Wednesday, July 22, 2009

 

Oops, I hate my new tenant!!

It happens to the best of us. A few days after you finalize the lease agreement you start to get an uneasy feeling. Is my new tenant crazy? We all make mistakes sooner or later.
The question is: what do you do now? I am afraid the answer is not much. Most of the time the best thing to do is just wait them out. When the lease ends you can decline to renew the lease agreement. Having said that, there are still some things you need to think about. First you can not refuse to renew the lease if you are being vindictive. Say for example your tenant reported you for a building code violation; you can then be forced to renew the lease agreement if they still wish to stay. The best thing to do is to keep a written log for any problem tenant you have. If they are too noisy make sure you give them noise violation notices and keep copies. If they are breaking other rules of the lease agreement, like having too many people staying there, send them a written notice clearly stating that they must conform to the agreement or their lease will not be renewed.
The best way to avoid these problems is to check tenant references thoroughly before you let them move in. Call current landlords and ask lots of questions. If you are not satisfied with the information you are getting put it back on your future tenant. Tell them it is their duty to furnish you with the information you need and if they can't get it they will be free to move on. Make sure your application process and rules are equally applied to all of your future tenants, another way to avoid fair housing issues.

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