Being a landlord is a difficult job. Dealing with tenant complaints and maintaining your properties are only a few of the responsibilities you’ll face once you’ve decided to step into this field. Bad tenants also come with the territory.
While you may screen your tenants before making a rental agreement, you may still find yourself dealing with big problems. Luckily, there are ways for you to deal with this issue and come out of it with a bit of your sanity still intact.
Read on below to learn a few tips for navigating life as a landlord and dealing with bad tenants.
What Is a Bad Tenant?
Every landlord has tenant horror stories and a different definition of what makes for a bad resident. Tenants who complain constantly, are late with the rent, or are destructive to the property are among the hardest to deal with.
If you’ve experienced these types of tenants you may have already explored the laws associated with the eviction process and tenant’s rights. This is good knowledge to have for situations when a discussion doesn’t fix the issue.
Landlords Must be Approachable
While dealing with complaints is difficult, it’s part of the job. To make things easier with your tenants, make yourself more approachable. If they feel they can talk with you easily, many issues may resolve themselves.
When talking with your residents, use friendly tones and compassion. When people feel you’re understanding of their needs, they often deescalate. This can be good news for both you and your tenant.
Fix Issues When Possible
If you aren’t using a property manager to help with the responsibilities of being a landlord, everything falls at your feet to deal with. If a tenant has an issue, being quick to act is the answer.
If there’s a maintenance issue or a problem with a noisy neighbor, show off your abilities as a landlord and step in. Scheduling a local company to do repairs will get your property back on track. Asking other tenants to keep the noise down will show your problem tenants that you understand their needs and are trying to help.
Have Your Guidelines in Place
The best way of dealing with bad tenants is by having firm guidelines for them to follow. By having all your renters sign a renter’s agreement, you have something to fall back on. They will know your rules, expectations, and guidelines before they move in.
When a troublesome tenant repeatedly goes against the agreement they signed, this is when you have legal recourse to deal with the situation. Whether you’ve implemented a three-strike rule or other guidelines in your agreement, keep proof of your bad tenant’s breaking of the rules in the event court proceedings take place.
Do You Need Help Dealing with Bad Tenants?
While you may be trying your best to be a great landlord, dealing with bad tenants can leave you seeking assistance. This is where we come in.
At Elhm Property Management we understand your plight. If you are ready to pass the reigns and add a property management team to deal with bad tenants, feel free to contact us. We’ll gladly step in and make your life easier.
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