Do You Need a Landlord Tenant Lawyer?
When Does a Landlord Need a Lawyer? In short, landlords need expert assistance from landlord/tenant lawyers when a legal issue becomes serious or has the potential to be expensive. Here are several such scenarios: When you’re starting out. It could be worth the extra expense to have your lease agreements, pet policies, security deposits and [...]
Categories: Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tenant Lawsuits Tags:
5 Reasons to Always Use Rental Applications
If you’re a landlord who is not using written rental applications 100% of the time, here are 5 reasons why you should! The practice makes everyone more comfortable. Perhaps there was a time when a handshake and a handful of cash were all landlords needed to start a lease. But in this era of liability, [...]
Categories: Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tips, Landlord/Tenant Issues, Lease Applications, Rental Applications for Prospective Tenants, Tenant Background Screening, Tenant Credit Checks, Tenant Criminal Background Check, Tenant Rent Applications 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:
Be Careful when Rejecting a Tenant Application
Our last post contained a warning to landlords that what you say can come back to haunt you. In other every day activities, like accepting or rejecting new tenants, landlords must also take care to know and follow all applicable laws—because it protects you and your business from liability. Take discrimination. The Fair Housing Act is [...]
Categories: Fair Housing Act, Landlord Discrimination, Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tenant Lawsuits, Rejecting a Tenant Application, Rental Property Management, Tenant Rejection, Tenant Screening & Background Checks Tags:
Garnishing a Tenant’s Wages for Back Rent or Damages
Depending on the state in which your property sits, you can probably collect back rent and damages from former tenants through wage garnishment. Garnishment of wages is done through the courts, after a judgment is made against the debtor. The debtor’s employer is ordered to withhold a portion of his or her wages, and turn them [...]
Categories: Eviction, Garnishing Tenant Wages, Garnishment, How to Garnish Tenant’s Wages, Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tips, Rental Property Management, Renting and Leasing, Tenants Wages Tags: best, landlord, property, rental, tenant
Common Legal Mistakes Landlords Make
While most landlords appropriately treat their rental property businesses like a business, there are always ways to improve practices and in turn, cash flow. If you’re making any of these common legal mistakes, you could be putting your business and finances at risk. Lackluster leases and rental agreements: The most important legal document in [...]
Categories: Common Legal Mistakes Landlords Make, Keeping Good Landlord Records, Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tips, Rental Property Management, Renting and Leasing Tags: check, employee, landlord, national, property, rental, tenant
Rent Collection: All the Options
Landlords have many options for collecting rent from tenants—some more secure than others. Take a look at our readers’ tips and decide which is best for you. 1. In person: A dicey choice, for sure, and one of the more old-fashioned methods for rent collecting. Some landlords physically visit tenants and pick up rent, or tenants drop [...]
Categories: How to Collect Rent, Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tips, Online Rent Payment, Rent Collection Options, Rental Property Management, Renting and Leasing, Rents and Deposits, Using Direct Deposit for Rent Payment Tags: best, check, landlord, online, property, rental, tenant
Keeping Good Tenants: Renewing the Lease
Keeping rental units filled: it’s the number one job of any landlord or property manager. If you have tenants who want to renew their leases, then you are doing it well! Before you decide whether or not to allow a tenant to renew her lease, consider the pros and cons: The pros: 1. There is no “break-in” [...]
Categories: Keeping Good Tenants, Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tenant, Landlord Tips, Renewing Leases, Rental Property Management, Renting and Leasing Tags: best, landlord, property, rental, tenant
Environmental Hazards Landlords Should Know About
Landlords are legally required to provide tenants with habitable living space. That means you provide working heating, water, plumbing and electrical systems, a roof that doesn’t leak, floors that aren’t rotten, and common areas that are safe for everyone. These are the obvious factors. Depending on where you live, hidden dangers could be lurking in your [...]
Categories: Health Risks for Tenants, Landlord Paperwork and Forms, Landlord Tenant Hazards, Landlord Tips, Mold and Tenants, Rental Property Health Hazard, Rental Property Management, Renting and Leasing Tags: background, best, check, complete, landlord, property, rental, tenant