Oh, I just had the worst meeting and I can only blame myself. More than a year ago, I made a big mistake and I am paying for it now. You see, I own a small mobile home park in Stephenville, TX. I live right in the middle of it. I lease my improved land to mobile home owners. I do not own any home other than my own.

Just about a year ago I was not feeling well and a two homes in the park were purchased while I was shut in my house. When I was notified of the sale, I should have immediately informed the buyers who were the current residents that they had no lease and that they needed to move out of the park immediately. As you can probably guess, I didn’t do that.

Instead, I let things slide. I never did require that they sign a lease.Yesterday, one of them informed me that they had sold their home and the new owner was moving in tomorrow. Imagine my surprise. To help those of you who have never lived in a mobile home park, think about an apartment building.

You strike up a conversation with a tenant at an apartment building which you own. During the conversation, the tenant lets you know that they have transferred their lease to a new tenant, who you have never met and that they are leaving in three days!

In Texas, and probably in your state as well, you are required by law to give notice equal to at least the length of your payment cycle. If you pay biweekly, you need to give two weeks notice. If you pay monthly, 30 days notice. If you pay every six months, you need to give six month’s notice. If your lease has a longer term, then you must follow the lease.

Before I became a landlord, I always thought thirty days notice was just a courtesy. Most people know that they need to give more than three days notice. I doubt that is an unreasonable expectation my part.

Well, any experienced landlord can see just how bad the meeting went. I spoke with both buyer and seller through an interpreter. Every point I raised was questioned by the seller because it never happened to her when she purchased the house. Oh Brother! I am certainly paying for my crimes today.

Digg!