MEMBERSHIP DRIVE - P.H.
Carondelet/Holly Hills Landlords Association dues of $20 dollars is due in January. Treasurer Cecelia Rauls is really flexible so she will accept your money early, in person at a meeting or by mail. It is important and valuable that we come together to face our shared challenges. Just the information in the newsletter alone is worth $20. We will be doing another mass mailing to multi-family owners in the area who do not yet belong. We had a lot of help and a very pleasant evening doing the mailing last year. Hopefully even more members will be available to help this time. A date will be announced in the next newsletter.
The mailing works well, but a personal invitation is always nicer. Please ask any other property owners you know to come to a meeting and join. Pass our newsletter on. Our business is as dynamic and volatile as any other. One of the ways of adapting to the changing market is by getting the most current information from your landlord association.

home.fastrans.net/main/landlord - John Korst
The power of the internet is information. And developing and sharing information is what an organization such ours is all about. Therefore a connection between the two is natural; all it takes is a little knowledge and an internet hook-up.
Our new Web site is using borrowed space to begin with and contains newsletter back issues, bylaws, neighborhood links, access to State and local laws and other links useful to landlords. If the project meets with the members’ approval other features can be developed, including rental listings and a public bulletin board all members could use.
Most libraries have internet access if you don’t, and basic connection at home can be as cheap as $13 a month.

FALL CHECKLIST FOR PROPERTY OWNERS - P.H.
1. Review your taxes and make any necessary adjustments.
2. Check the exterior of all buildings for missing mortar, roof problems, clogged gutters, worn weather stripping and caulking. Make sure all storm window and doors are in good condition. Scrape and repaint any peeling paint. Check porch lights. Repairs cracks in concrete and asphalt. Make plans for snow removal and ice melt.
3. Inside each unit check batteries in smoke detectors. Advise residents to have a fire evacuation plan for their family with a designated meeting spot outside. Review safety guidelines for use of electric and kerosene space heaters with residents. Teach residents to program thermostats and change furnace filters monthly. Reverse ceiling fan blades. Check dryer vents for clogging and collapsing.
4. Operation Brightside is having a special city wide clean up in anticipation of Pope John Paul's visit in January. Maybe we could make a special effort in the yards of our properties, alleys and common areas to remove dead limbs, leaves weeds and anything else that should not stay all winter. Pickup for extra items is the first week of the month for the Carondelet area.

PRESERVE THE BLUFF - P.H.
The Carondelet Historical Society Newsletter for Summer/Fall 1998 had a fascinating article about Chou-teau's Bluff. The Carondelet river bluff extending from approximately 4500 South Broadway south to Bellerive Park. The Preservation Committee of the society would like to see policies that preserve and restore the natural features of the bluff, its landscape and its architecture. Plans for the bluff include efforts to restore the park pavilion and stop erosion of the bluff. A future use to be considered is a hiking and bicycling trail along the river.
This area and the Historical Society are wonderful neighborhood assets. For more information please write or call Carondelet Historical Society, 6303 Michigan Avenue, St Louis MO 63111, (314) 481-6303

