Top 5 Tenant Issues As A Landlord
Tenant Issues, how to come back from a mess like this!
What to do if your tenant isn’t paying
One of the biggest concerns of someone just starting out investing into properties in Syracuse, NY or in other areas is what will happen if your tenants stop paying. First, breathe because there are many solutions and protections for this problem!
Before you allow someone to live in your house, you go through the screening process, you run background checks, credit reports and call all of their referrals. If you are just starting out you may do all of this yourself but if you are further in the game and have multiple units it may be too much to manage. You might consider hiring a property manager to take on your rentals. They will have written, established contracts reviewed with lawyers and very strict guidelines to follow when screening new tenants in Syracuse, NY or other areas in order to protect you and your property.
There are times when you have gone through every precautionary step and tenants still don’t pay, so then what? You need to have a system in place, a step-by-step plan for this happening and more importantly you have to enforce it. You cannot let their problems become your problems.
Property Damages and Repair Costs
This is where your lease comes into play, when signing you need to make sure you are protected from potential damage to your property by ensuring that your tenants are responsible. This prevents damages from happening and allows your tenants to really treat your house like home.
If your tenant breaks something, it is not your responsibility to pay for the repair. When it comes to major repairs like a pipe bursts or the furnace stops working then they should be calling you or if you have one, your property manager to fix the problem or send a repair tech out.
Common Complaints from Tenants
We all know people like this, ones who are never pleased and nothing is ever enough. The constant phone calls about dogs barking or music being too loud in another unit. You can save yourself from this hassle by hiring a property manager in Syracuse, NY or other areas to take care of situations like the one I addressed. The calls will go directly to them and they will only alert you if there is a more serious issue or after things have already been resolved.
Threatening Your Company Name With False Accusations
Of course every time someone stops paying rent or they need to be evicted for their own fault, you become their enemy. You may have had someone at the property repairing something small and the tenant could turn around and claim that the repair tech stole something and are refusing to pay rent until its replaced or that they are going to give you a bad name. You have to know when to protect yourself and if your tenant is threatening you, call your lawyer.
Keeping it Professional
You may hear and see the worst of these people, they may fight in front of you about the lease and wanting to move out, you have to hold your ground and keep your relationship with them professional as hard as they are trying to play into your emotions. If they are breaking up or someone is moving out, your contract is still valid and they agreed to the terms knowingly. Luckily, if you hire a property manager you won’t ever have to deal with any of this, they take care of this for you!