Archive for category AASEW

Don’t Miss AASEW’s January “Town Hall” Membership Meeting on January 16, 2012 at 7 PM

Jan 13

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW | 1 Comment

January’s Apartment Association Meeting will be held this coming Monday, January 16, 2012 at 7 pm at the Best Western Hotel located at 1005 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield.

We will be hosting a “Town Hall” style meeting at which you can pose any and all of your property management or landlord-tenant law questions. Both Stacy Hegg of Wellston Properties and Atty. Tristan Pettit will be panel members.
Please bring yourself, a friend, and your questions to our meeting.

We have many new and exciting things in store for the AASEW in 2012.  If you haven’t been to a meeting in awhile please come and join us!!!!

See the Association page for the more details

http://apartmentassoc.org

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You Will Not Want To Miss AASEW’s Fourth Annual Landlord Boot Camp on Saturday Feb. 25th

Jan 3

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, City of Milwaukee, Collections, Credit Checks, De Novo Hearings, Earnest Money, Emergency Assistance, Evictions, Execution of Writ, Fair Housing / Discrimination, Holdover Damages, Landlord Liability, Late Fees, Lead-Based Paint, Milwaukee County, Mitigation of Damages / Re-Renting, Notices, Pets, Property Management, Protected Classes, Reasonable Accomodations, Reasonable Modifications, Rejecting Rental Applicants, Rental Agreements, Rental Documents, Right of Entry, Roommates, Screening Tenants, Security Deposit, Self-Help Evictions, Seminars, Small Claims Court, Smoke Detectors, State of Wisconsin, Tenant Damage, Untenantability, Walkthroughs | 2 Comments

Landlording can be pretty complex, with a seemingly never ending myriad of paperwork, rules, landlord-tenant laws and simple mistakes that can cost you thousands of dollars.

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin’s Fourth Annual “Landlord Boot Camp” can help you navigate these treacherous waters and teach you how to run your properties with greater profit and less hassles.

I have given similar landlord-tenant law seminars to fellow attorneys, landlords, and property manager organizations throughout the state for other state-wide semianr companies that charge attendees $300-$400.  This is your opportunity to learn all of the same information at a huge discount through the Apartment Association.

 

Who:   Taught by Attorney Tristan R. Pettit (who drafts the landlord tenant forms for Wisconsin Legal Blank)

When:    Saturday, February 25th, 2012. 8:30 am – 5 pm

Where:   Clarion Hotel 5311 S. Howell Avenue, Milwaukee [Map]

Included:  100 plus page manual/outline to help you put what you learn into practice plus helpful forms.

Cost:  $159 for AASEW members and $249 for non-members.  If you are not a member of AASEW but are a member of another landlord/apartment association the cost to attend will be $199.

Specials: Not a member?  Pay just a dollar more and enjoy a 2012 AASEW membership.

Wisconsin landlord-tenant laws are constantly changing.  To help keep you up to date we offer prior attendees a $50 discount.

Sign up by going to the AASEW’s Landlord Boot Camp landing page where you can sign up online and pay via PayPal.

 

What you will learn at the Apartment Association’s 2012 Landlord Boot Camp

Landlord Boot Camp covers everything that you need to know about residential Landlord Tenant law in Wisconsin, including:

  1. How to properly screen prospective tenants.
  2. How to draft written screening criteria to assist you in the selection process and protect you from discrimination complaints.
  3. How to comply with both federal and state Fair Housing laws including how to handle with “reasonable modifications”  and “reasonable accommodations” requests.
  4. How to legally reject an applicant.
  5. What rental documents you should be using and why.
  6. When you should be using a 5-day notice versus a 14-day notice, 28-day notice, or 30-day notice and how to properly serve the notice on your tenant.
  7. Everything you wanted to know (and probably even more than you wanted to know) about the Residential Rental Practices (ATCP 134) and how to avoid having to pay double damages to your tenant for breaching ATCP 134.
  8. When you are legally allowed to enter your tenant’s apartment.
  9. How to properly draft an eviction summons and complaint.
  10. What to do to keep the commissioner from dismissing your eviction suit.
  11. What you can legally deduct from a security deposit.
  12. How to properly draft a security deposit transmittal / 21 day letter.
  13. How to handle pet damage.
  14. What to do with a tenant’s abandoned property and how this may affect whether or not you file an eviction suit.
  15. How to pursue your ex-tenant for damages to your rental property and past due rent (and whether it is even worth it to do so).

