OP here. Yes, the father is listed on the rental application -- but not the lease --as someone to contact in case the tenant has difficulty meeting the rent. I have been in very limited touch with the tenant. I call; he ignores me. He has bounced several checks, so I have asked him to send me certified checks only from now on. Despite this, he sent me a personal check yesterday, but when I went to cash it at the bank I was told that the funds were not there. I'm posting on this forum because I'm curious to hear from parents of older children: How would you react to a call from the landlord? I am not planning to ask the father for money (I agree that I can't do that since he is not on the lease). But he is listed on the rental application as someone to call about rent, and I am hoping vaguely that he might lean on his son.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what the legal answer is. But if a young person puts their parent down as an emergency contact and then proceeds to have trouble coming up with rent money because they are severely depressed, injured, deathly ill or whatever...the landlord doesn't know exactly what the problem is just that the kid isn't paying the rent...can the landlord be held responsible for not notifying the "emergency contact" if something bad happens to this kid?

I'm just thinking in terms of some of the suits brought against universities when the emergency contacts have not been notified.

FWiW, I was out on my own renting in my early 20's. I may(?) have put my parents down as an emergency contact, I don't remember. But I would have been MAD if my landlord had contacted them about my rent payment.

If OP has tried to contact the tenant through whatever means they have (phone , email, in person) about the late payments and cannot get a hold of tenant then it is fine to contact the emergency contact because there is actual reason to worry about the person. But the landlord can't be expected to be on top if the mental health of their tenants. That's a bit ridiculous

Plus, a university is far different than a landlord. OP needs to take the required steps of past due collection, and then head to a collections agency.

I agree.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what the legal answer is. But if a young person puts their parent down as an emergency contact and then proceeds to have trouble coming up with rent money because they are severely depressed, injured, deathly ill or whatever...the landlord doesn't know exactly what the problem is just that the kid isn't paying the rent...can the landlord be held responsible for not notifying the "emergency contact" if something bad happens to this kid?

I'm just thinking in terms of some of the suits brought against universities when the emergency contacts have not been notified.

FWiW, I was out on my own renting in my early 20's. I may(?) have put my parents down as an emergency contact, I don't remember. But I would have been MAD if my landlord had contacted them about my rent payment.

If OP has tried to contact the tenant through whatever means they have (phone , email, in person) about the late payments and cannot get a hold of tenant then it is fine to contact the emergency contact because there is actual reason to worry about the person. But the landlord can't be expected to be on top if the mental health of their tenants. That's a bit ridiculous

That seems right.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what the legal answer is. But if a young person puts their parent down as an emergency contact and then proceeds to have trouble coming up with rent money because they are severely depressed, injured, deathly ill or whatever...the landlord doesn't know exactly what the problem is just that the kid isn't paying the rent...can the landlord be held responsible for not notifying the "emergency contact" if something bad happens to this kid?

I'm just thinking in terms of some of the suits brought against universities when the emergency contacts have not been notified.

FWiW, I was out on my own renting in my early 20's. I may(?) have put my parents down as an emergency contact, I don't remember. But I would have been MAD if my landlord had contacted them about my rent payment.

If OP has tried to contact the tenant through whatever means they have (phone , email, in person) about the late payments and cannot get a hold of tenant then it is fine to contact the emergency contact because there is actual reason to worry about the person. But the landlord can't be expected to be on top if the mental health of their tenants. That's a bit ridiculous

Plus, a university is far different than a landlord. OP needs to take the required steps of past due collection, and then head to a collections agency.

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea what the legal answer is. But if a young person puts their parent down as an emergency contact and then proceeds to have trouble coming up with rent money because they are severely depressed, injured, deathly ill or whatever...the landlord doesn't know exactly what the problem is just that the kid isn't paying the rent...can the landlord be held responsible for not notifying the "emergency contact" if something bad happens to this kid?

I'm just thinking in terms of some of the suits brought against universities when the emergency contacts have not been notified.

FWiW, I was out on my own renting in my early 20's. I may(?) have put my parents down as an emergency contact, I don't remember. But I would have been MAD if my landlord had contacted them about my rent payment.

If OP has tried to contact the tenant through whatever means they have (phone , email, in person) about the late payments and cannot get a hold of tenant then it is fine to contact the emergency contact because there is actual reason to worry about the person. But the landlord can't be expected to be on top if the mental health of their tenants. That's a bit ridiculous

Anonymous wrote:Not a lawyer, but no way.

If your tenant was 45 and listed his brother as an emergency contact would you think it was ok to call about the rent?

Emergency contacts are for when you tenant becomes injured. Not to collect past due rent.

I agree with this.

Not a lawyer, but no way.

If your tenant was 45 and listed his brother as an emergency contact would you think it was ok to call about the rent?

Emergency contacts are for when you tenant becomes injured. Not to collect past due rent.

I have no idea what the legal answer is. But if a young person puts their parent down as an emergency contact and then proceeds to have trouble coming up with rent money because they are severely depressed, injured, deathly ill or whatever...the landlord doesn't know exactly what the problem is just that the kid isn't paying the rent...can the landlord be held responsible for not notifying the "emergency contact" if something bad happens to this kid?

I'm just thinking in terms of some of the suits brought against universities when the emergency contacts have not been notified.

FWiW, I was out on my own renting in my early 20's. I may(?) have put my parents down as an emergency contact, I don't remember. But I would have been MAD if my landlord had contacted them about my rent payment.

OP, in your other thread, you said the father was listed as someone to call if tenant doesn't pay rent. In this thread, you say he's listed as an emergency contact? Which is it?

Also in the week or whatever it has been since your last post, in what ways have you tried to get payment from tenant? Phone calls? Certified letters?

http://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/is-it-ok-for-landlord-to-call-family-members-and-t-782829.html

Is it ok for landlord to call family members and tell them you are late you rent
Asked about 2 years ago - Snellville, GA Flag
is it ok for a landlord to call family and tell them you are late on rent, isnt that the same as a creditor calling and harrassing family and friends and giving out personal information?


ATTORNEY ANSWERS (2)

Licensed in GA
Paula Jeanette Mcgill
Paula Mcgill
Landlord / Tenant Lawyer - Atlanta, GA
Contributor Level 17
4 Lawyers agree
1 Helpful vote
Answered 2 years ago. It all depends. Are any of the family members guarantors on the lease? If so, of course the landlord has the right to notify them of your delinquency. If they are not listed as guarantors, you might have a claim, for among other things, invasion of privacy.

I think this is illegal unless the father cosigned.

Yes call. I remember your previous thread about this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think it would be appropriate for his/her landlord to call you to inform you of that? (Assuming the adult child had listed you on the rental agreement as an emergency contact.)

Whether it's appropriate or not, if I were the landlord I would probably do what I could to get the rent before having to move forward with eviction proceedings. It's not easy to evict people.

OP here. I am the landlord. The tenant is moving out at the end of the month, but still owes for June and July. He has bounced several checks. His rental application lists his father as a contact, but the dad is a real estate lawyer, so I'm not sure if he will respond hostilely to my call. For what it's worth, I have been a fair landlord (responding to problems when they arise, etc.)

Anonymous wrote:Do you think it would be appropriate for his/her landlord to call you to inform you of that? (Assuming the adult child had listed you on the rental agreement as an emergency contact.)

Whether it's appropriate or not, if I were the landlord I would probably do what I could to get the rent before having to move forward with eviction proceedings. It's not easy to evict people.

Do you think it would be appropriate for his/her landlord to call you to inform you of that? (Assuming the adult child had listed you on the rental agreement as an emergency contact.)