With the announcement that many universities across the country are planning to hold classes online for fall semester, students and landlords alike are left to sort out what that means for the student housing market. To complicate matters, some schools are planning to hold a handful of classes with limited attendees under strict guidelines. That makes it harder for students to decide whether it makes sense to return to their college-town rentals rather than remain with family, save some money,...
Collecting Rent: Patience Pays Off
Over 90 percent of renters paid in May, just not on time. The latest...
Landlords Challenge Eviction Freeze
Landlords in New York have filed a lawsuit challenging the extension of a...
Landlords: Don’t Forget Lead Paint Disclosures
Every month, landlords across the country face penalties for failing to...
Dealing With What Your Tenant Left Behind
Fortunately, most tenancies go along without consequence. But every now and again a landlord faces the challenge of a tenant who leaves behind personal property. Whether it's the simple inconvenience of finding leftover food in the refrigerator, or the heartbreak...
Tenant Debt Recovery Linked to Tenant Screening
Debt Collection Begins Before Your Tenant Ever Moves In The information that a landlord collects during a thorough tenant background check is the same information that a debt collection company will use to collect tenant debts. "Your tenant debt collection efforts...
Landlords Burned by Internet Scammers
Recently a Newfoundland landlord found himself in a controversy regarding a rental ad he posted on Kijiji.ca. After advertising his condo rental, the landlord was contacted by a potential tenant who referred to an ad for the same property on another Internet...
The Safest Way to Attract Tenants
Seeing that traditional neighborhood crime prevention programs typically fail in rental neighborhoods prompted a police officer to get creative. That's how the international Crime Free Multi-Housing Program began. Incorporating effective crime prevention ideas and...
Landlords See Advantages to No-Smoking Policies
A hot topic facing landlords today is whether to ban cigarette smoking in rental properties. While there are many different views on the topic, there are few rules. And that can make it confusing for landlords One thing is emerging as a universal truth -there is no...
Will Your Lease Protect You When It Counts?
When a landlord gets ripped off by a tenant, they have to turn to the courts for justice. However, the justice they receive may only be as good as their lease agreement. Attorney Elena Franz warns landlords to take preemptive action and review their rental leases...
4 Ways to Screen Out Fraudsters
Some landlords feel they can sense a good tenant from a bad one. They go with their gut. They consider appearance, or the condition of the applicant's car, but in reality, appearances are easily faked. While a gut feeling is important - it is probably your...
Tenant Screening: Tips for Verifying Applicant’s Income
While performing a tenant background check, it's important to keep the focus on profitability. Does this candidate possess the potential to pay rent for the entire term of the lease? Tenant Screening for the Traditional Applicant The majority of rental applicants...
Help! My Tenant’s Running a Business in My Rental
Imagine travelling past your rental property, only to discover your tenant has taken up shop there - running an at-home business like catering or taking in laundry, at your expense. This situation presents many risks to a landlord: excessive wear or damage to the...
Canadian Rental Vacancy Rate Up Slightly
The average rental apartment vacancy rate in Canada's 35 major centres increased slightly to 2.9 per cent in April 2010 from 2.7 per cent in April 2009, according to the spring Rental Market Survey released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)....
Landlord Breaks Lease, Faces Punitive Damages
Two men who were at first allowed to sign a one-year lease for an apartment rental in Canada's Northwest Territories we're denied the right to move in once the landlord realized they were a homosexual couple. The action rendered the tenants homeless for 10 days. ...
Landlords Get Slight Reprieve on New Lead Paint Rules
The EPA has extended its deadline for landlords and property managers to come up to speed on the new lead paint requirements. An extension was granted until September 30, 2010 for contractors to sign up for courses to become certified in lead paint remediation in the...
What to Expect After You File for Eviction
If you've ever wondered why landlords and property managers hate the word "eviction", it's because the process can be arduous. If there is a way to avoid an eviction, it may be worth considering. In those cases where an eviction is warranted, it is helpful to know...
Tenant Scams Exposed
"Is it just me, or have tenants lost interest in having good credit?" asks L.A. Property Manager Adam Bray-Ali. After 10 years managing multiple units, Bray-Ali identifies a common problem with today's rental applicants -- what he calls a "systemic decline in the...
Simple Lease Mistake Cost Landlord Over $33,000
A Chicago landlord was ordered to pay a judgement well over $33,000 after making a mistake in the leasing process. The landlord had entered into a rental lease agreement for a posh penthouse apartment, netting $7,500 per month in rent. The tenants paid a security...
Tenant Gains Advantage in Eviction Case
A tenant in a NYC apartment found himself victim to blood-sucking bedbugs. He woke up one morning with multiple swollen red bite marks on his arm, shoulder, and face. Later, he experienced uncomfortable itching. He learned the apartment manager was taking steps to...
Is Your Rental Application Up-to-Date?
An up-to-date rental application form is a vital tool for a successful rental business. Asking the right questions of an applicant is key to obtaining the information needed to conduct a thorough tenant background check. What's more, if the rental relationship goes...
Tenant Profiling: How to Spot the Ideal Tenant
Often, when a particular landlord is asked to describe the "ideal" tenant, they will choose words like "quiet." In reality, choosing tenants based on specific behaviors may not be the best option for minimizing income loss. A landlord can regulate many behaviors so...
Eviction Strategies for Landlords
Evictions can be the most stressful part of rental property management. They may also be the most costly. It is wise for a landlord to consider the options, and adopt an eviction strategy: File Notice Right Away The stories may be sad, but it is best not to listen. ...
Do-it-Yourself Tenant Debt Collection
Outstanding tenant accounts are a heavy drain on a rental property business. Because there is a degree of uncertainty as to whether a debt can be collected, debt collection agencies typically adjust their fees accordingly, and take a large percentage of what they...