Landlord reference checking is a simple step but some landlords skip over this critical screening thinking it unnecessary if the credit report is satisfactory. The fact that an applicant looks good on the credit report does not guarantee you’ve found a good tenant. Being in a hurry to offer tenancy without conducting all necessary tenant […]

Landlords need to keep records on all applicants, current tenants, and past tenants. Documentation related to all applications, whether withdrawn, rejected, or accepted, should be retained, including date/time of contact and unit(s) shown. A log should also be kept of all calls from prospective applicants, even if they never visit the property. Records should be […]

Most aspects of landlord tenant relationships are regulated by state statutes and local laws including in many states, the landlord’s right to access the rental property. In addition to applicable statutes, the landlord’s lease agreement should contain language that specifies the landlord’s right to entry and procedures for notice requirements. If a tenant refuses the […]

Federal, State, and Local Laws Many landlord problems stem from a lack of knowledge regarding management of rental units and a failure to keep current with applicable federal, state, and local laws. A landlord must know the laws that govern his business. The legal relationship between landlord and tenant is spelled out in state statutes, […]

Lease agreements should always contain a clause prohibiting tenants from making alterations and improvements to rental property. A landlord’s concerns regarding tenant unauthorized alterations and improvements include issues of liability; health, safety, and security of the tenant and the neighboring tenants; building codes requirements; licensures and work permits; possible environmental impacts; and landlord habitability responsibilities […]

Tenant onboarding follows tenant selection as the next step in filling vacancies. The tenant onboarding program transitions the selected qualified applicant to the status of new tenant. The purpose of tenant onboarding is to acclimate the new tenant to the rental property by providing detailed information on rental policies, practices, rules and restrictions. A well-developed […]

Usually such a lease clause needs to be customized to the specific property and the specific tenant. Writing such a lease clause requires certain knowledge of law and real estate matters to ensure the clause is unambiguous, adequately states the intent of the parties, and is legally binding. An inadequately written clause could create unwanted […]

The existing lease agreement is valid and enforceable until its expiration date and the lease binds the buyer if sold before its expiration. Unless the lease agreement has a specific clause requiring a buyout or otherwise terminating an existing lease (not often seen), leases go with the property. That is, both the tenant and the […]

Obviously, if a “For Sale” sign is installed on the property, the tenants will know of a possible sale. Even if the marketing of the property does not include on-site signage, the tenants will know that the property is being sold because it is almost always necessary that potential buyers (perhaps more than one) and/or […]

An umbrella insurance policy is a type of liability insurance that provides additional liability coverage over and above the landlord’s standard liability policy coverage. Umbrella insurance coverage takes effect when the costs of a claim surpass the landlord’s standard liability policy limits. Umbrella policies are not replacement insurance policies. An umbrella policy does not cover anything […]