Volusia County has an issue with evictions right now.
As a landlord, your first reaction should never be to evict a tenant. With solid tenant screening and lease enforcement policies, you should be able to find good tenants and keep them adhering to your house rules.
In today's post, we're going to help you with effective lease enforcement and tenant issue resolution with a few key property management tips. Handling lease violations doesn't have to be stressful or contentious. Keep reading and let us guide you toward better property management tactics.
Importance of Tenant Selection
Before we discuss lease enforcement, we must quickly explain the importance of tenant selection. Marketing your vacancies and thoroughly screening your tenants is the best way to find ones that adhere to your lease agreement.
Understand the Fair Housing Act and other rental property laws, then use background and credit checks to find the most suitable candidate. Doing so will eliminate most of the stress that comes with lease enforcement.
Clarity in Your Lease Agreements
A great tenant is just the beginning. Another important aspect of lease enforcement is clarity in your lease agreements. The rules of your rental should be:
- Sensible
- Lawful
- As clearly stated as possible
When doing so, it ensures that all tenants can understand them.
The consequences of breaking the rules should be clear as well. If there's any ambiguity, you'll make lease enforcement harder than it needs to be.
The Role of Property Inspections
Once your tenant signs the lease, make sure to set a precedent for regular property inspections. Not only will inspections help you catch any maintenance issues before they become major, but they'll also help you find lease violations as they're happening. From there, you can enforce the terms of the lease on your tenant.
It's important to understand rental property laws here too. You must give your tenant at least 12 hours notice before entering the property.
Also, showing up too frequently will alienate your tenants. They'll be able to report you to the local housing authority if they feel you're infringing upon their rights.
Stay Firm (But Legal)
If you find a violation, whether it's late rent or an unauthorized pet, remind your tenant of the lease agreement. Communication is at the heart of lease enforcement. When they know you're serious about your lease, they'll quickly rectify the problem.
When they fail to do so or respond in a hostile manner, then you can start to think about eviction. As long as you're following Florida's eviction laws by first sending a notice before filing an eviction, you don't have to give your tenant any extra chances.
Remain firm, communicate with your tenants, and act when it's necessary - this is the key to lease enforcement.
Lease Enforcement and Property Management
If lease enforcement gives you anxiety, hiring a property management company is the best path forward. At PMI Daytona Flagler, our property management services will ensure you only have great tenants who always follow your lease agreement.
Using tenant screening and strong tenant management practices, we'll help you maximize your Daytona Beach investment property. Contact us to learn more.
