Unfortunately, as a property owner or landlord you’ll need to deal with your fair share of tenant complaints and disputes. Whether it’s a broken door lock, an over-flowing toilet, or an unpaid rent cheque, you’ll need to have the right knowledge and experience to handle these situations before they become too severe.
In this article we will be discussing what are some of the most common issues that landlords come up against. Whether your property is a home, apartment, or commercial building, we will provide advice on how to deal with each of them.
Common Landlord Issues and How to Handle Them
Problem: Repairing and Maintenance Issues
Problem tenants are like a nightmare for most landlords. They refuse to pay rent unless it’s first spent on repairs, they consistently cause problems which escalate into legal disputes, and they damage your property in an attempt to get out of paying rent. Though it’s not easy, there are steps you can take to prevent these kinds of tenants from entering your life. Here’s what you should do:
Make sure that all maintenance requests are dealt with as soon as possible. If you are a landlord, the tenant is required to make the repairs. If you can’t attend to these issues right away, then find a reliable company which will accept the job after hours on your behalf.
Even if this problem is a minor one, you should still remedy it immediately. For example, if they refuse to pay rent until repairs are made and they are still living in the unit, evict them or move into another property ASAP.
Problem tenants can also cause problems for your property insurance company and for warranty repair companies who may be trying to fix their damages at the same time as yours. When non-paying tenants damage your property there is a very real possibility that an insurance claim against them could be made as well.
The very first step you should do to prevent this is to enforce the security deposit and take care of any damages as soon as they occur.
Check on any small damage carefully before signing off on the security deposit return. Sometimes you may find that extra damage occurs when you aren’t looking.
In case of a dispute, make sure to always ask for expert opinions from people who know about construction and safety issues like carpentry or home repair workers, so that you can be certain about what was done and what wasn’t done. If your tenant has a history of making mistakes or breaking things, then it will serve as an excellent defence against them in case your insurance company tries to make a claim against it.
Problem: Unpaid Rent, Security Deposits and Utility Bills
If you have a tenant who is consistently late with rent payments, then you should start by looking at the relationship between you and your tenant. To collect on late rent owed, contact them directly and try to resolve the situation amicably. If your attempts prove unsuccessful, then a formal letter stating that the rent is ten days overdue can be sent to them.
In some cases, tenants may simply not be able to pay the rent until their next paycheque. In these situations it is better to remind them of this than evicting them if possible.
This move will assure them that you care about their situation and it demonstrates that you are willing to work out a mutually beneficial arrangement. Quite often, this approach can convince your tenant to be more responsive and prompt with their rent in the future. If these attempts fail, then an eviction notice should be served immediately.
Problem: Invading Your Privacy and Living Habits Through Noise Complaints
If you have a tenant who constantly complains about noise from other tenants or neighbours, they may have some underlying issues that need resolving before they cause problems for you. Perhaps they are annoyed at how much noise other tenants are making and using your property as the target for their frustration is not fair to you or to them in the long term.
First, you should make sure that your tenants are aware of the noise policy as well as any rules regarding excessive noise in the house. This creates an understanding and mutual respect between all of your tenants which will lead to more peaceful living arrangements.
If they are still making complaints, then first deal with the source of the problem by warning those who are making too much noise almost immediately. If those people continue to make too much noise after you ask them to stop, then enforce strict punishments on repeat offenders. This will send them a clear message that their actions will not be tolerated or ignored.
You should also keep a record of all the notifications you’ve sent to your tenants, along with all replies you’ve received and any responses from the people who are making too much noise. This information can be used against them if (and when) they make a claim against you.
Problem: Refusing to Pay Rent or Sign Out and Vacate Orders
If your tenant refuses to sign an official lease and instead just pays rent verbally, then there is a chance that they have no intention of signing their name on anything. It’s essential that you make sure that this situation has been considered before moving ahead with the process of getting them evicted.
However, if they have agreed to the lease and have signed it and you still have issues with getting them to sign out and vacate the property, then you should be aware of what steps you can take in order to get an eviction notice. For more information visit this page.
Problem: Disrupting Your Family and Neighbours with Their Pets or Family Members
If a tenant is making too much noise due to their pets, you should talk about it with them because often people don’t realize that their pets are making too much noise until someone points it out to them. They may not even understand why your complaints about the pet noises are justified when they themselves can’t hear it.
First, you should try to resolve the problem with your tenant directly. This will serve as a warning to them that pets can be a nuisance and you do not want such a situation in your own home. If they are still making too much noise, then speak with the landlord or property manager about it in order for them to take decisive action against the problem.
If you have any other complaints about disruptions due to family members or neighbours, then speak with the landlord and property manager directly as well. Keep records of all incidents so that you can use these when filing a claim against tenants who cause damage at your place of residence.
Problem: Tenants Who Make Other Tenants Feel Uncomfortable
If you have tenants who are making other tenants feel uncomfortable, then you can tell them that it’s their duty to keep the house in order. You should also point out that the other tenants do not want to live with problems like noise and disruption.
If this doesn’t solve the problem and they continue to make the other tenants uncomfortable, then report the matter to your landlord or property manager and ask them to take action against them. This is useful if you are trying to file a claim against your tenant but only have their word as evidence against them. For more information visit this page.
Conclusion
However, the benefits of having Limnios Property Group managing your property in Perth, Western Australia are far greater than simply being able to file claims against tenants. Please visit us at www.limnios.com , or complete the form below to schedule an appointment with a property manager and find out more.
We have managed properties for over 50 years and would be more than happy to share some of the knowledge we have gained over that time with you. We look forward to providing you with the same level of excellent service and free professional advice that we give our other clients.
We provide all landlords in Perth, Western Australia with a full residential property management service. You can trust us to manage your investment by providing a professional and dedicated approach to maintaining your property, collecting rent payments and responding quickly to tenant concerns or problems that may arise.
