Potential Legal Issues You Face As A Landlord And How To Avoid Them
Posted on: 16 August 2019
As a landlord, you will need to make sure you fully understand and follow all the landlord-tenant laws in your state. Failing to follow these laws can result in legal issues, and this is not the type of problem you will enjoy having. Here are some of the top potential legal issues you could face as a landlord as well as ways you can avoid these issues.
Evictions for lack of payment
Did you know that as a landlord you must follow certain rules and steps to remove a tenant from a unit if he or she is not paying rent or following the rules? You cannot simply lock the tenant out of the unit or make him or her leave. Instead, you must go through the court system through the process of evictions. If you are not sure how to do this, contact a lawyer to assist you. This would be the best way to avoid legal issues from failing to follow rules on evictions.
Discriminating against tenants or applicants
Discrimination is a big topic today, and it is something that could get you in a lot of legal trouble. Discriminating does not mean that you cannot fully screen applicants as a way of choosing the best one, but it does mean that you cannot deny an applicant a rental unit simply because of the person's color, race, sexual orientation, or religion. If you do, that person could sue you. If you want to avoid this, make sure you follow the rules relating to this subject.
Entering units without permission
Another way you could wind up facing legal issues is if you enter a tenant's room without the proper permission, and this is often due to a lack of proper wording in a lease. If you want to be able to access the units you have while they are rented, you will need the proper wording in the lease to make sure you are not violating the rights of your tenants.
Lease violations
Finally, if you have a lease that has rules that break the law, your tenants could sue you for this. You should have a lawyer look over your lease for potential problems like this, as this is the best way to avoid these types of issues.
One of the best ways to avoid legal problems like this is by hiring a property management firm to take over your duties as a landlord. Property managers not only know the law, but they also follow it and are able to avoid legal problems like these. If you would like to learn more about their services, contact a property management firm in your city today.
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