Have Difficult Tenants? Here’s How Property Managers Deal with Them

Buying a property is a smart investment decision, especially if you rent it, as it provides you with a steady income. Many people choose to invest in a property because it doesn’t require much work. Simply put, it is something that you can do besides your day job. However, in some cases, owning a property can have its own challenges especially if it needs maintenance or if you have difficult tenants. These tenants will make your job as a landlord very hard, as they may cause problems like damaging the property or delay in paying the rent every month. 

Experiencing tenants like that can’t be easy, and if you are a new landlord, it can be very discouraging. This is why some people choose to hire property managers to help them out. So, whether you plan on hiring one or you want to take care of everything yourself, keep reading to learn how property managers deal with difficult tenants.

Late Payment

Late payment is one of the most common problems that landlords face with their tenants. However, this is something that you can deal with early on when they are signing the lease. You can find a clear but friendly way to let them know that you have a firm system and that there are going to be consequences to late payments, like paying late fees and making it clear that this isn’t negotiable. Although the truth is, whether you protect yourself or not, you may have to deal with late or even partial payments every once in a while. 

When this happens, you will have no other option but to be very firm with the tenants otherwise things will get worse. These late payments will turn from days to weeks, and so on, and the tenants may reach an unacceptable point of tardiness. In this case, you will have no other option but to take proper and immediate action. However, if you want to avoid all the hassle then you should consider hiring a property manager who has more experience with dealing with difficult tenants. They will find it a lot easier to be strict and warn them to either pay up or leave.

Property Damage

Another thing that landlords have to deal with is property damage. There must be a section in your lease that states that the property should be left in the same condition that when the tenants moved in, and if there was any damage or change to the property then they should cover it with the damage deposit. Still, it is a good idea to make regular visits to inspect the property every once in a while. However, if you have a day job and don’t have the time for these visits, hiring a property manager from a trusted company, as local rental professionals would say, to take care of the property and do these inspections is the best option. There are so many different situations that the manager can handle for you. 

For instance, if you state in the lease a no smoking policy and the property manager notices a bad odor during an inspection, which will make the place hard to rent by the next person, the manager must then take action immediately. Likewise, if during an inspection they find damage and the tenant refuses to pay to fix it, they can send them a notice to either fix the damage or leave.

Breaking the Law

Sometimes tenants break the law by selling drugs, growing marijuana, or engaging in legal activity in the property. You should know that landlords are responsible for any criminal activity committed by the tenants. If this happens then the property manager or the landlord should evict them immediately to avoid any responsibility on both of them. Tenants who break the law can cause more problems than late payers or those who cause property damages, and in some cases, the only choice a manager has is to call the police. 

This is why it is recommended to screen your tenants first to make sure that they don’t have any criminal records. You should remember though, that even if you call the police, it doesn’t change the fact that the tenant has legally rented from you. You should therefore consult a lawyer before taking any steps towards eviction.

The Whiners

Some renters can be really annoying by constantly making calls for unreasonable requests, or insisting that for example, the air conditioner isn’t working even though you have checked it multiple times. They may even call to complain about small things they can take care of themselves. Don’t let these tenants annoy you by answering their calls or tending to valueless minor things for them. You have no legal obligation to answer their calls or cater to their needs.

Truly enough, some tenants can be difficult to deal with but this shouldn’t discourage you from renting your property. There are ways that you can address the problem before it occurs like adding firm and strict clauses to the lease. Moreover, if you are a new landlord and lack the experience then you can hire a property manager to handle the property, the tenants, and the things that you don’t have time for.