Problem Tenants: How To Avoid Them

Tenants are unpredictable. Most of them will obey the rules and live without any issues. But of course, like most things, there will be one or two bad apples that spoil the crop. How do we deal with problem tenants?

Bad tenants can cause problems for landlords but there are steps to take in order to handle a bad tenant.

It is possible to avoid bad tenants. It’s like preventing the accident before it happens. A landlord should do lots of due diligence before allowing future tenants to sign a lease. Screen your tenants. Complete things like criminal background checks, run a credit check, check references, call their previous landlords, double-check their job status and income levels.  This will help you paint a better picture.

Some landlords do not have clear policies about rules and regulations. Tenants cannot follow rules or be aware of them if they cannot understand them. As well, leases can be complicated and riddled with all sorts of jargon. Writing a clear dictation of the rules and policies can make all the difference for a tenant. They may not follow the rules but a written document presents these rules in a more permanent way.

Once that is done, stick to the rules. Do not change them or go back on them. Renters will see this as a way out of the rules. Make sure when a rule is not followed you handle the situation professionally and clearly. Effectively communicating the consequences will help make the tenant understand that it is not OK to break the rules.
Once the relationship is established and the rules are clear, there shouldn’t be much of a problem. Because once a tenant understands that they cannot get away with breaking the rules, they won’t. All of these steps will help protect you in your year to year leases. Stick to a plan, and you shouldn’t have any problems.