Every landlord wants to find the perfect tenant – someone who is quiet, pays their rent on time, and doesn’t disturb the neighbors.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t always happen. If you have a difficult tenant, read on to learn how to handle them.
Tenants Who Are Noisy
A noisy tenant can be a real pain, particularly if they are living in a multi-unit building or there is another home close by. If your tenant is having loud parties, playing loud music, or having loud fights, it’s time for you to take action.
The first thing that you should do is talk to the tenant. If you have received complaints from other tenants or neighbors, write down the date and time and any specific information that was reported.
Ask the complainer to put their complaint in writing and sign it. Then go to the tenant, and let them know that you have received complaints.
Be friendly rather than accusatory, and give the tenant a chance to try to solve the problem. After your discussion, follow up on the situation in writing. Send the tenant a letter that documents the issue and your discussion.
If you continue to have problems, send the tenant a written warning along with a copy of the lease agreement. Point out the rules that are being violated, and request that the noise level be kept down.
If the problem continues, you can begin eviction proceedings. You must be able to show the judge that you tried at least three times to resolve the issue before taking it to court.
Tenants Who Harass the Neighbors
Some tenants seem perfectly reasonable when you first meet them, but later become harassing or intimidating to the neighbors. You have a responsibility as the landlord to protect your other tenants from mistreatment by the offensive tenant.
Tenants may not be a nuisance to others. Tenants may not jeopardize the health, welfare, and safety of others. They may not sexually harass others or discharge guns.
It is important that your lease agreement include a clause about acceptable behavior. It should specifically state that abusive behavior, intimidation, and sexual harassment are not tolerable and are grounds for eviction.
If you receive a complaint from a neighbor about the behavior of the tenant, ask the neighbor to provide a written complaint and sign it.
Then notify the tenant that you have received a complaint and that he is in violation of the lease agreement. Be clear that continued behavior of this sort is grounds for eviction.
If you choose to talk to the tenant in person, be sure to document your conversation by sending a follow up later that reiterates your discussion. This is important in the event that you must pursue eviction.
If you feel that there is a threat to the physical safety of the residents, ask the police or your attorney to get involved.
It is best for the landlord and the tenants to stay on friendly terms. Try to approach any issues in a friendly and understanding way so that you might resolve them easily instead of creating a bigger conflict.
Landlords who need help in dealing with difficult tenants should get in touch with McMath Realty. We offer a variety of services to assist you in maintaining your property, includinginvestment consulting,property management,rental management,property inspections, and home maintenance services.
We manage rental properties in Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Phoenix, Glendale, and all areas of Maricopa County.
We advertise your property in the MLS listing, on multiple websites, and on our own website. We also use signage to attract potential renters who are out driving around and looking for rental opportunities. We will assess your property, recommend improvements, and help you price your unit appropriately.
Contact McMath Realty at https://mcmathrealty.com//contact.php to learn more about how we can help you keep your rental property in great shape and take care of the day-to-day dealings with tenants!