When signing a lease agreement, you want to know that, as a landlord, you and your tenant won’t have any disputes. However, there’s always a chance that, once a tenant enters into an agreement, a problem can arise.
Being prepared for a landlord-tenant dispute may help ensure your new tenant isn’t stepping on your toes. Here’s what you should consider:
Know your rights
The best way to overcome any issue, or prevent an issue before it starts, is to know your rights as a landlord. Landlords have rights when creating a lease agreement, but tenants have just as many rights.
For example, you ask your tenant to pay an application fee, no questions asked. Yet, asking about your tenants criminal history may depend on what county or city you live in. Likewise, landlords are to return a security deposit once their tenant vacates the premises, barring any fees that may be used for damages or cleaning.
Review your agreement terms
While many landlords use similar lease agreement terms, you should still consider reviewing all of its intricacies to ensure you and your new tenant aren’t breaking the agreement. Your agreement may use basic terminology, which could be used against you. But a complex agreement may make things confusing for everyone. If your tenant is unsure what you expect from them, you should discuss the terms of the agreement.
Keep it in writing
When signing a lease agreement, you should ensure you and your tenant keep a hard copy and additional documents. The advantage to this is that, if your tenant believes you’ve violated the terms, you can review and present the agreement.
Seek legal help
If a tenant does believe you violated the terms of a lease agreement, then you may need to consider reaching out for legal help, especially if you believe you didn’t.