Do you remember being a child and hating it when your parents enforced the rules? Do you remember wishing they'd stop telling you to do your chores?
A property owner essentially has to parent their tenants, but a lease is more than a chore list. It's a complex document outlining everything expected of both parties.
Making sure these rules are followed keeps tenants safe while protecting your property and profits. Read on to learn about lease enforcement for Portland, Oregon landlords.
Create Clear Agreements
The clearer and more comprehensive your lease is, the easier it will be to enforce. It needs to cover all rental rules, including but not limited to:
- Rent amount and due dates
- Late fees
- Grace periods
- Rights and responsibilities for landlords and tenants
- Security deposits
- Maintenance schedules
- Pet policies
- Quiet hours
- Consequences for violations
Any ambiguous or unclear language could make your lease unenforceable or work against you in a court of law. As time goes on, outline any changes through a new lease or an amendment to the original one.
Continue Clear Communication
Communication between tenants and landlords should begin as soon as they sign the lease. Go over it with them to clear up any misunderstandings.
Keep up the communication from there. This helps enforce current tenant leases and encourages them to renew when the time comes.
Record and Monitor Everything
Lease enforcement often bleeds over into other areas of property management. It'll require you to keep records of information such as:
- Rent payments
- Maintenance requests
- Invoices
- Tenant complaints
- Inspections
Conduct routine property evaluations. They let you attend to maintenance issues or lease violations.
Evaluate your tenants' behavior to spot problems and gather evidence if you end up in court. Look at your strengths and weaknesses to see what you could do better.
Know the Law
An ambiguous lease is a major problem, but an illegal one is even worse. It could be unenforceable and damage your reputation.
You can also end up with hefty fines. There's a base fine of $6,000 for failing to give out the right EPA disclosure pamphlets in buildings built before 1978. You'll pay up to $16,000 for your first violation of the Fair Housing Act.
These policies change, so you may need to update your lease agreement to stay legal.
Enact Penalties
Your standards for enforcing a lease need to be a combination of fairness and firmness.
Talk to tenants who break a lease to see if you can reach an agreement. If not, send a written notice if they continue not to comply.
There are a few legal reasons to evict a tenant in Portland, including:
- Failure to pay rent
- Breaking the lease
- Illegal activity
The process for evictions is similar to other states. Send a notice to the tenant. File with the court and serve the eviction papers. Attend the trial and, if you win, they'll be forced to vacate.
Where to Find Lease Enforcement Experts
Improve your lease enforcement with clear agreements and communication, diligent record-keeping, legal knowledge, and enacting penalties when necessary.
PMI Bridgetown offers full-service property management solutions. We seek to meet our client's needs using exceptional communication and problem-solving. Contact us to maximize the value of your investment today.
