Archives for August 2015

Service animals are big these days, from pot bellied pigs to barnyard fowls to standard seeing-eye dogs, and this puts landlords in a quandary. Many property owners err on the side of caution and allow tenants with even questionable documentation to refer to certain pets as service animals in order to get around no-pet policies that many rentals have in place. However, property owners and managers do have some legal protections regarding service animals. For instance, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) only recognizes service animals as dogs that have been specially trained to perform services directly related to the disability experienced by the individual.

Furthermore, service animals must be under the control of the individual with the disability at all times, meaning that it must be either harnessed or under voice or hand signal control at all times. Sanitary provisions must be made by the tenant for the service dog to urinate and defecate in appropriate locations and for the waste to be cleaned up immediately. Landlords have the right to refuse to allow service dogs to remain on the property in the event they show aggression toward other tenants or visitors or become a nuisance through behaviors such as incessant barking. Emotional support animals do not qualify as service dogs. However, the ADA has a separate provision regarding miniature horses.

Landlords have the right to ask prospective tenants two specific questions regarding his or her service dog: what the animal has been trained to do and if the animal is required as a direct result of a disability. Property owners and managers may not ask specific questions about the person’s disability or ask for documentation regarding details of the dog’s training, and they also may not ask for a pet deposit for a service dog.

While these dogs provide legitimate assistance to those with disabilities, property owners sometimes encounter those who purchase false certifications online as well as buy orange vests designating the animal as a service animal. To complicate things further, state, county, and municipal laws concerning this matter vary dramatically and change as new laws are enacted. Landlords can make certain that they’re within all federal, state, and local guidelines concerning renting to those with service animals by having an attorney review their documents. Landlords should also use a professional tenant screening service with staff who is knowledgeable about current applicable laws.

Disclaimer: The information on this website does not constitute legal advice and is governed by our Terms of Use. We make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to this website and its associated sites.

Being a landlord isn’t for everyone, but for those who are a successful landlord, it can be a very lucrative business. Here are six things every landlord should know and put into practice:

1. Provide a Quality Property

The quality of your tenants will likely correlate with the quality of your property. Keep your rental properties repaired and up to date in terms of cabinetry, flooring, paint and appliances.

2. Create Policies – And Enforce Them

A successful landlord does not run their businesses in a fly by night manner; the best landlords have established policies and property rules. Most importantly, they enforce them. Not doing so can cause tenants to not take you seriously and potentially disrespect (or damage) your property. Be sure to enact a late fee for late rent payments and enforce this policy as needed. Always have a move-in inspection report and a move-out inspection. Keep set, reasonable office hours for yourself and enforce those boundaries of your time with tenants.

3. A Successful Landlord Must Be Organized

Keeping things organized is another key to being a successful landlord. Use a filing cabinet to keep all relevant forms neatly alphabetized and organized. Maintain an up to date list of relevant phone numbers (tenants, repair personnel, vendors, etc.) as well as documents of all your procedures.

4. When it Makes Sense, Outsource

While you may be handy enough to take care of a number of basic repair types, at some point there will be cases where you are simply not fully qualified to handle them. Don’t “go where you don’t belong” in terms of your expertise, and don’t hesitate to outsource repair jobs to qualified professionals as needed.

5. Don’t Rent to Family or Friends

This is a tough one for some landlords, but it’s a trait of the most successful landlords. It’s simply too hard to retain professionalism and enforce your policies with people when you have a personal relationship with them.

6. Screen Every Tenant

Your tenants are your bread and butter, and they can make or break your enterprise. Looking into the past rental history, criminal record and credit history of potential tenants can yield valuable information about their character and help you to decide on the ideal candidates. Make use of a quality tenant screening service to assist you with this important step.

Many property owners attempt to be successful landlords, but not all of them are. Use these six tips to help you connect with the best prospective tenants and ensure a profitable and successful business going forward.

Disclaimer: The information on this website does not constitute legal advice and is governed by our Terms of Use. We make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to this website and its associated sites.