A Landlord's Guide to Key Handling Every landlord has a duty to protect their tenants' security, and along with that the desire to protect their own property. A crucial part of that protection is the proper handling of keys. The use of keys plays a role in many...
Eviction Delays: How Bad Tenants Buy More Time
Understanding How Tenants Avoid Eviction They don't pay the rent. They don't take care of the rental property. Still, they feel like their landlord owes them a place to live. Meet the professional tenant. Savvy to the legal system, these tenants have learned how to...
Can Tenants Can Break Lease Over Bad Neighbors
Understanding the Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment What do noisy neighbors and cigarette smoke have in common? These are both examples of possible violations of a landlord’s duty to provide a tenant quiet enjoyment. This covenant is implied in every lease, whether verbal...
Tenant Harassing, Trying to Intimidate Landlord
Dealing with Tenant Threats: A Guide for Landlords A landlord shared with us the difficulty she is currently experiencing with a tenant who just moved out. Although she gave him proper notice and a cleaning checklist several weeks in advance, when she tried to hold...
Landlord Tips: How to Resolve Noise Complaints
A Property Managers Guide to Resolving Noise Complaints Noise is everywhere around us. But when noise occurs in a rental property, it can cost a landlord time and money. That's reason enough to become proficient at handling noise complaints. These complaints can be...
Sorting out the Responsibility: A Guide to Bed Bug Removal for Landlords and Tenants
At some point or another any landlord is likely to deal with bedbugs. As a landlord it is important to educate yourself and train your staff on how to identify bedbugs and what to do once they are found. Inform your tenants as early as possible on what to do if they...
Adding a New Tenant to a Lease
Adding a New Tenant to a Lease Whether someone is adding a roommate or having a romantic partner move in with them, you’re likely going to encounter plenty of instances where a tenant needs to add someone to the lease. Like most things, having thorough and clear...
The Pros and Cons of Turning Your Rental into a Smart Home
Over the past decade, home automation has gone from science fiction to reality. Now, everything from thermostats to security systems can be controlled from your smartphone. For homeowners shopping for themselves, the investment in smart devices can be an easy...
Where Should I Invest? Hot Rental Markets for Property Investors
Real estate continues to be an asset that investors want in on and when the market is favorable, you can make recurrent income off rentals. Be sure to invest in long-term research and try to time the market to help you act fast and wisely and maximize your investment...
What Is An Adverse Action Notice and Why Do I Need To Use One?
Adverse Action Notices are utilized to inform consumers they’ve been denied credit, employment, insurance, or other benefits based on credit reports or background check information. These notices are required to be sent out within 30 days of receiving a complete...
The Four Best Ways to Protect Your Rental Property Investment
Rental properties can often seem like one of the easiest ways to make money. But like any investment, they come with pros and cons. When renting out a property, it is important to protect yourself and your property from everything from physical damage to insurance...
4 Reasons You Should Screen Tenants
Creating a consistent and in-depth screening process is one of the best ways to make an informed decision when choosing your next tenant. Minimize the risk of late payments, non-payments, property damage, and evictions by enforcing a thorough screening process for all...
New COVID-19 Aid Package Includes Rental Assistance
Congress is set to pass the long-awaited second stimulus and COVID-19 relief package. This time, the bill includes $25 billion in funding for rental assistance to help support landlords and tenants. The new measure comes as an estimated 12 million renters will owe...
Eviction Moratoriums Extended
Landlords who were awaiting the December 31 deadline for eviction bans to end will be stuck for longer as federal, state, and city lawmakers work to extend tenant protections into 2021. The federal relief bill just passed by Congress includes an eviction ban until...
Hope on the Horizon: What Landlords Can Expect in 2021
With the ongoing vaccine rollout and a new stimulus and relief deal in Congress, there is hope on the horizon that 2021 will bring an end to the economic pain brought on by the pandemic. Businesses can reopen, renters can get jobs, and landlords can get paid. But...
2021 the Year of Lease Incentives
Rent incentives are back, and tenants can find them in cities across the country. Many Seattle landlords currently are offering six weeks free rent. New York City tenants can expect two free months. Same in Philadelphia and Boston. Washington, D.C. landlords are...
Tenant Scams 11 Landlords
At least 11 Toronto-area landlords are suffering income loss after the same tenant scammed them using a fake name. According to this news report, the tenant provided documentation under an alias name to secure leases on multiple properties. The tenant allegedly...
How to Make the Most of a Tenant Credit Check
Running tenant credit is the final step in the tenant screening process. This information helps landlords: Uncover tenant fraud including identity theft and false identity; Confirm the applicant's qualifications; and, Gain leverage for on-time rent payments. A credit...
Vancouver to Increase Vacancy Tax
Citing the apparent success of the Empty Homes Tax in creating more rental housing, Vancouver lawmakers voted to increase the tax in 2021, sending an "even stronger message" to owners of vacant properties. This vacancy tax currently is set at 1.25% of the property's...
Rent Control Comes to Nova Scotia — For Now
Nova Scotia's Housing Minister has announced provincewide temporary emergency measures including a limit on rent increases. That rent cap is retroactive to September 1, 2020. Under the new emergency orders, rent cannot be increased by more than 2% each year. The cap...