Can Landlords Change Rules for Tenants Mid-Lease?
Margaret is a landlord who’s trying to do her best to make all of her tenants happy—in hopes that they’ll renew their leases and save her the time and effort of finding new tenants. But she’s discovering that keeping one group of tenants happy could be putting her in legal hot water. Here’s what happened: [...]
Categories: Changing Tenant Rules, Fair Housing Act, Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord/Tenant Issues Tags:
A List of Landlord “Don’ts”
Take a look at these true landlord stories—and avoid repeating their mistakes. These are definite landlord don’ts! George informed his landlord that he lost his job and can’t afford the apartment any longer, so he needed to break the lease and move. The landlord told George he’d be responsible for the rest of the rent [...]
Categories: Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord and Tenant Issues, Landlord Don’ts, Landlord Don’ts Renting and Leasing, Landlord Tenant Lawsuits, Landlord Tips, Rental Property Management, Renting and Leasing Tags:
A Landlord’s Guide to Subleasing
Leases begin and end; tenants come and go. Often, life interferes with details like legal documents (leases) and a tenant comes to you with an announcement: “I’m moving, but don’t worry—I found someone to take over my lease!” For some landlords, this is when the worrying begins. For others, it’s not a big deal—having a [...]
Categories: Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord and Tenant Issues, Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Rental Property Management, Renting and Leasing, Tenant Screening & Background Checks, Tenant Sublease, Who’s Responsible for Sublease? Tags:
Section 8 Housing: Basic Info for Landlords
Section 8 is the widely-known term for the U.S. Government’s subsidized housing program, which allows low-income families and individuals to live in affordable and safe privately-owned rental housing. The program’s official name is “Housing Choice,” and it is the government’s major housing assistance program. How Is Section 8 Housing Different from Public Housing? Those who receive Housing [...]
Categories: Housing Choice Vouchers, Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlords Accept Section 8, Public Housing Authority, Rental Housing Assistance, Section 8 Housing Tags:
5 Reasons Landlords Should Inspect Properties
Let’s say you’re a hands-off landlord, who keeps an eye on things outside your rental units; but generally, you don’t go inside until and unless you’re called upon to repair or replace something. If you’ve ever been surprised by the condition of your rental unit after a tenant moves out, perhaps you should consider inspecting your rental [...]
Categories: Inspecting Rental Property, Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord Tenant Issues, Landlord Tips, Reasons to Inspect Rentals, Rental Property Management Tags:
The Other Victims of Foreclosures: Pets
Are pets welcome in your rental properties? If so, you may have noticed more tenant applicants who are moving their pets along with their kids and furniture. Pet ownership is up in the United States—and so is the percentage of rental units that are pet-friendly. But one reason for more pet-owning rental applicants may be the [...]
Categories: Allowing Pets in Rentals, Foreclosure and Pets, Housing Trends, Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord Tenant Issues, Pet Policies for Landlords, Rental Property Management, Tenants with Pets Tags:
A Survey of Landlords on Rent Due Dates and Charging Late Fees
Ask ten landlords about rent due dates and last charges, and you’ll probably get ten different answers—none of them wrong. The thing about running a rental property business is that you get to establish your own procedures and practices to suit your needs—within the limits of federal, state, and local laws, of course. And if [...]
Categories: Evicting tenants, Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord Tenant Issues, Landlord Tips, Rent Due Dates, Rental Property Management, Rents and Deposits Tags:
Is Providing Tenants with Free Internet a Smart Move?
In 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau reported 62% of U.S. households used the Internet in their home. That’s an enormous increase from 18% in 1997, the first year Internet use was tracked. 82% of those users reported having high-speed access, and 17% reported use of a dial-up connection. By October, 2009, some reports stated that [...]
Categories: Free Internet for Rentals, Housing Trends, Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord Tips, Rental Market, Rental Property Market, Rental Property Trends Tags:
What are the Advantages to Requiring Tenant Insurance?
Not every landlord or property management company requires tenants to hold renter’s insurance policies. And according to some reports, the majority of tenants do not have renter’s insurance. What are the advantages to requiring tenant insurance? Are there any disadvantages? First, the cost for renter’s policies is solely borne by the tenant, and is only $15-$20 [...]
Categories: Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Landlord Tenant Issues, Landlord Tips, Rental Property Management, Renter’s Insurance, Requiring Renter’s Insurance Tags: best, company, free, landlord, peace, property, rental, tenant
When Tenants Get Nervous About Foreclosure
More than 300,000 homes have received foreclosure notices in each of the last several months in the U.S., including plenty of rental properties whose owners cannot meet their loan obligations. What happens to tenants when the home they are renting is foreclosed upon? According to the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act, whoever takes title to a [...]
Categories: Landlord and Tenant FAQs, Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act, Rental Property Management, Tenants and Foreclosed Property Tags: background, check, landlord, property, rental, tenant