One of the best things about being a landlord is you can set rental rules for your property. This helps protect your investment from chaotic tenants and goes a long way in helping you maximize your rental income.
Unfortunately, as the old saying goes, rules are there to be broken. From time to time, or often, you'll have tenants who don't give a hoot about your rules.
This is where lease enforcement comes in. Rules are rules, and they must be followed. If a tenant thinks they're above the rules, you have to show them who the boss is.
If you're wondering how to go about enforcing leases in your Vienna, VA, rental, here are a few handy tips.
1. Put It Down on Paper
Rental rules are fleshed out in a lease agreement. This ensures the tenant is well aware of the rules before they agree to the agreement.
A lease agreement can be oral, typically when the tenancy term is one year or less. If you're doing one-year tenant leases, you might find it easier to make verbal rental agreements. This can save you time and money, but it can also morph into a nightmare when it comes to lease enforcement.
Although legally binding, verbal lease agreements can be hard to prove in court. This is why you need to put down your rules on paper and have the tenant sign the agreement.
When there's a violation, you'll have written evidence of the rule. The tenant cannot say they never knew the rule existed as an excuse.
2. Send a Notice to Cease
You have established that a tenant is breaking a rental rule. Perhaps you received complaints from other tenants in the building, or you witnessed it yourself.
You might be tempted to confront the tenant, but that would be an ill-advised move. If you go to the tenant's house to warn them, for example, you would have violated their right to privacy, and that alone is enough for them to turn the table on you.
The right move is to send a written notice to cease. The document will flesh out the violation, including any supporting evidence, a reference to the section of the lease agreement that has been violated, and instructions to stop the behavior.
Depending on the nature of the violations, you can give a timeframe for the tenant to take the necessary action. If they're living with a disallowed pet, for example, you can give them a week to get rid of it.
3. Initiate Eviction
Eviction is a measure of last resort considering the complexities involved, but it must be done if a tenant is not heeding the call to correct the mistake.
A breach of the lease agreement, despite a notice to stop, is grounds for eviction. If it gets here, it's prudent to hire a landlord attorney to help you proceed as it's a legal process.
Leave Lease Enforcement to Property Management Professionals
As a landlord, you have a lot on your plate. Lease enforcement shouldn't be one of them. Dealing with troublesome tenants requires patience, tact, and experience.
In Vienna, leave lease enforcement to PMI Smart Choice. We're a full-service property management company that's part of a franchise network with over 20 years of industry experience.
Call us and we will handle the rest.
