Today's Current News, Opinion & Advice
A strong lease agreement is a landlord’s best friend. A lease provides a binding contract to enforce your property rules and serves as the foundation for a solid landlord-tenant relationship. Part of your job as a good landlord is making sure you approve the most qualified tenant to live in your rental property. One of…
If you are thinking of hosting a pool party at your apartment complex, there are some things that you need to know. Before you invite your friends and family over for some fun in the sun, make sure that you plan for the event. Below we will learn some tips that will help you host…
Landlords and property managers have several reasons why the might create a pet policy for their rental property. A good pet policy will protect the property, comply with insurance, and keep your tenants safe and happy. For these very reasons, some managers and owners will decide that “no pets allowed” is their policy. If you…
Decorating and organizing your apartment can be full of fun and excitement, but it can be easy to get sucked into the belief that in order to have a cohesive and well-decorated space, that you have to hit your local department store and break the bank in the process. This is completely untrue! Break free…
As sturdy and reliable as your building seems right now, it can always fall victim to elements that can sicken you and others inside of it. Minute threats like mold, mildew, and other fungus can lurk in dark corners, under flooring, and behind walls where you cannot see them. When you figure out that you…
To protect yourself and your property, every adult living at your rental unit should sign a lease agreement to hold them legally responsible for rent payments and conditions of the lease. Most standard leases stipulate that tenants are accountable for any guests’ behavior and are responsible for enforcing the property’s rules and regulations. But what…
Renting can have its challenges, from navigating small apartments, to ensuring your landlord loves you, there is a lot to think about. Overall, the key to having a great rental experience is fostering a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. Are you the type of tenant property managers swoon over? Or are you the type they warn each other…
When talking about creating “more agile” teams, your first thought might be of tight-knit groups of developers, working diligently to perfect a new software product. Not unreasonable, as the concept of the agile team was first conceptualized with software development in mind. As it turns out, though, the mindset has been so successful, that industries…
Rental property owners and managers are responsible for providing safe and healthy conditions for their tenants. Rental property safety includes keeping tenants safe from physical harm from insecure or damaged structures, reducing the threat of criminal intruders that could harm or threaten your tenants, and providing a property that does not negatively affect a tenant’s…
Connecticut has recently introduced new legislation regarding rental housing law in an attempt to regulate landlord behavior and protect renters, according to JD Supra. Rental laws involving security deposits, foreclosed leasehold interests, substitute housing, and the disposition of deceased tenant’s belongs have been signed by the governor and will become law October 1, 2017. New…
Living with a roommate can have its perks. It can be wonderful to have a live-in confidant and is an excellent way to afford that dream apartment you’ve had your eye on. However–as anyone who has had their fill of cleaning their roommate’s old cereal bowl can tell you–the roommate experience can have its share…
Rentec Direct’s newest feature gives your renters the option to enter their own ACH information (bank routing number and account number) to streamline the sign-up process and increase adoption rates for online rent payments. If you use Rentec Direct’s EasyPay merchant services to collect rent payments online, via echeck (ACH) or credit card, the sign-up…
Landlords, property managers and housing providers are required to honor the civil rights protections established under the Federal Fair Housing Act(Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968). The Fair Housing Act is the set of laws associated with anti-discrimination laws for renters. The Fair Housing Act applies to other real estate transactions,…
Discover your rights and responsbilities when it comes to air conditioning in a rental home in this article by Lisa Oram and originally published by Furnace Compare. What are a tenant’s rights when the air conditioning breaks? If the AC in your apartment is on the fritz in the middle of summer, you probably want…
Properly screening your tenants is the most important step a landlord can do to protect their investment property and management business. In order to ensure that you have responsible tenants, that not only pay their rent on time but also value and take care of their home, there are certain qualifications landlords use to evaluate…
A new feature from Rentec Direct allows your tenants to take a picture of a maintenance problem with their smart phone and attach it to a maintenance request or work order in the Tenant Portal. The ability to attach photos to work orders will help illustrate the problem and provide additional help to landlords or…
Growing your property management business involves acquiring more clients and adding more doors to your management portfolio. According to the Rental Protection Agency, there are 22,889,285 landlords in the USA. These 22 million+ landlords are all potential clients that could need your services to help them manage their rentals. But how does a…
I’m sorry, but I just have to laugh at all the contentious rhetoric I read (primarily on Facebook) about the Los Angeles Neighborhood Councils in San Pedro. There are currently 97 Neighborhood Councils within the city limits, each with a $42K annual budget and a corresponding Department of Neighborhood Empowerment within City Hall. “Department of Neighborhood…
Late rent payments and non-payment are some of the biggest costs associated with managing rental properties. Not only are you depending on rental income to cover property expenses, owner payments, mortgage payments, or even your own supplemental income, but the implications of non-payment could mean a long legal battle to collect rent owed and evict…
So your credit stinks. Maybe you have a bankruptcy, or maybe your credit has tanked from some unfortunate decisions. Or, maybe it’s something more innocent, such as a few missed car or rent payments. Bad credit affects your life, from rent applications, car loan applications, and even merchant loan applications. Whatever the reasons, consumers want…
As a rental property owner or property manager you have the responsibility to provide a safe home to your tenants. Property safety goes beyond the structural integrity of your rented home to include tenant safety through proper security systems. While it may be unnecessary to equip your rental properties with complete alarm systems or surveillance…
Landlords and property managers are required to respect their tenants homes and provide them with a peaceful environment, known as the implied covenant of quiet enjoyment. Unsolicited visits, whether from the owner or maintenance personnel, can be annoying for your renters and disturb their quiet enjoyment. However, there are plenty of legitimate reasons an owner…
The 4th of July is a beloved holiday by many, and your residents will no doubt be soaking up the summer rays and enjoying BBQs to celebrate. Unlike most holidays, however, when evening draws near, the festivities truly begin in the form of celebratory fireworks. For property managers, this seemingly harmless fun can come with…
One of the benefits of renting includes the option for tenants to defer home maintenance to the property owner or management company. When a pipe bursts or an appliance starts acting up, a renter simply needs to put in a call to their manager or landlord to fix the problem. While it may be true…
When you start managing rental property, you will need to find a good accounting system to track your rent payments, expenses, payments, and profits. Accounting Systems for Property Management Just like any business venture, you need to be able to track the monetary success (and failures) of your rental properties with a good accounting system.…
A new housing bill in Colorado allows victims of sexual assault and stalking to break a residential rental lease agreement, letting tenants move out without incurring any fines or financial penalties. On June 1, 2017, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a new law, House Bill 1035, giving victims of sexual assault and stalking options to…
