The landlord-tenant relationship is governed by legal rights and responsibilities. There is an implied duty of good faith and fair dealing between landlord and tenant that requires the landlord and tenant to treat each other honestly and in a reasonable manner. It is understood neither party will do anything that will injure the right of […]

To help protect his business from tenant fraud, a landlord should, at a minimum: Have full understanding of landlord-tenant statues, local ordinances, and fair housing protections. Be prepared to pre-screen potential applicants when they respond to an advertised vacancy; make notes of information discussed and save for later reference as needed. Meet the prospect in […]

Identity theft is true name fraud. Fraud occurs when an individual’s personal information is used without their knowledge by another individual to commit a criminal act. An applicant may use bits and pieces of the identity theft victim’s personal information, such as the victim’s name, date of birth, or Social Security number, as his own […]

Choosing the right tenant can make all the difference in the landlord’s business. Choice is more than filling a vacancy; choice is every effort to avoid financial risk. An applicant comes with a story and a history. The applicant the landlord sees is the one that is judged. What if the applicant has intentionally given […]

Nuisance and disturbance issues should always be adequately addressed in your lease agreement. A lease agreement should always include a clause that prohibits tenants and their guests from creating a nuisance by disturbing or interfering with other tenants’ right to the quiet enjoyment of the rental property. If a tenant or guest violates the lease […]

If you receive frequent complaints about noise you should investigate the possible sources of noise disturbance. If the noise is persistently coming from a particular source that is within your control i.e. a tenant on your rental property, you must address the issue with the offending party and take appropriate action. If the noise is […]

Noise is one of the most common tenant complaints in multi-family housing. You should take their complaints seriously and respond with an acknowledgement of the complaints. Ignoring a complaint from tenants is never a good business practice. Listen to what your tenants say is the problem. If this is their first rental they may not […]

Strong lease clauses protect the landlord’s business. A strong lease is a risk management tool to defend against known risks and a risk preventative measure for unexpected events. A lease agreement is a legal contract that governs the landlord-tenant relationship. The lease transfers possession, use and enjoyment of the rental premises from the landlord to […]

First check your state statutes and local ordinances to see if home-based businesses are addressed by statute or codes. Whether you should allow a tenant to operate a home-based business from your rental unit may also depend upon the type of business and the business practices involved. Some cities or jurisdictions may have ordinances that […]

Potentially the issue of most concern is that you and your friend don’t formalize the arrangement as a business relationship of landlord and tenant. A landlord should always keep his professional life separate from his personal life. If your friend rents from you, you are his landlord.  You should require your friend to follow the […]