It seems like more people are wanting to rent rather than buy homes. As a landlord, this is great news to hear. However, you also know that you will likely have a rotation of tenants before someone stays long-term.
While many tenants may leave because they’re looking for new views or better job opportunities, others may not be renting from you long because they’ve violated their lease. As you know, your lease is important in many ways; the rental agreement outlines what you expect a tenant to know as they live in a building and it gives clear reasons why you might evict them.
As you revise your lease agreement in the future or consider evicting a tenant, you may need to consider the reasons why a tenant has violated their lease. Here’s what you should know:
Is your tenant behind, short or late on rent?
It’s important that tenants pay their rent on time and in full. Being too lenient with your tenants and giving them too much or too many grace periods can make it harder for you to pay utilities, repairs and taxes. A lease should be clear that you will not tolerate late rent payments.
Is your tenant allowed to have a pet?
Animals can create a lot of difficulties for landlords. An unclean tenant may not clean after their pet. Or, a pet may be loud and disturb other tenants. Your tenant’s lease may outline what pets a tenant is allowed to have, if they are allowed to have any at all. Getting a pet that’s outside of these restrictions could violate a lease.
Did a tenant cause damage?
You likely have to pay for any damages done to your property, which includes holes in walls or broken appliances. If your tenant breaks something that’s hard to repair, then there may be cause to evict your tenant.
Before you evict your tenant, you may need to review your rights to do so. Evicting a tenant without a strong reason could lead to legal issues.