How to Handle Problem Tenants : The Rule-Breaker

 

There are many instances of encounters with a horrible tenant, not all of which result in a court action. Once the lease agreement is signed and keys are exchanged, a landlord or property manager can only hope things go smoothly. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case when it comes to dealing with unpleasant situations regarding tenants. Here are some issues with tenants some of our clients have experienced, and which you may want to try and avoid.

The Rule-Breaker

There are always guidelines to follow as a tenant, and there should be rules and regulations addendum for every community. For example, the landlord may have a strict “no pets” policy, but how can you stop the tenant from still bringing in a pet?  In fact, unless you are monitoring the property continually, you may not even realize the tenant is violating the policies of the property.  Another scenario might be that the landlord does not allow subleasing, yet the tenant still subleases the unit to another person, or even worse, puts the unit up for a short term rental like AirBNB©. This can result in legal concerns and liability for both the landlord and the tenant, which is not a situation anyone wants to be in.

HOW TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM

Have a written Rules and Regulations Addendum

By having the rules and regulations of the community in writing, as well as a strong lease that highlights key aspects of the tenancy, can eliminate many potential headaches, confusion, and misunderstandings.  Make sure your lease has provisions for you to revise the addendum, and if you do, make sure that when you send a revision out, you get it signed by the tenant.  Most importantly, make sure that your rules and regulations do not violate any fair housing laws.

Meet in person with them

Being direct and confronting the issue with your tenant is the first step to any potential resolution.

Ultimately, as a landlord or property manager, you won’t always know what type of tenants you will be dealing with until you’re in the leasing process. However, comprehensive tenant screening should give you an idea. Past behavior is a likely dictator of future behavior. Remember to always clearly state the expectations and outline the consequences of breaking the rules in the lease agreement. As it is a legally binding document, it can guide and protect most any situation you encounter.

One of the easiest ways to address tenant problems is to avoid them altogether. To ensure you get the information you need we’ve created a download that shows you the 9 Most Effective Methods To Reduce Tenant Problems. Get your download today!

You may have encountered some other problem tenants as well, see what else you can do to address those issues:

The Non-Payer

The Late-Payer

The Property Destroyer/Litterer

The Proxy Renter

The Criminal

The Partier

The Stalker (aka The Pervert)

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