Every landlord’s worst nightmare is encountering a bad tenant. However, sometimes it’s inevitable as you rent out more properties and meet all kinds of tenants. If you’re dealing with a terrible tenant for the first time, you might even ask yourself, “Is it time to sell my house fast so this tenant gets out of my hair?”
As an Anderson-based landlord, It’s important to not only be prepared by reading up on topics such as landlord protection and your legal rights in Anderson, SC, but you should also read up on simple tips that can get you out of strife with a bad tenant. Here are some below:
Protect Yourself First
Make sure these steps are always in order before closing a sale or rent deal:
- Landlord insurance must be settled for you.
- Choose the right agent for managing your property.
- Cross-check your tenant’s references.
Even the most agreeable landlord can get into conflict with a tenant. It’s best to keep a copy of the rental agreement with you at all times to show your tenant in case disputes arise.
Have proof that you gave them their own copy too, and that they understood the agreements before signing. If this is applicable, give them a copy of owners’ corporation rules too.
Put Strict Rules In Place
We get it. No one wants to be the uncool landlord with rigid rules because it’s easy for tenants to complain against them. But on the flipside, tenants can easily take advantage of a lenient tenant who isn’t firm with agreements. Don’t be this landlord, and set some rules down.
Resolve Issues When It Comes To Rent Payment
One of the most common problematic tenants are those who can’t or refuse to pay rent. Most of the time however, tenants are unable to pay rent due to financial issues, and this can be resolved via negotiation.
Your payment terms must be flexible enough to be negotiated if this is the case. Speak to your tenant about exploring weekly payment terms if they’re encountering problems with cash flow. Tenants with short term financial issues tend to pay whenever money comes in, so a weekly payment plan will help alleviate this.
Getting them settled in a cheaper unit or setting them up with roommates can also be good ways to help them pay rent. It’s best to approach these solutions first before thinking of eviction.
Quarrelling Tenants Should Resolve Their Issues Privately
People who live closely together can still get into disputes that can be a headache for landlords. It’s best to let these tenants resolve their issues on their own. A good way to do this is to stipulate a clause in your agreement that will require them to exhaust all possible means to resolve their issues before you step in.
Even though you may not be explicitly involved, make sure to keep some sort of documentation of the complaints for your protection.
Evict If Necessary
Sometimes, no matter how many chances you give a tenant, these aren’t enough. Eviction is your final option, so make sure you’re prepared just in case you take this route. Only pursue legal action if the tenant simply refuses to budge, and assure them that not taking this to court would spare both of you unnecessary expenses.
A formal eviction notice must be given with a valid, legal reason for eviction. This is so if your tenant wishes to escalate, you have documents that justify their eviction from your property.
Sell To A Professional Home Buyer
Once you’ve evicted your tenant, it’s possible that you may not want to rent out the unit anymore. Selling to a professional home buyer saves you all this trouble, and earns you a neat profit for your property easily.
We at Sell My House Fast – GSAP can assist you immediately. We buy houses in Anderson, SC fast, in any condition. You don’t have to worry about cleaning the property, and you won’t go through realtors, fees, commissions and repairs just to sell to us. All you have to do is visit our website and provide the required information to get an instant offer today. Our team is ready to help you any time.
