Oct 29, 2008 12:05
15 yrs ago
2 viewers *
French term

locataires douteux

French to English Bus/Financial Real Estate leases
This appears in an internal real estate management company document on general internal control procedures. This terms appears in the section on managing overdue accounts. The text is a list of the various checks and balances in point form. The sentence is as follows:

- Revue de l’état des locataires douteux

Proposed translations

+3
2 mins
Selected

bad tenants

Peer comment(s):

agree kashew
53 mins
agree Sheila Wilson : for an internal document, yes. 'Unreliable' would a more PC euphamism.
1 hr
agree lydiar : Although I agree with Shelia that this term might be a bit 'un-PC'!
2 hrs
disagree rkillings : Lenders distinguish between bad debts and doubtful debts. The same would apply here.
4 hrs
"doubtful tenants"? hardly anyone uses that term - check for yourself http://tinyurl.com/5wyb93
agree adahjones
6 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
50 mins

Untrustworthy tenants

Une autre possibilité.
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+1
1 hr

defaulting tenants

As they have defaulted on their duty to pay rent!
Peer comment(s):

agree Jack Dunwell : Yes, why else would they be "doubtful" ?
6 hrs
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+1
3 hrs

unreliable tenants

*
Peer comment(s):

agree Cristina Balmus
3 hrs
Un gros merci, Cristina ...
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+1
4 hrs

high-risk tenants

Commonly used and perhaps fairly PC while also pretty clear as to meaning
Peer comment(s):

agree Lori Cirefice
1 hr
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+1
8 hrs

dubious tenants

another idea...
Peer comment(s):

agree Anca Nitu
2 hrs
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10 hrs

tenants in arrears

I think this means that these are tenants who have not paid their rent, which rent is now "doubtful" to be recovered. I think it refers to tenants who are definitely in arrears and not just those about which there may be doubt or may seem dodgy.

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Note added at 13 hrs (2008-10-30 01:30:23 GMT)
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That is why this term appears in the section on managing overdue accounts.
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4 hrs

doubtful tenants

Créances douteuses are doubtful loans in English, so you might as well extend the notion to tenants as well.
As with doubtful loans, there is no doubt that 'doubtful tenants' are indeed tenants. The doubt concerns whether they will pay the rent.
'High-risk' is probably too broad, 'defaulting' is probably too strong, 'unreliable' is too behavioural.

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Note added at 4 hrs (2008-10-29 16:53:08 GMT)
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The term pretty clearly means "tenants whose rent obligations have been or would be classified as doubtful receivables for accounting purposes".
It is not common in French (I get 126 gHits). That the analogous English construction is rarely seen is not an argument against using it, if it accurately captures the sense in the source language.

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Note added at 17 hrs (2008-10-30 05:48:07 GMT)
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Typical bank supervisor classification of loans (this one from HKMA):

"Pass: Loans for which borrowers are current in meeting commitments and for which the full repayment of interest and principal is not in doubt.

Special Mention: Loans with which borrowers are experiencing difficulties and which may threaten the authorized institution's position.

Substandard: Loans in which borrowers are displaying a definable weakness that is likely to jeopardise repayment.

Doubtful: Loans for which collection in full is improbable and the authorized institution expects to sustain a loss of principal and/or interest, taking into account the net realisable value of collateral.

Loss: Loans that are considered uncollectable after all collection options (such as the realisation of collateral or the institution of legal proceedings) have been exhausted."

Peer comment(s):

neutral joehlindsay : I don't think 'créances douteuses' are doubtful loans in English, but loans that are already unpaid and not likely to be repaid.
8 hrs
See note above.
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2 days 6 hrs

risky tenants

Hello,

It means that the landlord is taking a risky on these tenants because there is a good change they won't pay their rent.

I sure wouldn't say "bad tenants" in a professional document. LOL. I've seen "risky tenants" used before in formal documents. I would not stray from saying "high-risk", though. That's not exactly what the French saying.
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