. . .  and much more.  There will also be time for questions and answers.

You get all this for less than you would pay for an hour of an attorney’s time.

Last year’s AASEW Landlord Boot Camp was filled to capacity and we even had to turn a few people away.  So call early to reserve your spot.

Call the Association at (414) 276-7378, email membership@apartmentassoc.org or go to our Landlord Boot Camp landing page to sign up online and reserve your spot.

Remember that “landlording” is a business — so take the time to educate yourself on how to better manage your business and avoid costly errors!

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Crime-Free Lease Bill On The Horizon

Oct 17

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, Legislation, Notices | 3 Comments

On September 12, 2011, on behalf of the AASEW, I traveled to Madison to meet with the Wisconsin Rental Housing Coalition, several legislators’ aides, and an attorney from the Legislative Reference Bureau to assist in the review of and drafting of a new piece of legislation that will greatly affect residential landlords.

Not yet a bill, this proposed legislation is referred to as LRB-2098/1 or informally as the “Crime-Free Lease bill.”  Initiated by fellow landlord and South Milwaukee Police Officer Brian Fleming, this legislation if passed, will change current Wisconsin law to allow a landlord to terminate the tenancy of any tenant (even those under a lease for term) that engages in criminal activity in their rental unit or on the rental property.  A new type of 5 day notice would be created under this legislation which would not allow the tenant the opportunity to cure the breach and stay.  It would basically be a “1 strike” law similar to what is in place in federal Section 8 site-based housing.

Criminal activity under the proposed legislation would be defined as any act or behavior that is punishable in Wisconsin by a fine or period of imprisonment or that is a violation of a municipal ordinance.

If the tenant fails to vacate the unit after being served with this new 5 day notice, the landlord would still be required to prove the criminal activity in eviction court.

The impetus for this legislation was the National Crime Free Lease Addendum that has been adopted and used in many counties outside of Wisconsin.  Under this initiative, a tenant agrees not to engage in criminal activity on the rental property — or allow any of their guests to do the same — and signs a contract with the landlord to that effect.  If the tenant or the tenant’s guests engage in the prohibited criminal activity, they agree to vacate the property upon notice by the landlord.

Current law in Wisconsin conflicts with the Crime Free Lease Addendum as tenants under a lease for a specific term, must be afforded the opportunity to correct the breach and remain a tenant the first time that they violate their lease — even if that violation is a crime.

Sec 704.17(2)(b) of the Wisconsin Statutes, allows a tenant under a lease who engages in criminal activity, to remain a tenant as long as s/he ceases the criminal activity within 5 days of being served the notice of breach.  Thus, a landlord can be stuck with a tenant that he knows engages in criminal behavior until that tenant commits a second crime and can be served with a 14 day notice (which does not afford the tenant the opportunity to “cure” the breach and remain a tenant).

This puts Wisconsin landlords in a very difficult position and opens them up to liability.  It also prevents a landlord from protecting his/her other tenants from the tenant that is engaging in criminal activity.

Once the bill is officially introduced and has obtained co-sponsors I will let you know so that you can begin calling and writing your state representatives to encourage them to vote in favor of this very important legislation.

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Milwaukee County Eviction Court Commissioner To Speak At Next AASEW Meeting on Oct. 17th

Oct 14

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, Evictions, Milwaukee County | No Comments

On Monday, October 17, 2011, Milwaukee County Eviction Court Commissioner Rosa Barillas will speak at the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin’s general membership meeting.