PRIVACY AND YOUR TENANTS - Donald Schmidt
In this world of high tech and the continual improvement in such areas as electronic surveillance and computer technology, the right to privacy is becoming more and more an issue. Next to disputes over rent or security deposits, one of the most common misunderstandings between landlords and tenant’s involves conflicts between your right to enter the rental property and a tenants right to be left alone at home. What is so unfortunate is that many of these problems are unnecessary. Most can be avoided if you would adopt fair and legal policies to enter the tenant unit and clearly explain these policies to the tenant in your rental or lease agreement. You have a legal responsibility to keep fairly close tabs on the condition of your property. The law clearly recognizes the right of the landlord to legally enter rental premises while tenant is still in residence under certain broad circumstances such as to deal with an emergency and when the tenant gives permission.
Entering a tenant’s home without consent isn't the only way you can interfere with a tenant’s privacy. Occasionally a landlord will be faced with a very convincing stranger who will tell a heart rending story: "I'm Nancy's boyfriend and I need to get my clothes out of her closet now that I am moving to New York," or, "if I don't get my heart medicine that I left in this apartment I shall die on the spot." The problem arises when you can't contact the tenant at work or elsewhere to ask whether it's OK to let a desperate individual in. A story may be legitimate but it doesn't make sense to expose yourself to the potential liability involved should you get taken in by a clever con artist. There is always a chance that the person is really a smooth talker whom your tenant has a dozen good reasons to want to keep out. In short, never let a stranger into your tenants home without your tenant’s permission. If you do let the stranger in without permission, your tenant can sue you for any damage or loss incurred. Even if you have authorization to allow a certain person to enter, it is wise to ask the stranger for identification. Although this ‘no entry without authorization’ policy may sometimes be difficult to adhere to in the face of a convincing story, stick to it. You have much more to lose in admitting the wrong person to the tenant’s home than you would have to gain by letting someone who's probably OK. Even the police may not enter a tenant’s rental unit unless they can show you a recently issued search or arrest warrant, signed by a judge. They do not need a search warrant, however, if they need to enter to prevent a catastrophe or if they are in hot pursuit of a fleeing criminal.
As a landlord, you may be approached by strangers, including creditors, banks and perhaps even prospective landlords, to provide credit or other information on your tenant. Resist your natural urge to be helpful, unless the tenant has given you written permission to release this sort of information. You have nothing to gain and possibly a lot to lose if you give out information that your tenant feels constitutes a serious violation of his or her privacy. And if you give incorrect information, even if you believe it to be accurate, you can be in a legal mess if the person to whom you disclose it relies on it to take some action that negatively affects your tenant. Some landlords feel that they should communicate information to prospective landlords, especially if the tenant has failed to pay rent, maintain the premises, or has created other serious problems. If you do give out this information, make sure you are absolutely factual and that the information you provide has been requested. If you go out of your way to give up negative affirmation, for example, you try to black-ball a tenant with other landlords in your area, you definitely risk legal liabilities for libeling your tenant.
Should you need to call your tenant at work, try to be sensitive to whether it's permissible for him to receive personal calls. While some people work at desks with telephones and have bosses who don't get upset about occasional personal calls, others have jobs that are greatly disrupted by any phone call. A general rule is that the more physical the type of work, the more tyrannical employers are about prohibiting personal phone calls at work. Under no circumstances should you continue to call a tenant at work who asks you not to do so. This is especially true when calling about late rent payments or other problems. Never leave specific messages with your tenant’s employer, especially those that could reflect negatively on him or her. A landlord who leaves a message like "tell your dead beat employee I'll evict him if he doesn't pay the rent" can expect at least a lot of bad feelings on the part of the tenant and at worst a lawsuit over slander invasion of privacy. As for visiting the tenant at work, say to collect late rent, this is something you should avoid unless invited. What it boils down to is that no matter what you think of your tenant, you should respect the sensitive nature of the tenants relationship with his or her employer. There may, however, be times you'll need to contact the tenant at work if you can't find the tenant at home after repeated tries, for example, to serve notice of a rent increase or a eviction notice. In most cases, however, even this can be avoided by taping a note on the tenant's front door or sending registered mail.
It is justifiable for landlords to be concerned about tenants who are moving new occupants into the property. But do not go overboard in keeping tabs on a tenant’s legitimate guest who stay overnight or for a few days. It is a good idea to include a statement in their leases or rental agreements to require a tenant to register any overnight guest. As a result of worrying too much about a tenant’s visitors, a few landlords have attempted to interrogate tenants’ visitors, knock on their tenants’ doors at odd hours or too frequently in order to see who answers or even peeks through the window. Needless to say, this sort of conduct can render you liable for punitive damages in an invasion of privacy lawsuit. As far as talking to a tenant’s guest is concerned, engaging in anything more than pleasant hello's or non-threatening small talk is clearly out of bounds. If you think your tenant’s activities with respect to guests is a problem, make an appointment with a tenant and ask to talk about. It's crucial that you keep a careful eye on your tenants if you suspect they are engaging in drug dealing or other illegal behavior. Landlords have a responsibility to keep their property safe and that includes keeping dealers out by carefully screening prospective tenants and kicking them out when they are discovered. Other tenants and neighbors, as well as government agencies, may bring costly lawsuits against landlords who allow drug dealing on their properties. Get advice from police and/or security professionals immediately upon learning of a possible drug problem on your property.
In summary, use common sense when dealing with tenants. Treat them as you would want to be treated. Keep emotions out of your dealings with your tenants.

NEXT MEETING

Place: Southern Commercial Bank - 5515 S. Grand
Date: Monday, November 16, 1998
Time: 6:30pm - 9:00pm

AGENDA TOPICS

6:30 - 7:00 Social
7:00 - 7:05 Welcome
7:05 - 7:15 Business Update/Aldermanic Report
7:15 - 8:00 Recordkeeping to Maximize Tax Benefits
8:00 - 8:30 Jim Magnus
8:30 - 8:55 Discussion of Members Concerns
8:55 - 9:00 Raffle