has no idea because they didn’t check up on the house for a year. Then, when they finally do—let’s say the owner is moving back, the tenant is moving out, or the tenant is evicted—the home and property are so damaged that expensive repairs are in order. So, how to avoid this potential catastrophe? You need to check on your house a minimum of every six months during the tenant’s residency. That way, if there are any minor issues that arise, you can deal with them early on; if there are bigger issues, you can deal with them, too, and either evict the tenant due to the extensive damage they’ve caused, or ensure they pay for the damages before you allow them to continue living there. This bears repeating: Just like you simply must screen your rental candidates, so must you check up on your house regularly, and often. Don’t let more than six months go by in between inspections, during which time you need to look at the entire house and property to ensure they’re in the same condition and being taken care of. Go through every single room, carefully. You can stop a problem in its tracks through your vigilance and regular, frequent inspections.
NOT KNOWING HOW TO EVICT SOMEONE
It seems simple: You’ve got a bad tenant for whatever reason (not paying rent in full, not paying rent on time, not paying rent at all, noise disturbances, theft, vandalism, bringing in pets that aren’t allowed, operating a business illegally, selling illegal substances, property destruction, etc.). Just evict them, right? Problem is, most people don’t know how to evict someone. It’s not as simple as just making a call or kicking them out.
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