As a landlord, you create a lease with the idea that your tenant will follow the rules at all times. Unfortunately, it can be a challenge to enforce these rules on a day-to-day basis.
There is no way of knowing if a tenant will commit a lease violation, so you should expect this to happen every now and again. Here are some of the most common violations:
- Unauthorized pets. Like many landlords, you may not be thrilled with the idea of a tenant keeping pets on the property. Not only can they cause damage, but a pet could injure someone as well.
- Long-term guests. This isn’t something that is in every lease agreement, but it may be in yours. A long-term guest is anyone who lives at the property for an extended period of time, thus becoming a liability.
- Decorating the property in a manner that causes damage. There are many examples of this, such as hanging items on the wall. It’s okay that a person wants to make the property feel like home, but he or she can’t damage it while doing so.
These are just a few of the many types of lease violations that you could find yourself dealing with at some point. If the time comes to enforce a lease, make sure you are clear with the tenant about what he or she is and is not permitted to do. As long as it’s outlined in the lease, there shouldn’t be any gray area. If the tenant doesn’t comply with your requests, you may need to look into your eviction rights.
Source: Rentec Direct, “3 Common Lease Violations Your Renters Will Definitely Make,” accessed Dec. 15, 2017