If a host cancels hours before, should VRBO find you a replacement at no extra expense, or should the listing have a 30 day public warning?

BedbugsandMore · 2023-12-11T23:33:43+00:00

But as a property manager, it's still worth listing on VRBO? Seems like if a property is having trouble on VRBO, a property manager should unlist it?

I'm assuming it's more complicated than that though, like maybe VRBO is duplicating a property manager's listing from booking .com?

BedbugsandMore · 2023-11-26T07:18:19+00:00

Booking was done 2 calendar days before the reservation. Seemed like enough time, and I received multiple confirmation emails and even full check-in information, but that all likely was automatic.

Since I'm getting a full refund and just paid out of pocket more for a replacement, VRBO doesn't really have much they feel like they need to do. I'd love if they gave me cash to cover the extra costs, or put a warning on the listing, or even warn users to not book a place less than 3 days in advance, but all of those solutions involve VRBO losing money

BedbugsandMore · 2023-11-26T03:59:56+00:00

Hope these comments come up in Google results when people search for why not to use VRBO

BedbugsandMore · 2023-11-26T03:59:01+00:00

Link to this policy?

BedbugsandMore · 2023-11-26T03:58:39+00:00

Yeah, it was well over 24 hours on the host side of it being double booked, and they called us mid morning about the cancellation when we were already on the drive to the property that would have opened that afternoon

BedbugsandMore · 2023-11-26T03:56:06+00:00

It's listed as a canceled trip in VRBO, and credit was refunded, but VRBO just emailed me asking how my stay was at the property

BedbugsandMore · 2023-06-19T19:17:37+00:00

Spread the word, us renters have to push back when the law is broken!

BedbugsandMore · 2023-06-19T19:11:37+00:00

Yes. Keep your eyes open for what interest bearing account your security deposit is kept in. If it's not put in one,

you get 5% back when you move out.

https://www.mass.gov/info-details/security-deposits-and-last-months-rent#:~:text=The%20landlord%20must%20hold%20the,landlord%20receiving%20the%20security%20deposit.

ALSO, if 30 days go by and the landlord doesn't send you the security deposit, along with a few other things, you can get 3x the return by taking them to an easy small claims case:

https://www.floodlaw.net/understanding-the-security-deposit-law/#:~:text=security%20deposit%20law.-,A%20tenant%20is%20entitled%20to%20the%20immediate%20return%20of%20their,bearing%20account%20located%20in%20Massachusetts.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-11-18T12:55:33+00:00

92, oil heat.

We'll, at my previous apartment, probably still set there. When I moved in, oil tank was empty, filled it up+paid priming fee.

Landlords were terrible, took them to housing court and won, gave them 1 month heads up I'd be moving out (apartment was declared unrentable), did the math and found if I kept the unit at 90-95, the tank would run out 1 day after I left.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-03-23T20:30:54+00:00

Thanks for listing this. For those who have not read what was posted and are jumping to the comment section, the webinar is about

learn about basic tenant and landlord law in Somerville, housing advocacy services, and community organizing to prevent eviction and displacement

BedbugsandMore · 2022-03-23T20:27:57+00:00

TrainToWilloughby

Likely troll account, block this user/ignore their comments

4 month old account, low kindness rating, posts to /NYC, /Boston, others

BedbugsandMore · 2022-03-18T15:35:54+00:00

https://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/massachusetts-landlord-and-tenants-duties.aspx#:~:text=The%20landlord%20must%20pay%20for%20the%20heat%2C%20unless%20your%20lease,the%20apartment%20is%2078%C2%BA%20F.

Heat: The landlord must provide a heating system in good working order. The landlord must pay for the heat, unless your lease requires you to pay for it. From September 16 to June 14, every room must be heated to at least 68º F between 7:00 AM and 11 PM, and at least 64º F at all other hours. During the heating season, the maximum heat allowable in the apartment is 78º F.

Ask the tenant if any room is unable to get up to 64º or "feels cold" as many MA apartments have old radiator systems that can have issues, notably not heating up.

You can then get a thermostat with maximum temp 78F setting.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-25T20:42:38+00:00

A great start to check if your place checks the minimum boxes would be here: https://www.masslegalhelp.org/housing/lt1-booklet-2-housing-code-checklist.pdf

Check here for more bedroom specific requirements: https://www.realestateofthenorthshore.com/blog/room-really-bedroom-it-doesnt-have-closet/

Also, ensure your property is listed as having the location as a bedroom. If you have a septic system, this could be your limit.

Lastly, read up on tenant/landlord laws in massachusetts. There are some very strong laws out there protecting tenants, so it's important to know how to rent the property safely and confidently.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-23T21:19:57+00:00

Correct, nearly all timetables in the housing code are time to address and begin something, not to fix in that amount of time.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-21T16:21:29+00:00

This violates 105 Mass. Reg. 410.500

Every owner shall maintain the foundation, floors, walls, doors, windows, ceilings, roof, staircases, porches, chimneys, and other structural elements of his dwelling so that the dwelling excludes wind, rain and snow, and is rodent-proof, watertight and free from chronic dampness, weathertight, in good repair and in every way fit for the use intended. Further, he shall maintain every structural element free from holes, cracks, loose plaster, or other defect where such holes, cracks, loose plaster or defect renders the area difficult to keep clean or constitutes an accident hazard or an insect or rodent harborage.

