Top Mistakes New Landlords Make

Every landlord needs to know King of Prussia landlord tenant law in order to avoid mistakes which could cost you money or create legal problems for you. There are laws related to many different aspects of renting to tenants, including rules for maintaining rental units and for evicting tenants. If you don't know these rules, you could end up facing myriad issues. 

Curley & Rothman, LLC can provide landlords with comprehensive assistance understanding King of Prussia landlord tenant law. Our legal team can also help you to avoid some of the most common mistakes which landlords often end up making.

Common Mistakes New Landlords Make

Being a landlord can be rewarding and lucrative, as long as you do not make mistakes which end up costing you. Some of the common mistakes made by new landlords include:

• Failing to follow landlord/tenant law. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides a tenant landlord handbook and an explanation of many of the rights that tenants have. Tenants have rights when it comes to repairs, evictions, and landlords entering property- among other things. A landlord has to comply with all state and federal laws in all interactions with tenants.
• Not understanding anti-discrimination requirements. Equal Opportunity housing laws prevent landlords from using certain words and phrases in apartment ads which could be seen as discriminatory. Landlords typically also have to permit seeing eye dogs and other support animals for the disabled, and landlords cannot discriminate against someone for having children. Landlords need to know the rules.
• Not conducting background checks before renting to tenants. Landlords should check a tenant's credit and references. Evicting a bad tenant can be difficult and expensive and it is best to avoid having to do this by making sure tenants will not pose a problem before allowing them to rent.
• Failing to ensure a lease protects their interests. When you create a lease as a landlord, you must ensure that it is sufficiently protective of your interests and that it imposes reasonable requirements on tenants to protect your property.
• Not understanding rules for eviction. If you need to evict a tenant for failing to follow lease terms or if you need to evict a tenant for not paying rent, you must know the formal process for the eviction. If you don't follow the guidelines, you could find yourself facing legal problems and you could find that the eviction process ends up taking much longer than expected.
• Not understanding bankruptcy rules. If a tenant declares bankruptcy, you must know what an automatic stay is, how and when it prevents you from pursuing eviction, and what you have to do to get relief from the automatic stay so you can move forward with getting the apartment back.

These are just a few of many different mistakes new landlords often make. Complying with landlord tenant laws is essential for every landlord and there are a huge number of complex rules to know. A landlord tenant law attorney can help you to make sure you avoid errors that could cost you.

How to Prevent Mistakes Under King of Prussia Landlord Tenant Law

The best way to avoid mistakes is to get legal help as early in the process as possible when you first become a landlord. You should have an attorney review your real estate and financing agreements before you purchase a property, and you should have a lawyer help you to draft the lease which your tenants will sign.

You should also consult with a lawyer about any problems that arise during the process of renting your property to tenants. Whether a tenant is not following the lease terms, a tenant has made a complaint about repair issues, or a tenant needs to be evicted, you need to know what your rights and obligations are and how to make the law work for you. An experienced landlord tenant law attorney can provide invaluable advice at every step of the process of renting your property and protecting your real estate investment.

How a King of Prussia Landlord Tenant Law Attorney Can Help

A King of Prussia landlord tenant law attorney can provide you with invaluable assistance when you acquire your first rental properties. We also represent and assist seasoned landlords as well as tenants who need help with legal issues related to rental properties. To learn more about the services that we offer which help you to make your commercial real estate investment a successful one, give us a call at 610-834-8819 or contact us online today.