Resolving Landlord Tenant Issues Peacefully
by Sally Messing
(Kansas City, MO)
Being the landlord of a 40 unit residential property, I have discovered landlord tenant issues are unavoidable - Sooner or later, they are going to happen so it's more important that you learn how to deal with them quickly and gracefully.
Before you take out the big guns, sit down and have a good talk with your tenants - You will be surprised at the number of problems you can settle this way. Most landlord tenant disputes are misunderstandings in the first place so it's always good to clear things up.
If your tenant refuses to budge, then you should read up on your local landlord tenant laws. Learning your rights and duties as a landlord will give you a clear picture on what you can and cannot do.
Before you actually take any legal action, I will highly recommend that you print out the relevant text from the law and show it to your tenants. Most renters do not have a good grasp of the landlord tenant law and if they may back out once they realized that they are actually violating it.
If all else fails, you will still have the law to back you up. Make sure that you have all the relevant evidence and written records before going to court. As long as you screen your tenants carefully and handle matters carefully, you should rarely end up at this stage.