Running a rental business is not all it’s cracked up to be. It’s not only buying a property and have someone rent it. It entails a lot more than that. Having properties for rent will include managing the said property. It involves running the rental and making sure that the tenants are getting their money’s worth. Property management means dealing with everything that has to do with the unit, particularly the problems and glitches.
Some problems are bound to happen. Some of them are avoidable, while some are out of our control. The only thing to do when these problems occur is to deal with them head-on and not commit any more mistakes.
One of the crises a landlord may face is when a tenant suddenly abandons the property. It may be because the tenant is avoiding an inevitable eviction, or he just decided not to wait until the lease ends. Whatever the reason is, the landlord must avoid committing these mistakes in dealing with abandoned rentals.
• Presuming the rental is abandoned when, in fact, it is not.
Some tenants who abandon a rental are clear about it. They might leave a note and emptied all their belongings. Sometimes it is not apparent if they have abandoned the property. Landlords should never assume that a tenant abandoned the rental unit. If in doubt, there are questions the landlord must ask before concluding.
Did they leave any personal items?
If they leave behind clothes and furniture, it is unlikely that they abandoned it. However, if the only thing left is garbage, there is a possibility that they did.
Does the tenant have unpaid rent?
Having unpaid bills can result in eviction, and some tenants like to take the easiest way out. If the tenant is on the verge of getting evicted, it might become the main reason to leave.
Did the neighbors notice anything?
The landlord can try and ask around for information from the people in the area. Seeing a moving van and tenants bringing their belongings is a strong indication that they vacated the rental.
Do their emergency contacts know?
The emergency contacts might have an idea that the tenant had plans to leave the property. They might also know the reason why.
There are a lot of things to investigate before confirming that the tenant left. They might have just went on vacation or were hospitalized. The landlord might experience more problems if he assumes that a tenant abandoned the property.
• Discarding personal items and belongings
Whenever tenants abandon a rental, they might do it in such a hurry that they leave personal belongings behind. It is easy to discard the items knowing they intentionally left the landlord with an empty property. However, as much as it is frustrating, the landlord must follow the local state laws about abandoned belongings. The landlord should not assume ownership over the objects, nor is he allowed to sell them without doing the necessary steps first.
The landlord is required to keep the items for a time and until he exhausted all means to return them. He should also apply the laws about this. For example, in Washington, the landlord must notify the tenant. If the item’s value is less than $250, he can throw it away or sell it after seven days the notice was mailed. For possessions valued above $250, the landlord can sell or dispose of them after 45 days if the tenant fails to respond to the notice.
• No documentation
The landlord must remember to keep a record of all the transactions on his property. Abandonment issues included. Documenting the problem will serve as proof in case the tenant contests his claim. The landlord should take pictures of the property that may indicate that the tenant vacated it.
He should also document the data gathered from the neighbors and emergency contacts. It will help back the claim up that they have indeed left. He can also keep a copy of the notices he sent, which will prove that he notified them.
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