Every Boston landlord’s dream is to have perfect tenants who always pay on time, maintain their residence, follow the rules, and of course, live there for several years. Wouldn’t that be nice! Unfortunately, if you are a landlord long enough, you will run into tenants that are less than dreamy.
Even with the most stringent screening process and iron-clad lease agreement in place, you will inevitably have to deal with difficult tenants at some point, such as those who:
- Don’t pay rent on time (or at all)
- Damage property
- Are a general nuisance
- Sublet without your permission
Difficult renters can be damaging to your reputation. Poor quality tenants can be an overall time robbing unpleasant experience. Often times neighbors will blame you for renting to a group of less than stellar tenants. In Massachusetts, it’s often a huge challenge to be a landlord because the laws and rules are nearly always slanted in the tenants’ favor. Massachusetts is not considered a business-friendly state, and courts often tilt decisions against landlords in general. Often times you will read some of the rules and rights given to tenants and it makes your scratch your head. Fortunately, if you put together a solid plan together in advance, you can have a great time as a landlord. Arming yourself with legal knowledge and a little finesse will help prevent sticky situations from getting out of hand.
If a Tenant Doesn’t Pay On Time
Going over your books, you discover a tenant’s rent was never paid last month. How do you approach this? It’s important to remain consistent and professional with the process regarding delinquency. Communicate with the tenant in person and in writing. Start early and often, reminding them of the consequences for being late, including any penalty fees. Having written documentation will serve you well, should this go into collections. Make sure you have in your lease that nonpayment of rent will be reported to the major credit agencies.
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