For Amsterdam property managers and landlords, evictions are usually an inevitable part of their business. Eviction isn’t always the best option when you have to deal with a troublesome rental. Eviction proceedings can get pricy and be time-consuming for both you and your tenant. Usually neither the landlord nor the tenant profits from the eviction proceedings. As a result, evicting a renter might not always be the best course of action. Finding better solutions than eviction in these cases will greatly benefit both you and your tenant.
Your Otherwise Good Renter Falls Behind on Rent
A successful rental property owner knows the value of a good tenant. Oftentimes, even responsible renters may have financial troubles, lose their jobs, or otherwise be unable to pay their rent. It’s undeniable that not paying the rent violates their lease, and that should be understood by all the parties involved. But it may not be smart to evict a tenantfor failing to pay one or more rent installments. This is true especially if the tenant has a record of on-time payments and does an excellent job of maintaining cleanliness and property upkeep.
In such situations, it may be preferable to work with your renter to find a means to assist them in catching up on missed rent payments as an alternative to eviction. This could be a brilliant way to avoid the cost of evicting and replacing your renter while also winning your renter’s heartfelt thanks, given that the renter’s financial issues are momentary. By being willing to absorb a small financial loss in the short term, this solution is more likely to help you recoup all of the missed rent payments and retain a good tenant.
You Don’t Have Clear Legal Grounds
In certain occasions, eviction could generate more legal issues than it would solve. You should stay away from them at all costs. Confusion surrounding your legal grounds for eviction is one of these scenarios. If your renter has made complaints about the habitability of the rental property, perhaps to you or to the local housing authority, and you have not taken measures to solve the complaint, your attempt to remove the tenant could be seen as vindictive and be dismissed.
Another case would be if a renter who belongs to a protected class may claim that your eviction was prejudiced against them. The federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to evict a renter because of their age, faith, skin color, family situation, sexual preferences, or factors of the like. If your eviction is judged discriminatory, your tenant may file a lawsuit against you.
Finally, exercise caution when receiving partial rent payments before or after attempting to evict a tenant for nonpayment of rent. You could lose your legal right to remove the tenant and be in a very sticky situation if you take any rent from the renter. This is because receiving partial payments creates an unspoken agreement between you and your tenant that a judge will likely consider a continuance of your lease arrangement, even if it is not in writing. If you do not have legally specified grounds for eviction, it is advisable to wait until the issue becomes clearer.
You’d Rather Keep Your Money
The eviction procedure is costly, and it’s not merely because of the associated legal expenditures. Once your tenant learns that you will be attempting to evict them, it is likely that they will stop paying rent and often cease cleaning or maintaining the property. In most cases, this results in both lost income and increased cleaning and repair costs.
Given the expenses and aggravation of the eviction procedure, you should consider paying your tenant to vacate the premises. This form of “cash for keys” arrangement could allow a renter with financial difficulties to leave on fair terms or motivate an uncooperative tenant to vacate as quickly as possible. You may think it’s pretty weird to offer money to someone who owes you money, but a lump sum cash payment of several hundred dollars is considerably less than the cost of evicting the tenant.
Avoid Eviction with Quality Property Management
Selecting a reliable renter with a record of on-time rent payments is one of the best methods to totally avoid evictions. Sometimes, this can be tricky, especially if you have other obligations. In order to discover the most qualified applicants for your rental property, Real Property Management Bozeman thoroughly screens each rental application. Then, if any complications should appear in the future, our Amsterdam property management consultants can aid in advising you on the best way to proceed. Contact us online today to learn more!
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
