This was my year to learn about taking in long-term locals in a hardship case. It was a financial boon but I learned several rules to follow and require IF it were to ever happen again. Had I not been trying to be such a "nice guy" and help those in distress, I would have charged at least 50% on the second room - the insurance company probably would have paid it. I should have thrown them out with the first locked door!.
gillumhouse wrote:
This was my year to learn about taking in long-term locals in a hardship case. It was a financial boon but...
I'm interested in hearing more about this. In the last five years we've had first an ice storm and then flooding here. The ice storm cut power to thousands of people here for a couple of weeks. The flooding drove hundreds from their homes for a few months. Both events caused all the local hotels/motels to be full for a long period, with people who had money to pay a decent amount with their own resources and insurance.
So with the long-term folks, what sort of rates did you give (as a percent of regular rates)? Did you still include breakfast? Still do daily room cleaning? What about laundering their clothing? Anything you share could be an education for any of us who may face similar situations some time.
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So with the long-term folks, what sort of rates did you give (as a percent of regular rates)? Did you still include breakfast? Still do daily room cleaning? What about laundering their clothing? Anything you share could be an education for any of us who may face similar situations some time.
Woman & 2 sons lived in upstairs of Dad's house. Upstairs had a fire and they needed a place to live while the upstairs was repaired/replaced (Dad stayed home). Since she had 2 boys 14 & 19, I would not allow that in one room so I gave them the 2 rooms sharing a bath for the price of 1 room + tax (I was not going to fight with the tax man on it being a long term). Her Dad was here EVERY week with a check.
I made coffee every morning early so she had it before walking the 14 year old to the bus (to make sure he was on it). I asked what kind of cereal the boys wanted and bought a box of each - THEY did not eat it so I did! No breakfast. I changed sheets once a week and cleaned the bathroom. She took their laundry over to Dad's house.
Mistakes: Did not think about the phone extension in one of the rooms - if ever again, remove it. They will be required to have a cell phone as calls will NOT be taken on the house line. Kids friends came in - IF ever again, limited to the dining room, no upstairs except for the bathroom. At the end SHE brought a low-life to visit - again visitors in dining room only. The only other possible guest area is my office/Library and I have come to the conclusion that it should not be shared due to the stuff I have in there (computer, records, reports, etc). No one had a job so they were here ALL DAY ! They will be told there is to be NO answering of the phone. I now have call forwarding - did not then - so that would have eliminated some of the problem of her answering MY PHONE! Even AFTER I told her that phone was my business lifeline. The 14 yo was an attension getter and locked the room door - twice in such a way that the safety lock was on. I believe the first time was an accidental consequence of him slamiing it (we were not home) so hard the frame moved enough to let it engage. Problem was the fire escape window that I leave on latch had been messed with so one locked was locked and the other was as it should have been. Fortunately, the windowthat is usually locked had been unlocked and opened so the Fire Dept was able to come over with an extension ladder to get in the room. Otherwise we probably would have had to break the door. I showed the little sh** what he had done and ordered him to NEVER touch those locks. 1 AM Easter Sunday night, we get awakened by pounding on a door. Turns out to me Mom and the 19 yo trying to get the sh** to open the door (the room with only TV at the time). I crawl out the bathroom window only to discover it is raining and to be reminded that THIS porch roof has pitch. I managed to get to the window to find it is open and the TV on and the kid is supposedly sleeping (through that uh huh!). I yelled his name twice before he realized I was not on the other side of the door. (I did not climb in because I did not trust myself to not slap the crap out of him.) I gave them notice they had to be out May 1 as I had guest coming in. I was fotunate in this instance that they were the ONLY guests during that time - muddy boots on stairs, clompping up & down, outbursts from the kid, etc
The oily boot prints of the 19 yo on the area carpet in the room with a TV were the last straw for that carpet. I replaced itfor about $100 so I got off fairly lucky with stress on the house.
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