There is no doubt that adopting a smoke-free policy in rental units will improve tenant retention, provide lower maintenance costs, reduce landlord liabilities, and help cut down on tenant complaints. At the same time, these benefits depend upon monitoring and...

For years, landlords have called for a bad tenant registry that could help weed out the problem tenants from the good, and reduce rental income loss. Now, that wish is reality. TVS has launched its affiliate website LandlordCreditBureau.com which hosts a comprehensive...

It's common practice for landlords to check if a new rental applicant has a criminal history. In fact, that's mandatory if a landlord wants to avoid liability. However, under the Fair Housing Act,  tenant screening policies that misuse criminal background checks may...

An Ontario tenant who reportedly has been evicted seven times and served time for lying on a rental application is in the eviction system once again. According to a report by the Toronto Star, the woman moved into a new rental home and then failed to pay rent. Her...

A rental application is a powerful tool for landlords. It is indispensable in tenant screening, and also in collecting a judgement if a tenant defaults on rent or damages the property. Yet, there are some things a rental application cannot accomplish -- at lease not...

Under civil forfeiture laws, provincial governments have seized apartment buildings and rental homes from landlords when tenants have committed crimes such as selling drugs on the premises. This occurred even when the landlords were not involved in the illegal...

Finding the right tenant is key to building a successful rental business. At the same time, identifying that person quickly is the difference between profit and income loss. Screening tenants does not need to be stressful or time-consuming. With these tops strategies,...

Even in a hot rental market, a landlord still may experience income loss. All it takes it one problem tenant. There is no magic formula when it comes to sizing up a tenant. Rental applicants are unique, and that means landlords must be adaptable. However, there are...

New York Governor Cuomo is sending out the troops -- an army of "testers" posing as rental applicants. Their mission: to root out discrimination. According to a statement issued by the Governor's Office, the new Fair Housing Enforcement Program will build on the...

Filling vacancies is a fact of life for landlords. The focus always is to find a new renter as soon as possible, but it is equally important to find the right tenant. Holding a rental property on the market a couple more days is much cheaper than evicting a bad...

A landlord in British Columbia recently learned a costly lesson regarding tenancy agreements and early termination fees. The case provides some valuable insights for landlords. In this instance, the tenant initially agreed to a one-year lease term, but before moving...

Sizing up a rental applicant is one of the toughest jobs landlords face. Just ask anyone who has been burned by a bad tenant and has spent time and money trying to recover the rental property. Because applicants are all unique, landlords must learn to be flexible when...