Renters have rights. As a rental property owner, you know this, but you also know that individual situations can be tricky to navigate. While you own your property, your tenants are your guests there, and your relationship with your tenants is regulated to ensure that neither one of you takes advantage of or hurts the other. How can you make sure that you respect your renters’ rights and ensure that you are following all of the legal guidelines for your area?
1. Rental Laws Apply Before Your Tenant Becomes a Tenant
As a landlord, you need to understand that there are laws that relate to those who are not yet your tenants. For example, when you’re renting a property, you must be careful to ensure that you do not discriminate as you rent that property. This includes discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and family status.
2. Different Levels of Law Impact Your Rental Properties
Did you know that there are different levels of law that you must attend to when you’re managing your rental properties? Not only do you need to comply with federal laws, but there may also be state laws that impact your rentals. For example, in a specific city, there might be laws that focus on sexual orientation or marital status. If you don’t follow those laws when you’re finding new tenants or working with existing tenants, your tenants could take you to court.
3. You Have an Ongoing Responsibility to Your Tenants
“To be habitable, living space must have heat when it’s cold, running water, a sufficient amount of hot water, plumbing, and electricity that function properly,” says the Landlord’s Legal Kit for Dummies. As a landlord, your responsibilities don’t just focus on whether you discriminate against specific tenants; you must provide adequate accommodation for all of your tenants and treat them in a safe and secure manner, no matter who they are. You have certain responsibilities related to the safety of your properties. For example, you need to check for lead-based paint, deal with pest infestations, and make repairs in a timely manner.
4. Regulations Change
Just when you think that you’ve figured out all the laws that relate to your properties, they change again. When you’re managing properties, it can be difficult to keep on top of laws and regulations related to rentals, especially if you have properties in different cities. However, if you don’t stay current on legal issues, you could suffer financially due to a lawsuit.
How can you stay ahead? If you need help finding new tenants, maintaining your properties, and staying informed about the laws around rental property management, talk with a professional property manager.
A property management company can handle the business of managing your properties, relieve you of worries and provide you with peace of mind.
At Lori Gill and Associates, we understand rental property management. We’re here to help you succeed in rental property management. Are you curious to know how we can help you? Connect with us today.