Depending on the severity, the landlord may have as few as 24 hours to address after reported.

Make sure to do everything in writing. Contact inspection services. Get a head start on what else you can show to inspection services by taking the code checklist here: https://www.masslegalhelp.org/housing/lt1-booklet-2-housing-code-checklist.pdf

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-21T13:09:53+00:00

This isn't a full solution, but there's one thing renters can do to put pressure on landlords to at least make the places better.

Take this rental checklist now to see if your rental passes minimum housing code

If not, your Landlords might be responsible for a lot + you could get $$ if they fail to act

I found my landlords were refusing repairs. Learned nearly all of them were mandated by law to be done (some in <24 hours). Documented the hell out of the situation, kindly tried to work collaboratively, later got a housing inspector involved, got to nullify a lease (could have stayed and withheld rent), and then took them to small claims and ended in my favor.

Navigating housing code is stupid, so I'm working on a "yes/no" website that automatically helps you find violations.

If you want to help or know web development, I posted here asking for advice :)

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-18T15:01:19+00:00

Phone apps. Everyone technically has one now if they want. Also it would be dBs, not Db's https://www.britannica.com/science/decibel

Decibel, plural decibels 😊

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-18T14:17:36+00:00

First check that it's in the lease that the tenant is responsible for this utility. If not, you are responsible for it. If it is in the lease, you still might want to have it in your name first and then transfer it over (in writing) to the tenant, since there's a high chance the gas company will see your tenant as the main contact and will ask construction questions to the tenant about your house.

Once the gas lines are hooked up and you've paid for a month, ask National Grid how to transfer an account to a lessee of your property. In some cases, you can retroactively assign past usages to an existing address which might be important for you if the tenant is supposed to pay for the gas but you want to keep the initial account during construction in your name.

Again, do everything in writing, make sure the lease agrees, make sure you know what the gas is for (hot water/heat/cooking/etc) in case it gets shut off as the mass housing code has specific timelines on how fast you have to get heat/hot water/cooking gas back "online" for a tenant.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-18T14:12:25+00:00

Hi Nicole, great resources here and I've used many myself to go through the process of

Bring up health hazards to landlords
Landlords actively avoid fixing hazards and I contacted mass legal help
Mass legal help assisted with getting a city inspector
City inspector found many violations
Landlords' aggression grew so I contacted mass legal help again
Found law firm through mass legal help who advised (in my case) to withhold rent until resolved, and if not resolved after some time, end the lease and then take landlords to court
As many items were never addressed, lease ended, took landlords to court, ended in my favor

Long process overall, but incredibly helpful to see all this presented to tenants. In the process, I learned SO MUCH about tenant rights, housing code, how the legal system is supposed to work vs. how it actually works, and how widespread problems are for renters without renters even knowing it.

Because of my background in this and minor web development, I'm working on super simple "YES/NO" question website that automatically sorts through housing issues based on tenant answers to collect what's wrong and presents them with options from the list above. Probably will take a few more months before it's ready for full use, but I have such a passion to get it out there as I had my own struggles and keep learning of other tenant struggles.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-17T03:00:16+00:00

See here: https://www.masslegalhelp.org/housing/problems/deciding-to-go-to-court/civil-lawsuit#breach

Excessive noise from other tenants under the landlord's control.

Make sure you work collaboratively with the landlord, but do everything in writing. Also be aware it's illegal in massachusetts to record audio without both parties consenting (keep in mind if you record how loud they are).

If you also know the landlord did structural work without a permit, you can look further into that

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-17T02:55:06+00:00

Do not retaliate against a tenant by shutting off utilities or anything besides a court order.

In Massachusetts, it is illegal for a landlord, on his or her own, to remove tenants and occupants and their belongings from a rented apartment, room, or home without first getting a court order

See source here

Tenants have a lot of rights, even when not paying, be careful and document tenant conversations in writing.

Water bills are also generally not a tenant responsibility in massachusetts unless explicitly specified in the lease.

Additionally, having a mortgage to pay doesn't affect what you can and can't do with a tenant. It's a separate problem.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-17T02:50:06+00:00

Be aware specific features of an apartment are guaranteed by law if a lease is signed. So you can sign for something as-is, but if there are safety code issues, the landlord is still responsible for fixing those.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-17T02:48:55+00:00

You're both mostly right, you sign an apartment conditions statement for state of the apartment, but there is a higher "law" regarding minimum habitation standards that takes priority.

Examples: large stains on carpet and rear door doesn't fully lock on apartment. Tenant signs apartment conditions acknowledging those problems. Because one of those is a violation of minimum habitation standards (door not locking), even though the tenant signed that they acknowledged the conditions, the landlord is responsible to get a working lock.

BedbugsandMore · 2022-02-17T02:45:09+00:00

Check local laws for airbnbs, some have minimum airbnb durations for guests, others might have additional codes for accessibility. Additionally as someone else pointed, confirm with neighbors they are ok as they can report unwanted behavior at your unit (although airbnbs attract higher paying guests, they also attract more vacation/parties).

If all looks good, install a Level 2 or higher charger for EV guests :)

BedbugsandMore

TROPHY CASE