Dealing With Problematic Tenants

[James]

If you are a landlord you have probably noticed that some tenants are a joy to behold. They are quiet, they pay their rent on time and they are considerate of others. Now, other tenants can be somewhat more contentious but easy to deal with. If someone plays their stereo too loud at night and you tell them to stop and they actually stop, that really isn't a bad tenant. It is a good tenant who may suffer from a decided lack of judgment now and then. Ditto for the tenant who may sometimes be late here and there with the rent; such a tenant is really not a bad tenant. Then, there are those tenants who are problematic and require special attention and care to deal with. While the severity of problem tenants may range depending upon the issue the fact of the matter is that serious problems with tenants need to be addressed before the problem gets out of hand. Herein, a few common problems will be examined and some advice on how to deal with them will be offered.

Maintain a file of written documentation of a trouble tenant. This will save you a colossal number of headaches down the road. If the tenant is belligerent document it. If the tenant is habitually late with rent document it. If the tenant repeatedly violates residential policies document it. This will plug any potential holes if an action needs to be taken against the tenant at a later date.

If the tenant proves to be having a problem with another tenant then you are obligated to step in and handle the situation. You simply can not let a chaotic situation escalate out of control. Of course, you need to make the right decision as to how to handle these types of situations as siding with the wrong party could prove disastrous. In certain situations, it may even be necessary to bring in a third party mediator to deal with the situation.

Illegal drugs. If you believe that a tenant is involved with illegal drugs then it is critical to deal with this situation as soon as possible as there are punitive actions that can be taken against the property holder if property management is aware of the situation and does nothing. Of course, in order to take action you need a little more than suspicion in order to take action. You can't evict an innocent person because you think they are involved with drugs. If you do have suspicions, it may be best to contact the proper authorities before taking any actions.

Evictions. If the relationship between tenant and landlord deteriorates to an unacceptable level it may become necessary to evict the tenant. As distasteful as it sometimes the end of the proverbial rope is reached and actions must be taken. Of course, one should always try to work things out and avoid such a difficult situation. So, explore all "diplomatic" venues before ejected someone. Please note, however, that you simply can not through a tenant out the door without proper justification and, in certain states, with a court order. Please examine the laws in your state prior to making such a decision. 

  James...