Many tenant disputes with a landlord occur because of a breakdown in communication between landlord and tenant. There can be misunderstandings and misremembering of important rental policies and practices that can cause disputes over rents, deposits, repairs and maintenance, tenant privacy, and violations of lease terms and conditions. Disputes are stressful, disruptive, and time consuming. […]

Tenant turnover is costly. Tenant turnover of a quality tenant is even more costly and may be avoidable. Many landlords focus their efforts on attracting new tenants to fill a vacancy and allow existing leases to run their course. While not completing ignoring a current tenant, the landlord’s time and attention is directed to new […]

Selecting the right tenant is a critical business decision. The landlord’s tenant screening policy and qualification standards form the basis for informed decisioning of tenant selection. A landlord develops his rental criteria to facilitate choosing the right tenant; a tenant able to pay rent on time and maintain the rental property to good condition. The […]

Most lease agreements will contain a clause that prohibits repairs and alterations to the property by the tenant except as provided by law or as authorized by prior written consent of the landlord. Repairs and alterations to the rental property include rekeying locks or installing an alarm system without landlord consent. A sample lease clause […]

Once the landlord has transferred possession of the rental unit to the tenant, a landlord must respect the tenant’s rights to privacy in the tenant’s home. The implied Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment ensures the tenant that during his tenancy, the tenant’s use and enjoyment of the dwelling unit will not be disturbed by someone with […]

A landlord has a legal responsibility to take reasonable care to protect tenants from foreseeable harm. The landlord’s duty of care extends to protect tenants from third party criminal acts and, correspondingly, to protect the neighborhood from criminal acts of his tenants. A landlord should assess his property’s safety and security vulnerabilities. A physical inspection […]

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas produced by incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, such as natural gas, wood, oil, propane, charcoal, gasoline, kerosene, or coal. When fossil fuels are burned, carbon monoxide gas is released into the air which, if not dissipated, leads to air quality problems and serious health issues. Because carbon monoxide […]

A lease agreement or separate lease addendum should always address rental issues that specify landlord and/or tenant duties and responsibilities. If the rental property is located in a region that receives winter weather (snow and ice), snow removal should be addressed in the lease for legal compliances with applicable state, city, and county regulations and […]

To help prevent fire and safety hazards when decorating indoors for the holidays, pay close attention to lighting decorations and particularly to open flame candles. Do not place trees, live or artificial, next to a heat source such as heat ducts, radiators, or a fireplace. Avoid placing trees in high-traffic areas or near doorways so […]

The following tips for energy efficiencies may be helpful to tenants to reduce their heating costs: Replace furnace air filters on a regular schedule. Turn down the thermostat at night while sleeping. Lower the thermostat setting during the day when no one is home. Reduce cold air drafts from entering living spaces at doorways or […]