The median rent in Woonsocket is 25% below the national average, making our city extremely appealing to renters. While this tends to mean low vacancy rates, it doesn't guarantee leasing compliance.
We often speak with new landlords who aren't sure how to tackle lease violation management. How do you talk to a tenant that's breaking your rules? How many times should you let violations slide before you say something?
We're here to share the best approaches to lease enforcement and top tenant compliance tips. Read on for our expert advice.
Start with Clear Language
Your best lease enforcement tool is the lease itself. Make sure that when you're writing a lease, you're outlining in clear language things like:
- Rent amounts and due dates
- Late fees and penalties
- Tenant expectations (e.g., noise ordinances)
- What isn't allowed (e.g., painting the walls)
- What is allowed conditionally (e.g., pets with the payment of a fee)
While oral lease agreements are binding under the law, they're not recommended. It's much harder to prove that a tenant has violated your agreement when you don't have that agreement in writing.
Perform Inspections
A lot of lease violations occur behind closed doors. Unless you enter your tenant's unit, you won't know if they're doing things like putting holes in the walls to hang pictures or keeping pets that aren't permitted.
Keep in mind that you don't have to spell out all tenant requirements in your lease. Tenants do have a legal obligation to prevent excessive damage and keep the unit sanitary.
Practice Prompt and Consistent Lease Enforcement
What should you do if you discover that your tenant is violating your lease? Act fast and don't make exceptions. If it appears that you're only enforcing some parts of the lease, tenants may assume that you're not worried about others.
Start with a written warning. Give your tenant a specified amount of time to fix the issue. Depending on the violation, the next step could be fining the tenant or evicting them.
Understand Security Deposit Uses
Can you use a security deposit for rental agreement enforcement? It's not as simple as you may think. There are laws and requirements surrounding the use of security deposits.
You can only withdraw money from a tenant's security deposit to cover the cost of unpaid rent or excessive damage. Most of the time, this will not occur until the tenant's lease is up. Make sure to create an itemized list of costs the security deposit will cover and mail it to the tenant within 20 days after the lease expires.
Need Better Lease Violation Management? Call PMI Ocean State
The best property management practices include swift and consistent lease enforcement. Oftentimes, acting fast can prevent lease violations from getting out of control. The key is making sure that tenants know that you take your lease seriously.
Do you need help with things like lease enforcement? PMI Ocean State provides full-service property management, including leasing, inspections, and tenant relations. Contact us to access the latest property management software and methods.
