Managing rental properties and having the title of landlord comes with a lot of negative condemnations. Many people believe that landlords are just out to make the most money and do the least for their tenants. However, most often this is not the case. Often, it’s the landlord who is getting cheated out of fair earnings because of bad tenants.
Landlords face tenants who skip out on rent, cause too much commotion, which can disturb other neighboring tenants, or leave the property a wreck when they vacate. Disputes between a landlord and tenant can come almost at any time during the lease period and may involve a small issue or larger issues.
If a landlord is facing an issue or dispute with a tenant, they may want to follow these guidelines:
- Know the lease: study, reread, know your rights. Know what the local, state, and federal governments say about landlord/tenant contracts.
- Immediate notification: if a dispute does arise, immediately contact the tenant and open a line of communication.
- Document everything: make notes of all communications and document in hard copy all issues with the tenant or the property condition.
You’ll want to follow these steps to make any future actions go more smoothly. You may choose to evict your tenant and you’ll want to make sure you follow the correct protocol.
However, there are times where these types of situations are larger than you can handle. Sometimes tenants can be more difficult than you imagined and you may need extra assistance navigating the law and the eviction process. At that time, you may want to contact an experienced attorney to assist you with handling your tenant. They will know the laws for your area and be able to give you the guidance you need to settle your dispute.