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How to Avoid Landlord Tenant Disagreements

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If you own property that you rent out to others, it is inevitable that you will have tenant problems to deal with sooner or later. Some will be serious grievances from responsible tenants. However, others will be unreasonable complaints by tenants who are looking to get something for nothing. The key to harmony between landlords and tenants is knowing how to tell these kinds of complaints apart and settling the problems in a manner that will be beneficial for both.

Being a good landlord is a lot of work, but keeping tenants – both the great ones and the not-so-ideal tenants – in your property is the only way to get a cash return on the investment and you have put into it. There are a few tips that can help you co-exist better with your tenants, no matter how demanding they are.

Be familiar with the Landlord Tenant Legislation

There are many legal requirements surrounding the landlord-tenant relationship. You have to follow these laws and as a responsible landlord it is important that you are familiar with them. Before responding to any grievances, real or frivolous, or try to jump into the middle of a disagreement, you should make sure that you are acting within the landlord tenant regulations. If you overlook important laws or try to find a way around them, your tenant will have a greater foundation for taking the dispute to a claims court.

Try to Talk it out Amicably

Sitting down face-to-face with a tenant and having an honest, respectful discussion about any disputes or disagreements that are occurring is one of the most successful ways to keep them from going too far. As it happens in most other relationships, it is failure of communication that causes many problems.

Very calmly explain your situation or position on the matter. Then have the tenant explain his or her position clearly to you. Stay calm throughout communications, no matter whether a tenant is trying to provoke a response, so that your discussion does not erupt into a bigger argument. By having your basic, respectful discussion, you may just come to an agreement that is fair to both of you.

Consider a Professional Mediator

If the tenant that you are dealing with has a reputation of causing problems for you, or even if you just have an uneasy feeling about the tenant’s behaviour or that any discussion will end up in a fight, it may be a good idea to bring in a professional mediator. There are professionals out there who have a great deal of experience just with settling disputes. When you have a mediator come in, he or she can sit down with you and the tenant – either separately or together right off – and help you to create a solution.

Keep Meticulous Records

There are some situations where it is virtually impossible to come to a good agreement. It is your job as the landlord to keep detailed records, just in case a dispute ends up in court. Keep records from the first time the problem surfaces, all the way through your discussions and attempts to work something out. Write everything down and keep it in a file somewhere safe. With good evidence, you will have a bigger chance of having a fair judgment if taken to court.

Going to court will, of course, strain or break a landlord-tenant relationship. In many cases, though, a court verdict is necessary to get a fair decision for both individuals. This system will rely on you keeping good, honest documentation of the entire dispute.

Talk to a Lawyer

It is always a good idea for a landlord to have a lawyer on retainer, with the constant possibility of legal issues coming up. Before you go to court, allow your lawyer to talk about the situation with your tenant’s lawyer or the tenant him- or herself if there is no opposing lawyer employed. Very often, things can be worked out simply by letting the lawyers talk out a way to settle it. However, this is your last resort before going to court. If you try it too early, it has less chance of succeeding because there is less pressure on the tenant to avoid getting into a courtroom.

Disagreements with your tenant are simply part of being a landlord, no matter where you are. Disputes will happen, and sometimes they will become heated. By trying to settle the dispute when it first surfaces, you will have greater odds of coming to a mutually beneficial agreement without the situation getting too intense.

Bio

This post was written by Andrew Potter who writes for My Online Estate Agent. My Online Estate Agent is one of the UK’s fastest growing online letting agents and provides all the guides and services you need to successfully let your property.