When does "Organizing" become "Loitering" ?

teamcapitola

Tenants spend time in the facility with their unit, but at what point does "organizing" the unit become "loitering" in the facility ?

teamcapitola

Less than an hour daily

I started this poll because it is not an easy question to answer. I have several businesses (including our local museum) who spend a lot of time organizing or accessing their unit(s) which doesn't cause any issues. On the other hand we have "those tenants" who spend hours on the property, doing pretty much nothing but block hallways and bug other guests. So I wanted to hear what other managers think, and where the "too long" mark falls.

ThriftyStorage

A tenant that is there as a business may spent a bit more time at the unit than a regular tenant. A business can be conducting inventory or receiving supplies. These types of action can take some time, but the tenant that is there 5 days a week hours on end, I would go over the lease with him//her regarding loitering. It a judgment call!!!

CVSSSTORAGE

more than one hour daily

we have a tenant right now that comes once or twice a week and pulls everything out of their storage blocking the drive way. The guy will sleep in his car while the lady is in the unit going through stuff. It gets really hot here in Cali so I am constantly  checking on him. I had to say something a few weeks ago thought because they were using our hose to wash clothes in the parking lot. They haven't been back since so I am hoping they got the hint.

teamcapitola

Less than an hour daily

We are going with a "case by case" thing; it really depends on a lot of things including if they are blocking other tenants, if they are a business, how often etc...

@CVSSTORAGE - I have found that tenants only seem to "get worse". If they start the lease with issues, they will only get bigger! Stay on top of them, and cite your facility rules (which mention blocking hallways right?) and if they don't shape up, evict or start raising their rates...monthly.

JulieA

Years ago I had a lady who would come to the facility on sunny summer afternoons.  Pull her lounge chair out and sunbathe in the drive. 

dray

more than one hour daily

It is a judgement call. I have a had customer claim they are a business to have access 24. Pay for the 24hr access only to not be a business.(he gave me a business card for his business that went under). He wanted to use it to sleep in and hang out for hours at a time all the time. We had to evict him. 
You can tell though pretty fast when they are there to "go through stuff" to look like they are organizing. Because honestly how many times a week and day do you have to organize a unit. 

teamcapitola

Less than an hour daily

@dray - That is exactly why we now require a copy of the business license!  I've lost count of clients saying they are a business attempting to get discounts or after hour access... we changed our policies when we found a "business" owner snoring away in a 5x10 with the door closed!

Iamkathleen

20 minutes daily

I think it depends on a couple of things.  Regular customers pulling everything out of their unit and putting it back a few times a week are often are just loitering.   If they are actively working on the unit & if they do it once a week for 10 minutes or so and are not in the way and not having trash blow around that is ok.  Maybe they are looking for something. Business customers / landscapers getting things in and out to do their job is different.  

Melissa

I would agree that it depends on the type of customer (business or residential) and should be taken on a case by case basis.  I think is it fairly easy to spot the abuse.

jayjay

I recently had tenants who were always "sorting things out".  They filled the hallway and blocked the drive.  I'd encourage them to contain their belongings to a smaller area while doing their sorting.  Next day, same mess, different "stuff".  After having to evict them (and empty their unit at my expense) I discovered that everything in the unit was trash or debris of some kind.  Broken pieces of this and that piled high and packed tight!  Can not imagine why they were paying to store it and spending time sorting it.  Sad.

brownrooster

Case by Case, here.  I have one tenant, lets call it what it is..she is a tweaker.  She is in her unit regularly in between overlocks going through her stuff, dragging it all out, blocking the roadway, leaving a mess in her wake just looking for stuff to pawn.  I have cracked down on her.  Another lady, who is homeless,  but does not live in unit comes by and hangs out, sometimes to get out of the sun/cold sometimes just because she has nothing to do.  She sticks to her self doesn't bother folks,  I monitor to make sure she is not trying to "live" in the unit.  But otherwise, I leave her alone.  I got another gentleman who is unemployed and a serial tinker-er.  He is always building something in his "shop" or repairing something.  This, for him, is his oasis and his home away from home.  He sticks to himself, polices his aisle for trash, and notifies me of anything suspicious he notices while he is here.  He is a real benefit to my place and I like having him around on property.  So I encourage him to hang out.  Even giving him welding or small repair projects from time to time for a discount on that month's rent.

Juan

Make sure there not living in unit.