Having tenants pay rent on time can be challenging if you're a landlord. Bad debt habits and shifting tenant behavior can make collecting rental payments or other charges difficult. But, that doesn't mean you have to stand for lousy tenant behavior.
As a landlord, you must have control over your property. This means being able to enforce whatever rules and regulations you want in your rental property. Ensuring there are no slip-ups when it comes to leasing agreements, maintenance, and other common issues can help strengthen property trust and protect your investment from financial risk.
Read on for more information about lease enforcement and how you can train your staff members to keep tenants in line regarding rent payments and other obligations under their leases.
What Is Lease Enforcement
Lease enforcement is acting against tenants who have not fulfilled their lease obligations. Every lease contains specific obligations for both parties.
Suppose one party fails to meet its commitments; in that case, enforcing a lease can be used to pressure them into meeting those obligations or vacating the space. This could include issuing a notice to comply, giving the tenant a certain amount of time to pay the amount they owe, moving out of the space, or attempting to evict the tenant from the property.
When to Use Lease Enforcement
Lease enforcement is for serious lease violations that a written notice to comply with does not solve. Examples of lease violations include:
- Not paying the rent on time
- Not meeting the requirements of the lease’s hold harmless clause
- Violating a provision in the lease
- Violating a provision in the rental agreement
- Disorderly conduct that affects other tenants or the property
- Failing to maintain the livability of the property
- Failing to provide timely notice to vacate the property
Once a tenant commits one of these serious violations, lease enforcement is usually the next step on the path to eviction. Lease violations can come in many forms. But lease enforcement is most often used in cases of non-payment of rent.
Tenant Rights and Tenant Protections
There are also certain rights that tenants can exercise to assert their position as a tenant, such as the right to have repairs done and use common areas.
To further protect tenants’ rights, the NAA recommends that renters report all maintenance issues during their tenancy to their landlord as soon as they notice them. This helps ensure that any necessary repairs will be carried out on time and that tenants do not suffer a loss of services due to maintenance issues.
Landlords are also required to keep their properties free of hazards like mold and pests and buildings that need significant repairs. Each unit must also have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If tenants feel that their rights as a tenant have been violated, they have legal options.
Landlord and Real Estate Investors
Effective lease enforcement is key to protecting your financial investments. In addition, promoting good habits among your tenants can also help you collect rent if tenants are consistently late with payments.
Are you looking to become a landlord, already a landlord, or a real estate investor? If so, HomeRiver Group in Washington DC can help with your property management needs. Contact us to learn about all our services to help protect your investment and increase your profits.
