Having good tenants can avoid a lot of trouble

Two elements that make a landlords life more comfortable are property insurance and reliable tenants. If the tenant turns out to be a nightmare, evicting them from the property doesn’t have to be. While evicting renters should always be only as a last resort, sometimes as a landlord it is the only course that can be taken.

When to evict a tenant

A landlord should not evict a tenant simply because they feel like it. But there are three main reasons why landlords need to try and get the tenant out of the property.

The main reason a landlord starts an eviction process is when the tenant does not pay the rent or has accumulated a large amount of rent arrears. Reason two is for a breach of lease terms, this will include a variety of situations for example; animals or extra people living in the property, noise complaints, illegal activity and any damage to the property. The third is when the lease has ended and the tenant does not leave.

Finding a good tenant is regarded by most landlords as the single most important thing when letting a property. Having good tenants will be worth a lot of money, but if they’re bad and cause trouble there may be no option but to evict the tenant. So it’s always important to pre-empt disaster, and the inherent difficulties of eviction, by carrying out checks on the tenant before they move in.

Property insurance & Choosing the right tenant

Ideally a landlord should choose a tenant who has a permanent job and who wants to stay in the property for a long period. They should get and check references, especially from the tenant’s employer, and also try to get a tenant who has a very good employment history. Also a credit check will tell a landlord if the prospective tenant has had any County Court Judgements.

A landlord should always try and deal with any problems quickly because by ignoring them, they could get worse. Try and avoid any confrontations with a tenant and also try to be reasonable. Every option should be tried before taking the steps leading to eviction. Many tenants may fall victim to health or work problems and will want to work with a landlord in an effort to stay in the home. If a landlord wishes to avoid the cost and upset of having to evict, it is a good idea to recognize which tenants are going to be worth negotiating with.

Any landlord thinking of evicting a tenant should consult someone with legal experience as failure to give proper notification and meet all the time deadlines may result in denial of the eviction petition by a court.

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