The meeting will start at 7 pm and be held at the Best Western Midway Hotel located at 1005 S. Moorland Road in Brookfield, WI.

Commissioner Barillas will speak to the group about mistakes that she sees landlords make in eviction court and how they can avoid them.  She will also be taking questions.

If you have never been to an AASEW meeting (or haven’t been to one in awhile) please join me at our next meeting on October 17, 2011.  You will not be sorry.

 

T

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AASEW’s 2011 Landlord Tradeshow To Be Held September 28th at Serb Hall

Aug 29

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, Seminars | 2 Comments

The Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin’s (AASEW) Annual Rental Property/Real Estate Professionals Tradeshow on September 28th,
at Serb Hall in Milwaukee! Our exhibit hall will be open from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. check out the latest in products and services
for the rental property industry!

Our seminars will run from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.  Seminars include:

-   Bedbug Litigation for Landlords, presented by Attorney Tristan R. Pettit

-   Organize your Year End Financials, presented by Tim Nolan, CPA, Nolan Accounting

-   Project Impact, presented by Milwaukee Alderman Bob Donovan

-   Quickbooks Introduction for Landlords, presented by Kelli Belt, CPA, Maynard and Belt

-  Buying and Selling Rental Property for Investors, presented by Brian Meidam, Co-Founder LocalREI Coach/Plan B Homebuyers and Andrew Kaplan, Principal of Kapital Real Estate

-   Top Ten Mistakes Landlord Make and How to Avoid Them, presented by John Fischer, AKA Dr. Rent

And many more seminars and workshops this year, you don’t want to miss it!

Admission is FREE, Seminars are FREE, Exhibit Hall is FREE, Appetizers are FREE.

Great opportunity to network with others in the rental property FREE, all with a donation of 4 non-perishable food items or a donation to Second Harvest/Feeding America!!! Last year we raised over 600 pounds of food, this year our goal is 1000 pounds to help our community!

Click here for the registration form!

 

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AASEW Offers Realtors & Brokers The Perfect Closing Gift for Their Clients – A Reduced Rate AASEW Membership

Jul 19

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, Investing In Rental Property | No Comments

For those Realtors and Brokers out there, the AASEW has a perfect closing gift for you to give your clients who just purchased a rental property.

Realtors and/or Brokers can purchase an AASEW membership for only $29 through the end of the 2011 membership year for their clients.  Your client will appreciate receiving such a gift as it will put them in touch with other landlords and educational opportunities.

The AASEW offers its members educational seminars, legislative activity, fun filled-events, mentoring, vendor discounts, and much more.  Membership also includes a monthly newsletter and monthly meetings.  Being a member is the perfect way to stay in touch with what is going on in the world of rental property.

Click here to see a copy of the promotional PDF.

Please contact Paulette at 414-276-7378 or paulette@apartmentassoc.org for any questions.

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AASEW’s Next Meeting Focuses On The Topic of Credit Reports – Monday, July 18th

Jul 15

Posted by Tristan R. Pettit, Esq. in AASEW, Credit Checks | 2 Comments

Would you like to know if your prospective tenant is a good credit risk?

Then join the Apartment Association of Southeastern Wisconsin (AASEW) at our General Membership meeting on Monday, July 18th, 7:00 p.m, at the Best Western, 1005 South Moorland Road in Brookfield.  Kathy Haines, of Landlord Services, LLC will present “Credit Reports 101:  How To Determine If Your Prospective Tenant is a Good Credit Risk”

 At 6:30 p.m. right before our meeting, come to network with others in the industry and enjoy free appetizers!

Also at 6:30 p.m. come to our Traders Corner if you are interested in buying or selling rental property and bring your listings with you!!

Have a question for a seasoned landlord?  Stop by for Meet your Mentor, at 6:30 p.m. as well!

We hope to see you there!

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