10 Tips for Landlords

Some simple suggestions to help your business run smoothly

1. Screen prospective tenants.

Don't rent to anyone before checking their credit history, references, and background.  Haphazard screening and tenant selection too often results in problems.  Use a written rental application to properly screen your tenants.  You can find a sample at www.salemlandlords.org 

2. Get it in writing

Be sure to use a written lease of month to month rental agreement to document the importnant facts of your relationship with your tenants.  be sure to include when and how you handle tenant complaints and repair problems, notice you must give to enter a tenant's apartment, .......

3. Handle security deposits properly

Be sure you are in complaince with the Massachusetts General Laws  Chapter 186 Section 15b and Chapter 93a section 9 as pertains to security deposits.

4. Make repairs.

Don't wait until something small becomes something BIG.  Stay on top of maintance and repair needs and make repairs when requested.  If property is not kept in good repair, you will loose good tenants, and tenants may gain the right to withhold rent.

5. Provide a secure premise

Assess your property's security and take responsible steps to protect it.  Trim Landscaping and use motion sensitive outside lights

6. Provide notice before entering

Notify your tenants whenever you plan on entering their rental unit and provide as much notice as possible.

7. Disclose environmental hazards

If there's a hazard such as lead or mold on the property inform your tenants.  Landlords are increasingly being held liable for tenant health problems resulting from exposure to environmental toxins.

8. Oversee managers

Choose and supervise your property manager carefully.  If a manager commits a crime or is incompetent, you may be held financially responsible.

9. Obtain insurance

Purchase enough liability and other property insurance

10. Resolves disputes

Try to resolve disputes with your tenants without lawyers and lawsuits.  If you have a conflict with a tenant meet with the tenant to see if the problem can be resolved informally.  If that doesn't work, consider mediation by a nuetral third party.

Evicted tenant still owes you money?

According to Massachusetts General Laws: Section 34 of Chapter 235 there is a list of items that you can you can confiscate from your evicted tenant once you get a judgement against her or him. From the list number 16 says your tenant\debtor can keep an automobile necessary for personal transportation or to secure  or maintain employment, not exceeding seven hundred dollars in value. So if your former tenant's car is worth more than $700 dollars, you are within your right to take for money owed.

Security Deposits, Traps for the unwary

The Massachusetts General Laws governing security deposits (MGL ch 93A sec. 9) can be hazardous for Landlords who fail to follow the law. On March 9th 6:30pm at the Tabernacle Church in Salem,  Attorney Nigro-Beland will discuss the requirements and necessary steps of retaining a security deposit and retaining all, or a portion of, the security deposit.  

Ahhhhh, the first of every month

The first of every month marks the begining and ending of a tenancy for most income property owners.  A fine juggling act can take place with tenants moving out versus tenants moving in.  How a Landlord handles this delicate task varies.   Typically, I have a 15 to 30 day gap between move in's and move out's.  This March 1, I find that I haven't allowed myself enough time to ready the the apartments I have available.  Ultimately, I  did finished painting out a just empty 1 bedroom unit in the wee hours of the night.  And while I can make the claim that "Yes, I can paint out an entire apartment in less than 24 hours"  it leaves me very weary.   So before I run off to "lease up" my newest tenant, please share how you manage move out's versus move in's with less than one day between.