5 Things You Need to Know as a Landlord!

• 24 Jul 2023
• Landlord Attorney

If you are looking to convert your private home into a rental property then there are multiple things that you need to take care of. While being a landlord looks like a great business sector, it comes with enormous responsibilities and duties. Well, we are not trying to stress you out here! Some days are easier than others, but there are some days when sudden occurrences for help can arise. 

For instance, when you come across a tenant with a small water leak and you have to decide whether to ignore the condition, take care of it yourself, or appoint a plumber to diagnose it, you may want to schedule an appropriate situation to collect a certificate of occupancy. Either way, if you decide to act in a hurry, your ten-minute rent collection plan will quickly turn into a three-hour ordeal.

Keeping the ordeals beside, the landlord law in the United States is always there for your support. For starters, the US has great house price statistics. The US government also governs the rental of residential and commercial properties. It is also supported by the federal statutory law that helps to prevent any form of discrimination. The law also helps to clarify the duties of both the landlord and the tenant. For documenting the contract before leasing the property, as a landlord, you must consider hiring a landlord tenant attorney.

To help you step into the business of renting properties, today we will guide you about the things that you need to know as a landlord.

Raising the rent without prior notice

Landlords have the right to receive timely rent and to have the property managed and maintained by a responsible tenant and rent increase is a part of this right. Without any rent control regulation on the contract, the limitation on the amount is also evicted. However, as a landlord, you cannot increase the rent without prior notice. Such measurements are controlled by the statute in most of the states. 

The first and foremost rule of rent increase depends on whether the contract is a month-to-month rental agreement or a lease. While you cannot increase the rent at the end of the lease period, in case of month-to-month rental agreement, it can be done with a proper notice (usually given 30 days prior to the raise). Moreover, the notice should be in writing and certified by mail.

Evicting the tenants

As a landlord, you need to be aware of the fact that you cannot begin an eviction lawsuit without legally terminating your tenant. For this, you can take the help of a landlord tenant lawyer. You need to follow the given steps to evict the tenant legally:

• Give the tenant written notice.
• The eviction notice must be as per the state’s termination statute.
• In case the tenant does not move, as a landlord, you are allowed to file a lawsuit called unlawful detainer (UD).

The type of notices for termination are as follows:

• Pay rent or quit notices (in case the tenant is unable to pay the rent).
• Cure or quit notices (in case the tenant violates any term or condition of the agreement).
• Unconditional quit notices (in case the tenant repeatedly violates any clause or seriously damages the rental property).

Discriminating them on any behalves

As a practical matter, tenants’ rights are protected like buyers’ rights by federal regulations such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Without this, landlords are generally unable to post tenant information. You should also be aware of anti-discrimination and fair housing legal regulations at the city, state and federal levels. Property management companies cannot deny housing to applicants based primarily on background checks without following hostile action guidelines. Veri First, a sister company of Bialy Collections, helps property management companies comply with background check requirements.

Landlords tenant lawyer may also be required to comply with rules related to health and housing, property maintenance, security deposits, time and manner of entry, tenant interviews, housing and evictions. If these rules are violated, the landlord can be sued or heavily fined.

Keeping an eye on your tenants 

A landlord is responsible for the tenant’s safety which requires them to provide certain safety measures to their tenants. Thus, the landlord should be aware of the repairs that need urgent care. Apart from this, the landlord can also keep a check of the tenants if they become aware of any criminal activity taking place in the premises of the rental property. In such a case, it should be reported to the authorities.

Interfering in their personal affairs

As a landlord, it is your duty to make sure that the rental property is safe and your tenant’s privacy is maintained. All utilities such as plumbing, gas, heating and other fixtures must be in working condition. While you can visit the rental property for such repairs, the landlord tenant law guides the right of the tenant for a peaceful environment. This means, the landlord cannot interfere with the privacy of the tenant. To enter the property, the landlord should give a prior notice of 24-48 hours with a valid reason.

Conclusion 

Leasing or renting your property is all about managing all elements of the business and the law. In addition to protecting their own specific details in the lease, landlords must ensure that they know the law throughout the process.  While we have given you a glimpse of the things you must know as a landlord, you will require the help of a landlord tenant attorney </bfor assistance in legal matters. 

All of these administrative tasks are just the beginning of the leasing process. For proper guidance, it is recommended to hire a landlord tenant lawyer from a respected firm. Radow Law Group is what you can rely on if you want to be successful in understanding the landlord tenant law. Here, we hold expertise in dealing with various legal matters including real estate cases. You can also contact us for premier legal counselling for real estate matters related to commercial as well as residential property. Wait no more and get in touch with us today!