Are you a landlord? Avoiding mistakes can save you time and money

As a Delaware landlord, you understand the importance of taking care of your property and protecting your interests when tenants do not follow the terms of the rental agreement. While you may own and operate the property, tenants have certain rights. It is for your benefit to learn more about tenant rights, landlord responsibilities and how to avoid complications. 

Committing certain mistakes as a landlord can lead to various problems, including the threat of a lawsuit. The best way to deal with legal disputes is to avoid them any way that you can. You invested a lot of financial resources into owning rental property, and you would be wise to protect your money and property rights by doing your due diligence.

Errors can cost you 

When landlords make mistakes, it opens the door to potential litigation in the future. Avoiding the following types of errors can not only save you the cost and stress of a lawsuit, it can also make the landlord-tenant relationship easier: 

  • When interviewing a tenant, avoid questions he or she may perceive as discriminating or inappropriate. This includes discriminatory questioning about race, religion, country of origin and more.
  • Make sure that your rental agreements only include terms that are legally enforceable and reasonable.
  • Make repairs in a timely manner, and take steps to ensure your tenants have a safe environment.
  • Never enter a tenant’s dwelling without warning or permission. You must protect tenants’ right to privacy.
  • Give the tenants all the information they need when they sign the rental agreement.
  • Follow the law when evicting a tenant, and treat his or her property in the right way. 

These are just a few of the ways that you can protect the rights of the people who live in your rental properties and significantly reduce the chance of a legal dispute in the future.

Know your rights and protect your property

It might be helpful to seek a complete overview of your rights as a landlord and the rights tenants have when living in a rental property. It is important to learn about everything from how much insurance you need to how to handle a tenant who refuses to leave. 

Before you rent property or make any significant steps as a landlord, you may want to seek a complete evaluation of your case with an attorney specifically experienced in residential real estate matters.

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