1. Screen prospective Carlsbad tenants more effectively:
The easiest way to deal with problematic tenants is to avoid renting to them in the first place. Developing effective methods to screen prospective tenants can dramatically lower the amount of time and effort you have to spend dealing with issues after you’ve both signed the lease.
The screening process doesn’t need to be challenging. Begin by deciding what is important to you. Establish some baseline standards (such as credit score, income level, and criminal background) that you want all of your tenants to meet. Doing this will let you quickly weed out applicants who don’t fit your criteria.
When you’ve established what you’re looking for from Carlsbad tenants, ask for the same information from all of your applicants. Setting standards will help you compare applicants impartially and fairly. It can be helpful at this point to invest a little more heavily in background checks. You may utilize online background check services and reach out to former landlords.
Lastly, be sure to trust your gut. Pay attention to your first impressions of an applicant. If you’ve established effective screening protocols, you can be more confident in the quality of the applicants who get to the end of the process.
2. Don’t get desperate:
It can be tempting to lower your screening standards if you’re having trouble renting a property as quickly as you would like. However, it is better in the short term to let a property sit empty than to place a tenant who can end up generating unanticipated costs in money, time, and labor. If you have priced your rents appropriately and are effectively marketing your property, quality Carlsbad tenants will come.
3. Communicate in writing:
Beginning with the lease, write everything down. Communicating in writing allows you to keep a record of all correspondence between you and your tenants, which can be helpful in the event of any dispute. Additionally, many tenants will appreciate records of any correspondence as well. Verbal conversations can get lost in the shuffle of day-to-day life for both landlord and tenant, and written communication can help everyone stay accountable.
4. Address issues quickly:
Be sure to address tenant issues rapidly. Minor problems can turn into major ones over time, and ignoring tenant behaviors that violate stipulations in a lease or rental agreement can set a precedent that can be difficult to remedy. Additionally, many tenants may be simply unaware that their conduct is causing an issue, especially for relatively minor concerns. Addressing issues as soon as they arise shows that you are attentive and responsive and will stick to your end of the lease.
5. Stick to the lease:
Be sure to communicate your expectations clearly in the lease, put them in writing, and enforce them. Your lease can become an instruction manual for how you and your tenants handle situations and can serve as an impartial tool that you’ve both agreed to abide by when problems arise.
A professional property management company can handle many of the challenges of dealing with difficult tenants, freeing you to focus on other priorities and future investments. Download our guide to finding the best San Diego area property manager if you need help.
