Renting to Tenants
Being a landlord isn't as simple as collecting a rent check every month. It involves familiarizing yourself with landlord tenant law, finding and screening tenants, and trying to avoid (or resolve) landlord tenant disputes. We've found some of the best resources on the Web to help you educate yourself about these issues, and make your landlord work a little easier.
Expand All Guide SectionsAttracting and Screening Tenants
Without tenants, you wouldn't be a landlord. Use the sites in this section to learn how to make your property appeal to prospective renters, and once they've expressed interest in renting from you, what's legal to request in a background check.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Placing an ad in a newspaper is a classic way to let people know your property is for rent. Many papers have a classifieds section online; check the U.S. Newspaper List if you don't know a paper's Web address.
- Craigslist is another great source for placing a rental ad. The site draws large amounts of traffic, offers free posting of ads, and is one of the first places some people in large cities check when looking for a rental.
- There's plenty of advice on how to find the right tenants for your rental. See "Every Landlord's Guide to Finding Great Tenants" for some sound suggestions.
Dulcinea's Picks
For help attracting tenants …
Landlordeguide.com
suggests several ways to attract and keep good tenants, starting with an effective advertising campaign when you have property for rent, and continuing with advice about maintaining a strong landlord-tenant relationship once you believe you've found the right tenant.
Rental Property Reporter
explains some ways to draw the best tenants to your property and avoid the questionable ones in this helpful article. The advice here focuses on making your property appealing and on improving your skills as a landlord.
Bankrate.com
offers some basic information you should know about becoming a landlord and setting the right rent price. Also find considerations to take into account when deciding what type of renter you want to attract (like smokers or non-smokers). This article is dated, but the basic principles are still sound today.
For help screening tenants …
Nolo
answers some frequently asked questions about legal methods of tenant screening. Learn what types of discrimination are illegal and whether it’s alright for a landlord to request a credit report for a potential tenant.
The Federal Trade Commission
explains that landlords must follow the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act to check a prospective tenant's credit and provides some instruction on how to adhere to those requirements.
MarketWatch
lists three warning signs landlords should watch out for when screening tenants, and has some other cautionary suggestions landlords should follow to lessen the chance of becoming involved in a fair housing discrimination claim.
For tenant screening agencies …
E-Renter
is a service that screens potential renters for a fee. Tenant checks for individual landlords are available. Review the fee schedule for subscription options.
Landlord.com
lists tenant screening companies that perform background checks.
Rental Contracts, Lease Agreements and Other Landlord Forms
Part of having a successful career as a landlord is using correct documentation for your rental agreements and other correspondence related to your rental. Below you’ll find helpful online rental forms and tips for landlords about what to include in rental paperwork.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Although store-bought rental forms can be helpful, remember that the paperwork must also be state-specific. Landlordeguide.com explains that it may be wise to have a real estate lawyer verify that purchased forms are valid for the state in which you manage property.
- Whether you're a seasoned landlord or new to the business, it's always handy to have a good reference book nearby. American Landlord answers a number of questions about screening tenants and also has information on lease agreements.
Dulcinea's Picks
Provisions to include in rental agreements …
Nolo
offers advice on terms to include in a rental agreement and on landlord liabilities.
Apartments.com
has a bulleted list of items that landlords may consider putting in a rental agreement. Also see a helpful section on “Contracts and Leases” for a basic overview of these documents, and for help finding state-specific landlord and tenant forms.
To access rental forms online …
Rocket Lawyer
provides several helpful forms landlords may need, including lease agreements, rental applications and late rent notices. A free trial is available and then a subscription is required to use the site (check the pricing list for subscription options).
U.S. Legal Forms Inc.
offers a multitude of landlord and tenant forms for purchase. State-specific forms are also available. See pricing information at the "Form Packages" page.
Landlord-Tenant Law
Knowing landlord-tenant law is a must for any landlord. The sites in this section provide a general overview of landlord-tenant laws and some of the more specific issues that come with being a landlord.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Beware of paid versus natural search results when you look for legal information on the Web. Particularly in the legal field, paid search results (which typically appear above and/or to the side of natural search results, and are usually noted as “sponsored” or “partners”) will likely have more advertising gimmicks than legitimate material. Consumer Reports WebWatch offers tips on improving the chances that the results you find will be credible.
Dulcinea's Picks
For a general overview of rental law …
The Legal Information Institute
at Cornell University Law School offers a general overview of the basic principles of landlord-tenant law in this article.
FindLaw
provides a section of articles about landlord tenant legal issues, including repairs and maintenance, rent and security deposits, and eviction and lease termination. The articles in the "More Topics" section address some important questions about lead paint disclosures and landlord liability for criminal acts on a rental property.
For information about tenants' rights and responsibilities …
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) has a "Your Rights and Responsibilities" section directed primarily toward tenants that can be useful to landlords, too (scroll down the page to find it). Learn about fair housing requirements and rental laws in individual states. HUD also helps apartment owners offer reduced rent to tenants.
LandlordTenantHelpOnline.org
discusses what constitutes normal wear and tear on an apartment, and one simple way landlords and tenants can document the condition of a rental. Also see the articles in the "Related Entries" and "Most Popular" sections on the right for more answers to landlord and tenant questions.
For facts about security deposits …
Nolo
discusses the rules for returning a security deposit to a tenant. There's also an explanation for what rules a landlord must follow to evict a tenant.
Rentlaw.com
has a chart detailing the time a landlord has in each U.S. state to return a security deposit.
Resolving Landlord-Tenant Disputes
Probably the aspect of any renting situation that landlords and tenants most want to steer clear of is a landlord-tenant dispute. The sites in this section explain some ways to avoid a dispute in the first place, and what to expect in the event the situation must be handled in small claims court.
Dulcinea's Insight
- A landlord association can be a useful resource in helping you become a successful landlord and possibly avoid landlord-tenant disputes. To search for a landlord association where you live, see the Landlord Associations Directory from The Landlord Protection Agency.
- Small claims courts handle many landlord-tenant disputes, provided the dispute involves money. To find a court in your area, type your state name and "small claims court" into your favorite search engine.
- Issues of repairing property can become a sticking point in landlord-tenant relationships, but many responsibilities to repair and maintain your rental will fall to you if you become a landlord. See the findingDulcinea Home Repair Web Guide for help keeping your investment in good working order.
Dulcinea's Picks
FindLaw
discusses how landlord-tenant disputes can be resolved before going to court, and what court to go to in the event you're unable to resolve a problem on your own.
The North Carolina Department of Justice
provides this PDF document with suggestions about how to avoid a landlord-tenant dispute. Tips here deal primarily with arranging for repairs to be made to a rental.
Nolo
gives advice on how to avoid landlord-tenant disputes, where to find help resolving a disagreement out of court and what court to use if you need further assistance with a dispute.
© 2010 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
