Wednesday, April 24, 2013

How to Deal with Consistant Problem Tenants


Tenant Trouble Areas

Late Rent: You must ensure that your tenant knows you mean business when it comes to late rent.  On the first day that the rent is late you must
take all of the actions afforded to you by your lease and the municipality you live in, and make sure you tenant knows you took those actions.  In addition, now is a good time to schedule a safe and clean inspection to get into the property and to let the tenants know you aren’t going to disappear.

Maintenance Issues: Correcting maintenance issues is your responsibility even if the tenants are responsible for the damage.  Where this becomes tricky is when a tenant starts playing games regarding your access to not only inspect the property, but to perform the maintenance.  Once a tenant moves to this position you have to recognize that they are moving off of your agenda and onto theirs.  Don’t let them do it.  Your lease is your guide here.  It should clearly state how and when you can enter your property and what notifications are required. 

Here are a few tidbits:
  • Never enter when just children are present.
  • Be prepared to video tape everything.
  • Never let interactions with the tenant become heated.
  • Don’t be afraid to call the police if you feel threatened.
  • Deal only with the individuals who are on the lease; boyfriends, mothers, fathers, sisters, etc., do not get a vote, nor should you have any discussions with them. 
  • Schedule your entry date and time, show up, complete the inspection/perform the maintenance, document everything and move on.


Government Assisted Tenants: It could actually work to your advantage when a tenant is getting rent assistance.  If a tenant is giving you a hard time, document everything, request a hearing, show up, present your case, and more than likely the tenant will get the message.

The key to keeping tenants on your agenda is to have rules, ensure your tenant knows what they are, and then enforce them. 

Taken from biggerpockets.com

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