If you ask property owners about the habits of their tenants that they find challenging, they'll often mention issues like inconsistent rent payments, noise complaints, or not following lease rules. However, one thing that tends to get less attention is how certain landlord behaviors or rules can sometimes push tenants or potential tenants away.
This guide serves to help you steer clear of implementing those rules that might unintentionally harm your rental business.
Key Highlights:
- Banning pets entirely can alienate responsible tenants and may violate laws around service or emotional support animals. Consider flexible pet rules and a screening process instead.
- While routine maintenance is necessary, excessive or unannounced inspections are intrusive and can lead to legal issues or unhappy tenants.
- Unfairly rejecting tenants based on personal bias violates Fair Housing laws. Use objective screening criteria like credit, income, and rental history.
- Setting unreasonably early quiet times can make tenants feel micromanaged. Strike a balance with fair, clearly defined noise guidelines.
- Showing favoritism in rent collection, maintenance, or incentives creates tension. Fair, consistent policies help build tenant trust and community.
1. Not Allowing Pets
Current tenants who may want a pet will find this rule restrictive, and it can significantly shrink your tenant pool as well. You may also be disregarding landlord-tenant laws regarding emotional support animals, wherein landlords, property managers, and homeowners' associations are required to "reasonably accommodate people with disabilities so they may use and enjoy a housing opportunity."
What You Can Do
You can allow animals to a specific limit, such as type and breed. Dogs, cats, and other common pets are relatively harmless, as long as they are well-trained by their owners.
Conduct a pet screening process as part of the rental agreement to ensure that they will not cause any harm or discomfort to your other tenants. You can also charge a pet security deposit to pay for any property damage.
2. Frequent Inspections
Routine inspections are crucial for maintaining the rental property's good condition, but overly frequent inspections can be a problem that tenants may not tolerate. This can even lead to legal action, especially if frequent inspections are done without proper notice.
When you inspect too often, it’s an invasion of your renter's space. If issues arise when you enter and your tenant is not home, you’ll open yourself up to a lawsuit.
What You Can Do
Most landlords conduct inspections in rental units quarterly to avoid imposing on their tenants and provide proper notice before entering the premises. State this clearly in the rental agreement so your tenants will know what and when to expect it. Most people would appreciate that you're doing your maintenance responsibilities as a landlord, but only if you don't overdo it.
3. Selective Approval
Many landlords are aware of the Fair Housing Act. However, they may still be unintentionally biased against applicants based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and sexual harassment), familial status, national origin, or disability. This may drive away unwanted tenants, but it will also deter those you do want. More importantly, it is against the law.
What You Can Do
If you want to avoid a bad tenant renting your property, base your decision on more rational factors through a documented tenant screening process. This includes credit score, criminal history, employment verification, and calls to previous landlords. This ensures that your tenant doesn't have red flags, such as failing to pay rent or not following lease terms.
4. Early Quiet Hours
It's reasonable for a property owner to set quiet hours to avoid disrupting neighbors and other tenants. However, setting them too early can lead to losing tenants. Even if you find a new tenant, it will be more difficult to retain them if the rule persists.
What You Can Do
Create terms that suit your target demographics. Set a reasonable quiet hour, and good tenants will likely follow it. Note that noise beyond quiet hours is different from excessive noise. If a tenant in the building complains about it, then you should deal with the person being disruptive accordingly. Refer to your lease or rental agreement to determine what the consequences are.
5. Unfair Treatment
Whether you like a particular resident or not, you have to give them the same treatment as everyone else. This can show through acts like leniency in late payments for the month's rent, prioritizing maintenance requests over others, or giving discounts to particular residents. It may help retain some tenants, but it also annoys others just as much.
What You Can Do
Treat everyone fairly. Whether it's providing a security deposit amount, setting rental rates, implementing additional fees, conducting maintenance, or providing incentives, it should apply to every tenant.
If you feel like you can't shake the habit, you can hire a property manager to deal with rental property operations and avoid complaints. Of course, it's still okay to provide discounts to renters in need of affordable housing due to unexpected circumstances.
6. Threatening Eviction
Informing your tenant that they can be evicted if they continue to violate lease rules is one thing; threatening to evict them for minor complaints is another. Remember that lease agreements are legally binding contracts. Unless you have a legal reason, the tenant will have the upper hand. This can easily hurt your business and lose your tenants' respect, even if you don't actually go through with it.
What You Can Do
Consider alternative methods for lease enforcement with your tenants, whether the violations are major or minor. If they make a mess, charge for cleaning services. If they are making too much noise, tell them to quiet down politely. Think of it as a way of avoiding court or legal fees. Your tenants appreciate your approach in the long run.
7. Unreasonable Charges on the Security Deposit
Landlords usually mandate security deposits to cover expenses caused by renters, such as property damage beyond wear and tear, cleaning services, or unpaid rent once the tenant vacates. While the landlord can decide whether charges can be deducted, most states have laws on which costs are eligible. Unreasonable deductions can lead to lawsuits, where the landlord will have to pay up to twice the amount.
What You Can Do
Stay informed about local laws concerning the security deposits for rental properties. In California, landlords can only charge for cleaning services to make the property as clean as when the tenant first moved in, or for unpaid rent after the tenant moves out. Damages that are considered normal wear and tear do not qualify for deductions as well.
Let Us Do What We Do Best
Worrying about doing your landlord duties without upsetting tenants is a balance most property owners struggle with. The good news is you don't have to balance it all out yourself. With a simple consultation, you can leave hard decisions to Blue Line Property Management.
Accompanied by property management expertise and access to necessary resources, we can keep things running smoothly without the risk of tenant dissatisfaction.
There's no time like the present! Call us today, and be a stress-free landlord tomorrow.
