Being a landlord can be difficult because you will often have to balance questions of personal interest with the desire to avoid disputes. It is important that you set boundaries with your tenant early on in the process of renting, and that you put everything in writing so that you can avoid misunderstandings in the future.
The following are some things that you should do as a landlord if you want to effectively avoid tenant disputes.
Make an effort to avoid asking things that could be perceived as discriminatory
You cannot base a rental decision on the sex, race, religion or the national origin of a prospective renter. While it is unlikely that you would do this, you should be careful about what questions you ask to avoid giving the impression that you would discriminate.
Make disclosures
Communication is key when it comes to landlord-tenant relationships. This is why you should ensure that you have disclosed any defects in the property that may not be immediately obvious.
Make sure that the property is completely safe
If a tenant or someone else is injured on the property, you may be liable if you did not fix unsafe conditions. Therefore you should make sure that the property is completely free from unsafe hazards before renting it to a tenant. You should also make an inventory and take photos of the condition of the property before renting to protect yourself.
If you want to protect yourself from disputes as a landlord in New York, an experienced real estate attorney can provide valuable guidance.