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How
to Landlord - What Can You do if Your
Tenant Don't Make Necessary Repairs?
If
you want to
learn how to landlord, it is crucial that you know how to deal with
property maintenance and repairs. In this Part 2
of our Landlord Responsibility Guide, we will show you how to
effectively handle stubborn tenants who refuse to maintain and repair
your property.
Have You Read
Part 1 Yet? If No, Click here for Part 1 of this Guide.
What Can
You do if Your Tenant Refuses to Make Any Necessary Repairs?
When
learning how to landlord, always go for the easy route
first. The first step is speak to your tenant directly and tell him the
problem. Some tenants assume that landlords are in charge of fixing all
damages so explain to him that he is the one who is responsible for the
repair in this case.
If he refuses to cooperate, you can then
send him a written notice asking him to make repairs immediately or
leave your property within a
certain time limit. This time limit can be anywhere between 3 to
30 days depending on your country's laws. Click
here for our free eviction notice sample.
Once
the deadline is up and your tenants refuses to give in, you can then
file an eviction lawsuit to remove him from your property. After
winning the lawsuit, you will be able to legally remove your problem
tenant from your property and claim repair fees from him.
To
boost your chances of winning the eviction lawsuit, make sure you bring
any valid evidence that supports your case when you go to the court
hearing.
Examples of
useful evidence for your eviction hearing include:
- An tenant move in check list
if you had asked your tenant to sign one before
moving into your property. This checklist will provide proof that your
property and its contents were in acceptable working condition at the
start of your
tenant's stay.
- Photos
showing the state of your property and the damage that is being done to
it by your tenant.
- Copies of
any written contact between you and your tenant. This may
include any letters requesting the tenant to make repairs and your
eviction notice.
- Cost
estimates of repairs and replacements
due to the damage caused by your tenant. This cost estimates
should
be given in written format by a professional home inspector or
licensed
contractor.
Evicting
a tenant can be quite a tiring and messy process if you still learning
how to landlord. If you want to know how to it quickly and easily, Click here for our step by
step guide on how to evict a tenant.
What
Happens if You Don't Make Repairs Which You are Responsible for?
Even if it is you are aware of property repairs that you are
responsible for, your tenants cannot delay paying their rents on time
to threaten you into fixing the property. In most countries, it is
illegal for your tenants to withhold their rent payments and you can
send them a notice of eviction to remove them if they refuse to pay up.
Once
you are informed by your tenants of any necessary maintenance, you will
usually have up to 7 to 14 days to fix it if it is a non urgent case.
If it is an emergency like a burst water pipe or total electrical
failure, you will usually have 24 to 48 hours to repair it, After this
time limit, your tenants can choose to end their rental agreement with
you.
Your tenants can also make a complaint to the local housing
authorities if you refuse to maintain your property. They will usually
send someone to inspect your property and he will give you a notice of
violation if any repairs are necessary. This notice will order
you to make repairs within a deadline or you will be charged in court.
In some areas, your local housing authorities may even repair your
property by themselves then bill you for it.
If you are learning how to landlord and take your rental
income seriously, we strongly recommend
that you do not delay any necessary maintenance work.
The last thing
you want is to be blacklisted by the local housing authorities. Being
on their
blacklist may give you massive headaches when you need to approve for
housing loans or obtain eviction court orders in the future.
Read
what our visitors have to share below OR Scroll down to
add your own comment
What are Your Best Tips for Rental Property Repairs?
Learning how to landlord means knowing what to do when you discover leaking pipes or gaping holes in your roof top. What are your tried and tested methods for dealing with property repairs and maintenance? Share your valuable experience with everyone here - We will love to hear your tips, comments and real life stories:
What Our Visitors Have to Say on Dealing with Rental Property Repairs
Click on the links below to read the valuable tips that our other visitors have to share:
How to Landlord - My Maintenance Guide
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When I was learning how to landlord, the first thing that I discovered was that preventative maintenance is a lot easier and cheaper than major repairs....
Want to learn MORE practical must-know facts to
maintain your rental property?
Return from
this How to Landlord page to our Property
Landlord Rental Repairs
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