Ten Basic Rules For Rental Property Tenants

By E-Renter Tenant Screening
Posted on September 5, 2006 under Landlord Tips | Be the First to Comment

Landlords and owners of rental properties should establish a set of rules for tenants to follow, as it will help make their job that much easier. Set them down in the rental or lease agreement, as these rules may give you legal recourse, in case any tenant breaks them. When setting the rules, ascertain they are precise and tenants understand them clearly, before they are allowed to move into your rental property. If tenants misuse or destroy your property, instead of being profit spinning rental units, may well prove to be a dead weight.

Lay down the rules for your rental property and enforce them fairly and with strict regularity, without any favouritism shown to any of your tenants. For example, if all tenant rental agreements carry the no pet clause, the rule must be enforced for all tenants without making an exception.

Ensure your rules cover the following:

Due date for rent and when it will begin to be considered as late rent. You need this rule to discourage tenants from being habitually late in paying rent. Set a penalty fee like other landlords, if due rent is not received by a certain date. The penalty charge can either be a percentage of the rent, or a fixed amount for each day the rent is not paid up in full.
Right of Entry. Many state laws require a landlord to give a minimum 24-hour notice before entering their rented out property. Include a right of entry clause in the rental agreement to avoid confusion, later on. Check up on your state law to see how much notice is required.
What must stay and what must go when a tenant vacates. If a landlord offers either furnished or partially furnished accommodation, your lease agreement must clearly state what is to be considered a part of the rental property and not to be removed. In case, a tenant does remove certain items, this clause in the rental agreement will entitle you to legal recourse. It will also stress upon your tenants that this rule will be enforced in an extremely strict manner.
Garbage removal. The biggest headache landlords face is the improper removal of garbage. Apart from being unsanitary, uncollected garbage only serves to make your rental property look ill-maintained and shabby. Your rules should clearly state how often and how frequently garbage has to be removed.
Guidelines for cleanliness. A filthy apartment or building poses a severe health hazard, not only for the tenant in question, but for the others, as well. You don’t have to put up with slovenly tenants, simply set down the rules for cleanliness, which could also serve as an option for evicting any tenant who disregards them.
Pets and related policies. If, you are not averse to tenants keeping pets, state what pet animals will be allowed. For example, if you allow cats but not dogs, or limit the size of dogs that can be kept as pets, clearly state your preferences in the rental agreement.
Length of notice to vacate. Normally, landlords prefer tenants to give them a 30-day notice before moving out. You can decide on the time duration of notice to vacate, and whatever you decide, state it clearly in your rental agreement.
Proper fixture use. To save yourself the time, effort and cost of repeatedly having to repair fixtures due to improper use by a tenant, state clearly what constitutes proper and improper use. This provides you the option of not having to pay for fixture repairs due to inappropriate use.
Lease-end restoration. Inform your tenants before they move in that they will have to restore their rental unit to the condition it was in, when they rented it from you. Ensure this is stated clearly in the rental or lease agreement to avoid misunderstandings when the rental or lease term is over.
Deposit information. Taking security deposits means tenants will have to be informed as to what will happen if they damage the unit they are renting. For example, if the wall is damaged and its costs you $100 to fix the gaping hole in it, emphasise the repair costs will be deducted from their initial deposit.

Setting these rules down helps ensure rental experiences are pleasant for both landlords and tenants. As well, rules will help the tenants know what they can and cannot get away with. As you know, a well-maintained and clean rental unit, along with well-behaved, responsible tenants means a better class of people will apply to rent your property. And, of course, careful selection and screening prospective tenants helps avoid later problems, if any. For help in suitable tenant selection, visit www.e-renter.com for tenant screening and background check services, the best and only way to prevent expensive litigation, penalty charges or property damag