorry you are in that situation. I can only imagine how hard it is for you & your family. If you already signed the lease I'm not sure how you would be able to get out of it. Maybe, you can negtiate a deal with them & maintain it yourself without having to pay the additional $100. However, if you have to pay it then I would just say to make the best out of the situation for the kiddos. They need you more than ever. SAVE SAVE SAVE over the next 6 months. God Bless!

A.
www.princesslashes.com

I am so sorry that you are in this situation... I hope you are able to save alot of money over the next few months so you can get out of there!

Unfortunately, it is still your responsibility to take care of the house, even as a renter. Clarify with the jerk whose responsibility it is to take care of the pool - you, or a maintenence company?

If it is you, since you have lived there, you are probably used to taking care of the pool anyway, so why not continue to do so and save the $100? Again, get it in writing EXACTLY what he wants you to do to take care of the pool so there won't be any surprises.

Hang in there- I hope the next six months go quickly for you!

Oop- just saw your SWH?
If he just dropped this on you, then go back to him with your ORIGINAL lease and point out that this is not part of the original agreement. You may have legal grounds here to work with. Sounds like he is messing with you. There may be some free/reduced legal services in your area. I highly recommend you look into it. What a jerk.

I feel for you going through the foreclosure process and I am sure it is plenty stressful. On top of that, if you know what he paid for the house and what it is worth, that has to be a hard pill to swallow. That being said...

I lease a house with a pool and the yard and pool maintenance are both my responsibility. If you don't want the pool maintenance, then maybe you can compromise,,,but if he thinks he can lease the house to someone else under the same terms he may not be concerned with whether you decide to stay or not. When I rented my house there were other houses with pools that had yard and pool maintenance included but the monthly rent for leasing was higher. I can do the maintenance myself and decided I would like the flexibility to decide if I wanted to do it myself or hire someone.

There are so many people who steal everything out of a property when it goes into foreclosure (A/C units, Water heaters, cabinets, appliances, etc) so they can sell it. You are a rare breed.
Rent your house, keep the pool up if you want to use it, don't if you don't.
I'm sorry you are going through this, I know how hard it is. God bless you and your family.

You signed a lease. What does the lease state? You need to follow the agreement. If it's not covered in the agreement, then get an addendum.

As far as him buying the house "as is", this has absolutely nothing to do with your situation.

Yes, you are responsible for keeping up the house. This should all be covered in your rental agreement.