Landlords in Ontario now may be able to access previous eviction records, which could greatly enhance their ability to screen rental applicants and avoid income loss from chronically bad tenants. The move comes after a court order which requires the social tribunals...
Category
Rental Property Management Tips
British Columbia Landlords Pay a Price for Security Deposits
Most landlords would agree security deposits are a valuable tool when it comes to minimizing income loss. Just ask landlords in Ontario who are fighting for the right to collect deposits. While a security deposit can serve as an incentive for a tenant to return a unit...
Tenant Causes $30,000 in Damage in 3 Hours
A British Columbia tenant was found negligent after his failure to report a water leak in his apartment. Although the tenant was aware that water from a toilet in his unit was overflowing for hours and had spread into his bedroom and kitchen, he failed to shut off the...
Landlord’s Fees Illegal
A landlord in Pennsylvania has agreed to pay $30,000 in restitution after the state's attorney general found the landlord was charging illegal fees. Tenants complained that the landlord was deducting a 15% "administrative fee" from each tenant's security deposit,...
3 Common Tenant Screening Mistakes
Technology is a double-edged sword: it allows lightning-fast communications and unparalleled efficiency. But when it comes to screening tenants, technology also creates special problems that landlords cannot ignore: Online Rental Applications Promote Tenant Fraud The...
Landlord’s Misstep Repeated 14 Times
A Vermont landlord has been charged with housing discrimination after rejecting an applicant with small children. According to the complaint lodged with the Vermont Human Rights Commission, which reviewed a voicemail message and a recorded phone conversation, the...
Minneapolis Mulls Far-Reaching Restrictions on Tenant Screening
Minneapolis lawmakers are considering a proposal that would force landlords there to accept tenants with criminal backgrounds, bad credit, and prior eviction history, and limit both general and pet deposits. Landlords are fighting back. The proposed rental ordinance...
Landlord Regrets Not Screening Tenant
A landlord in Ontario told the news that if he had run a background check on his nightmare tenant, he wouldn't be in the situation he's in today. At least three landlords say they were victimized by the same tenant who moved in, stopped paying rent, and called in...
4 Reasons to Avoid Renting to People You Know
Generally, it is best to avoid renting to people you know. The most obvious reason is that doing business with a family member or friend can damage the relationship. But it's a small world, and at some point, you are bound to be approached by someone you know who...
5 Winning Property Management Strategies
Half the battle of managing rental properties is having good systems in place. Even if a landlord only fills vacancies occasionally, it's important to have solid processes to rely on to avoid recreating the wheel with every new tenancy. Landlords who stick with these...