Totally inappropriate to contact the parent, emergency contact or not. If this was a 40-something would you be considering this route?
Do your due diligence (which it sounds like you have), give a final warning (and suggest taking the issue to his parents if he's communicative with you), and then move on to a collections agency. You have no idea what the father is like I what their family situation is. Moreso, you are renting to an adult which means you need to treat him as such. Not run to his parents. |
OP, I say this nicely. Stop asking for advice as the answer is clear. The father is listed as someone to call in the situation you are describing. So call. He may call his son and chew him out. He may apologize and send you a check (I would personally do both). But the longer you play this "what should I do game?" The more at fault you are for not getting paid. |
Except the father is listed as someone to call if rent isn't being paid. So easier to just call him since he's not getting anywhere with the tenant |
Is there a space to fill in on the rental app for this type of contact for "difficulty in meeting rent". I honestly have never heard of such a thing. Regardless, no way would I have put my parents down as that sort of contact. No way. But your tenant did this? |
OP I would call the dad and say that you're having trouble getting a hold of your tenant and that checks are bouncing- does the dad have another number to contact the tenant at? |
If your tenant gave you permission to call his parents..I would do it. But how odd. |
The tenants age makes no difference. He is over 18, an adult and signed the lease. If the agreement allows you to contact another party regarding rent then follow due process and contact that party. It doesn't matter that it is the father, and your only reason to call should be to state the facts - the rent is not being paid and they are the contact person to call in this situation. The End. |
I've been a renter for 20 years and I have never seen an application where it asked for the name of a person to call if I had trouble paying the rent. I'm familiar with leases that say they may require a parent to cosign, but I don't think I'd sign a lease that asked for permission to call my mother or father if I was behind on rent. |
This is why I don't rent to 20-somethings.
OP, there is a legal process for compelling a tenant to pay rent. You are not going to find another solution. Start the paperwork to sue the tenant in small claims court. |
Do this. |
Yes. Use the court system. |
Leave a message with the kid that you are calling Dad. See what happens. |
Of course he should call the father.
"Hi, this is your son's landlord. I'm calling because your name is listed on the rental agreement as someone to call if the rent isn't being paid. Unfortunately, your son hasn't paid the rent for two months and his latest check bounced. I'm not asking you for the money, but I am calling to ask for your help in contacting him, as he won't respond to my repeated calls. Could you contact your son and tell him to call me by Monday, or I am going to begin eviction proceedings and turn his debt over to a collection agency?" |
+1 |
I would call the father, since he is listed as the go-to person for rent problems. Many posters seem to have trouble with basic reading comprehension. Others don't seem to know the difference between a 40 year old and a 20 year old. Incredible. As a landlord, even if the father wasn't listed as a contact for the rent, I would still call him if I had the number somewhere - whatever it takes to get the rent! As a parent, I would like to know whether my children had trouble with the rent. Depending on circumstances, I might pay... or not. |