indiana state Real Estate Investors Association

Landlords need assistance! I am a landlord and the CDC eviction ban that started in September (not to mention the state eviction ban issued in March) has affected me and many other landlords in an incredibly negative way. First, 86% of the landlords across the country only own 1 unit, and in Indiana 72% of all rental houses are owned by individual investors. Landlords cannot afford to have the income from their rentals taken away from them and still expect to survive.

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I have had one tenant that has made two partial rent payments since May. Basically, this tenant has lived in the rental unit 6 months and has paid less than two of those months. As a landlord I still must continue to pay the mortgage on the property, insurance, PROPERTY TAXES (double what a homeowner would pay), property management, maintain the property in a livable condition, AND reserve money for major repairs (eg roof, HVAC etc). I am not able to do this on less than 2 months’ rent over a 6-month time frame, with no guarantee of it ending even on December 31, 2020. I am running through my reserves at a staggering rate due to the non-payment of rent. This tenant is not attempting to make additional rent payments and will owe thousands of dollars that I will not be able to collect. Therefore, I am not only paying for my family to live, I am also paying for this tenant’s family to live for free.

Like most other landlords, I am not in the position to continue this. I am struggling to survive myself, but my only options are to not pay my mortgage and leave my family homeless or not pay his mortgage and the tenant can deal with the bank as a new owner. Either situation I stand to lose thousands of dollars. I know there are thousands in Indiana and millions across the country that are in the same situation I am. It is apparent because at the last Sheriff sale in three counties in Indiana, 100% of the foreclosures are rental properties.

Additionally, I know people who are afraid to rent their property out due to the eviction ban, so they are leaving them vacant. This obviously affects home values and availability of rental properties, and neither benefits anyone. I know plenty of landlords working with their tenants, myself included, that are experiencing covid related financial issues, but there are also many tenants taking advantage of the situation.

Here are some recommendations to help landlords out of this terrible situation the CDC has created.

• Lift the CDC ban right away.
• Create a national rental assistance program without any stipulations that the landlord has to follow. The Government has created this mess for the landlords, so there should not be stipulations on the assistance. Landlords should not take the brunt of the current economy as they are now. The tenant should need to prove their hardship, and there should be clear guidelines on the process.
• Pay back the landlords for lost rent, late fees, attorney and eviction fees, and property damage that they have sustained since the Government shutdown back in April.

Please consider landlords in your decisions and future legislation.