The sooner the better, always. Whether it’s non-payment of rent, or maintenance issues, or property damage, the sooner you deal with it, the better. For example, if a tenant doesn’t pay rent, or their utilities bills, call them right away and hash it out. Don’t wait, don’t leave it alone, hoping that the issue will somehow resolve or “fix itself.” You will have to be confrontational—aggressive even—to deal with these types of problems quickly. But that’s okay! Dealing with issues now, and fast, is always better for everyone involved. As you become a more experienced landlord, you’ll see more and more why this is so important. Address the issue head on, and you’ll see that the more quickly and aggressively you deal with any potential issue, the more likely the situation is going to be resolved in your favor. And this will help make renting out your property a more pleasant and beneficial experience for everyone.
EVICTING TENANTS
In an article on Rentalutions.com, author Anne McMillin discusses several horror stories of renting “gone wrong.” The National Association of Independent Landlords tells the true story of a landlord leasing his apartment to a tenant who stopped paying rent soon after taking up residence. The landlord did a check-up and inspection, and suspected the non-paying tenant was also stealing appliances in addition to not paying rent. Of course, he called the police, but when they questioned the tenant, she accused the landlord of trespassing and even claimed she’d never seen him before. Unfortunately, in another case of someone’s word against another’s, the police sided with the tenant, and the landlord literally watched as the tenant left with his washing machine.
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