A Fresh Approach to Resolving Conflicts It began with two people who could barely look at each other. A landlord and a long-term tenant – once cordial, now locked in a dispute that had escalated over months. Payments were late. Trust had eroded. Words had been exchanged that neither could take back. By the time…
It’s become increasingly challenging for housing providers to attract desirable tenants while balancing risk management, legal compliance, and fair housing protections. These practices are especially important in the new year as California continues tightening rules around fees, disclosures, and discrimination. The greatest predictor of dysfunction in a rental relationship is prior dysfunction, yet prospective…
We were once asked when the most successful eviction is. Our response: One that never occurs at all. Our law offices are accustomed to nightmare tenants who do not pay rent, wreak damage to the unit, and create unpleasant or even hostile living experiences for neighboring residents. Landlords do not call to tell us that…
Photo by Chokniti Khongchum from Pexels Being a landlord isn’t the easiest occupation in our country. A couple of years ago, my wife and I cleaned up a rental home we’ve owned for several years, after a vacancy. I listed it for rent on Craigslist. As normal, I went through the…
Let’s have an honest conversation about screening. By now, we’re all aware of Fair Housing laws and how they apply to screening potential tenants. We all have written screening requirements and we stick to them. [If you don’t have your qualification criteria in writing – DO IT NOW. AOA has a free sample for members…
As most of you are aware, in 2016, HUD released guidance for all housing providers regarding how the use of criminal background checks could potentially violate fair housing laws. The guidance outlines how using criminal background screening to deny housing can create a disparate impact (discriminatory effect) based on race due to the higher incarceration…
5 Tips for Attracting Great (Better) Residents Good residents come to you not by accident, but by design. There are good residents in every price range and in every neighborhood. A professional landlord will attract quality residents. An unprofessional landlord will attract troublesome residents. Your rental property is only as secure as the residents who…
Having a written criteria list for your rental applicants is pertinent in your rental business and serves several purposes. By attaching a copy of your rental criteria to each blank application form, you are informing your applicant of a list of conditions that must be met for them to be considered as a future tenant…
1. Choosing the Wrong Property One of the biggest mistakes I see from investors is getting caught with the wrong property. When property values are moving upwards and vacancies are low almost every property can be a winner as an investment.
DURING THE APPLICATION PROCESS Give Applicant a Screening Fee Receipt When you accept a screening fee from a prospective tenant, you must provide them with a receipt for those monies. You may either