Ask any landlord or property manager and they are sure to tell you just how important the lease agreement is. To be sure you have probably had your lease verified by a lawyer, and think it contains everything needed to ensure a successful tenancy. But, how sure are you that you have every angle covered? Here are three very important items that should be covered in your lease that many property managers and landlords forget to include.
While most tenants would never dream of living in filth, there are those who somewhere along the way seem to have forgotten how to keep their homes clean. Most of us know that leaving our homes a mess is a great way to attract numerous insects and rodents, mold and mildew can take over, all of which can cause significant damage to your home and render it unrentable until you invest a lot of money in making the necessary repairs.
Instead of adding a small clause that simply says something about the tenant being responsible for basic maintenance, you need to be more specific. The best way to protect your propertyis to be very specific about the maintenance you expect your tenants to take care of. This list can include replacing the HVAC filters, minor plumbing repairs such as leaky toilets, cleaning the gutters, and so forth. The idea is to leave no room for mistakes or gray areas, this way your tenants have no excuse for not taking care of your property while they are living in your rental unit.
First,you need to check with your state and local laws regarding adding paying roommates or subleasing. Once you have this information tacked into your lease, then you get to add your own requirements as to whether or not you are going to allow the lessee to add roommates or sublet a part of the unit to a friend or even a stranger.
You should start by stating that your tenant must ask for your permission before they move anyone into your rental unit. That permission must be in writing. Also add that anyone who is being allowed to move into the unitmust go through the regular screening process, which must include a background and credit check. This ensures they have the necessary qualifications to take over the lease.
Makings sure you have an iron clad lease in your tenant “welcome package” that covers every little detail is a vital part of being a successful landlord/property manager. Just because your lease might seem more like a laundry list, does not mean it is overkill. In fact, what you will find, is that the good tenants, the kind you want, are far more likely to appreciate a lease that spells everything out. A lease that seems to leave a lot of unanswered questions and fails to cover everything, can leave both you and your tenants open to a lot of problems down the road.
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