3 Ways to Avoid Nightmare Tenants in 2021

October 19, 2020

With an expected wave of eviction filings for nonpayment of rent to begin in January, rental applicants are going to begin to line up for vacancies. Some paid rent and simply are relocating. Others didn’t pay anything and they’re leaving before the current landlord has a chance to get an eviction order. Can you spot […]

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Lease Clauses That Prevent Income Loss

October 19, 2020

A lease agreement should include provisions that help landlords avoid income loss — including these: Joint and Several Liability “Tenants shall be jointly and severally liable for all obligations under this lease.” Few tenants understand the legal ramifications of renting with roommates. These relationships are tricky and tenants need to understand the commitment they are […]

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Tenant Screening: Outsmarting the Artful Dodger

October 13, 2020

Most rental applicants out there right now are decent people looking for a place to live. But among them are a handful who have no intention of paying rent, and others who have shown no respect for their previous landlords or tenancy agreements. The trick to tenant screening, of course, is distinguishing between them. In […]

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Landlord to Pay $15,000 to Rejected Applicants

October 13, 2020

An Ontario landlord was ordered to pay $15,000 and attend Human Rights training after rejecting a couple applying for a vacancy because the husband was not white. According to a published decision at the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, when the wife responded to a Kijiji ad for a townhouse for rent, the landlord responded by […]

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Vancouver Council Seeks to Ban “No Pets” Leases Throughout British Columbia

October 13, 2020

Vancouver’s City Council is considering a motion calling for a province-wide prohibition on landlords who refuse to accept tenants with pets. Councillors argue that pets are a way for residents to soothe the emotional fallout from the pandemic and resulting social isolation. The motion submitted to Council for consideration this week calls upon the mayor […]

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What Tenants, Landlords Can Do to Prevent Mould

October 13, 2020

With pandemic precautions still in place as we approach the winter months, it is important for landlords to limit property visits. Mould is a pesky problem that is difficult to remedy once it takes hold. Potential health consequences require both tenants and landlords to do what they can to prevent or mitigate mould issues. What […]

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Extended Eviction Moratorium a Setback for Landlords

September 21, 2020

As many states were set to lift bans on eviction proceedings against nonpaying tenants, the President signed an Executive Order directing the CDC to declare a public health emergency and to implement a ban on evictions. That ban, which began September 4, cites the need for tenants to have a place to quarantine, isolate, and […]

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More Landlords Offer Rent Concessions

September 21, 2020

According to a new survey conducted by real estate giant Zillow®, landlords now are nearly twice as likely to offer rent concessions to new applicants as they were earlier this year. In February, some form of concession was offered by 16% of landlords, while in July that number jumped to over 30%. That compares to […]

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Smart Landlord Strategies for 2021

September 21, 2020

It appears landlords and tenants will continue to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for several more months. As the end of the year approaches, it’s important to consider strategies needed to adapt to today’s challenges: Tenant Screening in the Age of COVID-19 Eviction moratoriums or no, at some point soon there is going to […]

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TOPA Laws Move Forward Despite Shortcomings

September 21, 2020

Landlords in Massachusetts are lobbying their state legislature to reject a proposal that would require rental property owners there to offer a first right of refusal to purchase any properties brought to market. Referred to as TOPA laws, the acronym first was introduced in the 1980s when Washington, DC passed the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase […]

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