How to Handle Problem Tenants
Being a landlord is a challenging but rewarding task. One of the most difficult things about owning rental properties is learning how to deal with problematic tenants. Studies have shown that 3 out of every 10 tenants are undesirable. Chances are if you own rental properties you have dealt with, or soon will deal with, problem tenants.
There are three major problems that landlords face when dealing with undesirable tenants. The first problem that nearly all landlords have faced is late payment. Although this is a very common problem, there are effective ways to solve it. With tenants who are usually prompt payers, a simple late notice will probably solve the problem. However, what about the tenants who pay late month after month? This type of tenant usually requires a little bit of a tougher approach. The best thing a landlord can do is impose late payment fees and require payment promptly. The landlord in these cases must be willing to develop clear cut standards and apply them no matter what excuse the tenant makes.
The second major problem that landlords face is tenants who refuse, or simply cannot afford, to pay the rent. Remember that no rent means no income for the landlord. Once steps are taken to collect payment, the tenant who continues to refuse to pay must be removed from the rental. The landlord must always keep clear records of tenant payments in order to be able to use the legal system to evict the tenant who won’t pay. By law, the tenant must be given a written notice of eviction. Once this is done, if the tenant still refuses to pay, it is time to submit the request for eviction.
The third problem that landlords face is tenants who do not respect their neighbors’ rights to peace and privacy. The first thing that a landlord can do when dealing with a noisy or disrespectful tenant is to call the tenant and request a change in behavior. If this does not solve the problem, the best thing a landlord can do is call the neighbor and request that they contact the police if the problem persists.
In addition to dealing with problem tenants, landlords must make sure that they do not do anything themselves that might get them in hot water. The first thing that must be avoided is intentional or unintentional discrimination. Tenants have certain rights when choosing housing and the landlord must be careful not to discriminate against these rights. However, landlords are allowed to screen their tenants, and in fact doing this will help the landlord select trustworthy tenants. Landlords must also be sure to avoid making promises that they cannot keep.
A landlord can avoid many of these problems by making sure to keep his rental properties clean and inhabitable. When problems arise, it is best for the landlord to solve the problem in a timely manner. Having clear rental contracts, not making promises that cannot be kept, and making sure to keep the rental properties in good working order will help solve most problems between tenants and landlords.
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