Having a written lease is the most common thing with landlord and tenants, but what most landlords don’t remember is having a set of a written set of rules. It’s a document that tells the tenant that this house belongs to the landlord, and the tenant should follow certain rules if he is to rent the house.
Add these rules as post-script to your lease, and they will have legal standing. The tenant will know that breaking these will be as good as breaking the lease agreement, and it will end up in eviction.
Some house rules are pretty typical ones that many landlords may have in common such as disposing the trash every night, or timely rent payments. Then there are the ones that you set with regards to your previous experience, like no loud music after certain hours, no male or female guests, no pets and such.
Some rules are made due to security purposes, such as smoking inside the house or lighting a fire in the back yard.
Staying in the legal limits, you can design your own house rules for your tenants to follow. But why should you have house rules in the first place? Well, here are three reasons that will help you understand the importance of house rules for your rental property.
Reasons:First:
Having house rules separated from the lease documents give them more emphasis as well as importance. Being on a separate document will keep them in focus all the time.
Second:
Now, since each house is different and each property has different dynamics, it’s logical that you make a different set of rules for each property. That makes more sense than putting standard rules on all lease agreements. Every property doesn’t have a balcony, or every property doesn’t come with a back yard, rules vary the same way houses vary. Places that have parking spaces should have parking rules. Having rules on a separate paper, make things easier for the tenant as well as the landlord.
Third:
Lease agreements are drawn with legal jargon, which isn’t very easy to understand. Whereas, house rules should be in simple, layman’s term. They should be in a language that is easier to understand without a lawyer having to explain it. This is the reason why it’s best to have them on a separate document in clear and explicit language.
Example:
- Always replace the batteries of the smoke detector on time, and no disconnecting the smoke-detector in any case.
- Lighting fires or candles on the property is not allowed. If there are any repairs, make sure that you notify the landlord before the day or weekend ends. Straight forward rules are easier to understand and follow.
Tenant and House Rules:
The tenant will only follow the rules he is able to understand so, make sure that they always understand every rule, and there is no confusion. Read every rule loud and clear when the lease is being signed. Ask the tenant if he is getting everything and is there is any confusion. Answer any question that the tenant may have to avoid any conflict later.
Why Tenants Follow Rules:
Almost every tenant follows the rules as they understand the importance of these rules. They are needed to keep people in line as well as for security purposes. There may be many rebellious tenants, but if you show then that the rules have been set on a legal document, then they will understand that these can’t be ignored.
You can be as lenient or as strict as you want, but these rules are there to keep the tenant in line when you aren’t.
If you’d like to talk more about property management, or you need help with Everest Property Management, please contact us at Everest Realty.
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As a top producing Realtor and Property Manager; Terry specializes in sales, extensive construction homes, rentals, REO’s, short sales, and all aspects of Real Estate. After graduating the University of Michigan with a master in MBA, Terry continued his endeavor and now has over 15+ years of experience in the Real Estate world. If there is anything that has to do with Real Estate and sales, you can always be sure of Terry to provide important, specialized knowledge.
