Some landlords take unnecessary risks. Unfortunately for some, the risk may be inadvertent. Why? Because they believe that, as property owners, they always have one trick up their sleeves: They can always evict a bad tenant. If that thought has passed your mind when...

A rental application is the cornerstone of a successful tenancy. In fact, without this form, it is difficult to minimize income loss. While rental applications may vary in terms of style and format, there are some basic components that must be present to make...

One controversial area in property management is knowing when, why and how often a landlord can access an occupied rental unit. For property owners, legal limits on the right to enter their own property causes frustration, inconvenience and potential income loss. For...

The rental market has been on fire, and rents are spiking. In some markets, like Denver and Seattle, it seems like the sky is the limit -- that tenants will stand in line for a rental no matter the price tag. As a result, some landlords are shooting high on rent. It's...

With a summer holiday just around the corner, landlords may see a rise in pet noise complaints. Holidays can creep up on all of us, including tenants who didn't plan ahead and reserve a spot at the boarding facility. Tenants who remain in town still may spend longer...

Curb Appeal and Tenant Screening It is common knowledge that poorly-maintained rental properties wind up costing landlords more than if the property had been regularly maintained. Yet, many landlords are unaware of the hidden risk they run in deferring property...

While it's crucial to keep proper records on all former and current tenants, it's easy to overlook the need to log rental applicants who were not chosen. This is as important to your tenant screening policy as it is to lowering your landlord liabilities. The Best...

A landlord in London, Ontario was forced to call for reinforcements after his tenants went on a two-week vacation leaving their three-month-old puppy locked in the bathroom. The puppy was rescued and relocated to a new home. The tenants are legally banned from owning...

News this week out of Boston confirms that a giant property management firm operating there has agreed to settle a lawsuit over tenant leasing fees for at least $2 million. The Boston Herald reports that the landlord has agreed to refund charges for illegal...

Most landlords know it's important to keep proper documentation on tenants. A crucial element to any tenant screening policy is to also track those applicants who didn't make the cut: Adverse Action Notices Rejected tenants may be entitled to an adverse action notice....

The B.C. Human Rights Tribunal recently awarded a rental applicant $2,000 because she was rejected after disclosing she suffered from depression. In this case, there was a question as to whether the prospective tenant actually suffered from a disability, and in fact,...