As the owner of a rental property, you know that it can be a challenge to find the right tenants who will take care of the residence and pay rent on time. While finding the right tenant is not always an easy process, this is only the first step for you. Once a rental has a tenant, the landlord must then meet certain legal requirements to that individual. Failure to meet these obligations can lead to legal complications and other difficulties, possibly resulting in a legal dispute that will cost you time and money.
As a landlord, it is in your interests to know what is required of you. This will help you avoid disputes and make it more likely that your tenant will also meet the requirements of the rental agreement. Before you purchase investment property, offer a potential renter a contract or take another important step, you may benefit from understanding the things required of landlords.
What do you have to do?
Landlords have a legal requirement to keep their rental properties in a habitable condition. This means that your rental property must be free from certain types of hazards, safe for the tenant, reasonably clean and suitable for occupation. In addition to this, landlords must also do the following:
- Make repairs to the property in a timely manner
- Respect the privacy of the tenants
- Give the tenant proper notice if it’s necessary to enter the premises
- Avoid discrimination in every stage of the rental process
- Only give a tenant an eviction notice for a valid and proper reason
Even though you own the property, there are limits to what you can do while someone occupies the space. If you violate the rights of the tenant, even inadvertently, you could find yourself subjected to legal action brought by the tenant. A lawsuit exposes you to the risk of financial loss and other difficulties.
Protecting the rights of landlords
As a Tennessee landlord, you have the right to protect your interests when dealing with complicated tenants. Whether you want to know how to remove a problem tenant from your rental property or you want to ensure that you truly understand your requirements as a landlord, you may benefit from an explanation of your rights, legal options and requirements.
