Every so often, a landlord is likely to encounter a bad tenant. And, you may be wondering how to deal with this situation once it’s staring you in the face. My mother always taught me, “failing to plan is planning to fail”. By understanding the possibility that this may occur, it’s always great to have an action plan in place, just in case. By ensuring that you have guidelines to follow when warning signs first appear, you can dramatically reduce the headaches and provide yourself with peace of mind. There is definitely comfort in having clear next steps and an actionable plan.
In some cases, it may be challenging to sell a property on the traditional market when dealing with troublesome tenants, especially if your circumstances force a quick sale. From frequent complainers to late payers and every type of problem in between, we’ve gathered together information that you’ll need to know about bad tenants in Wills Point.
Cooperation
When you’ve made the decision to sell an occupied rental property, even the best of tenants may be unhappy with the news. Bad tenants in Wills Point can make the process of selling nearly impossible by interfering with showings or worse. If possible, approach your tenants and explain your situation and why you need to sell the property; often, giving someone a reason is enough to bring them around to see your side of things. Perhaps they haven’t realized just how their behavior may be perceived, such as failing to maintain the property, causing an eyesore, or simply upsetting the neighbors. Always attempt a diplomatic explanation of the problem(s) which may influence change.
Keep Records
If further action is needed, provide ample warning, in writing, that you have a desire to sell. In some cases, there may be contractual obligations implemented which govern how many days notice a tenant receives. You may refer back to your rental agreement or contact a professional for guidance, such as the professional investors at Wolf Empire Homes or an attorney. In addition, it may be helpful as a practice to have an individual tenant record log in which you make notes during every encounter with the tenant. The key is making this log known while they are present. Their awareness of your records may give them pause about taking legal action against you. Suppose you’re unable to avoid legal intervention with your bad tenants in Wills Point. You can protect yourself by having a record of events and your responses in writing, along with dated photos applicable to your situation.
Remain Calm
When in-person encounters occur, be confident that you maintain a calm breathing pattern and make minimal physical moves to keep the situation as non-confrontational and impersonal as possible. No matter what tone your tenant takes, you must maintain a strictly business attitude and remove emotions from your responses. While it may be difficult, try to put yourself in the tenants’ shoes and remain objective. People quickly catch on to anything that will push your buttons or distract you from your efforts; however, they won’t find any buttons if you remain calm.
Kindness
Whatever you do, don’t make a bad situation worse by taking action that bad tenants in Wills Point may interpret as threatening or aggressive or that goes against local, state, or federal laws. While it might feel good momentarily, doing things like cutting off utility services or changing locks can flare embers into infernos. Once you’ve conveyed any message, there is no need to repeat yourself. You should still allow your tenants reasonable peace; despite their actions, don’t call repeatedly or continue to contact them in a harassing manner. By maintaining your composure, you leave the door open for solutions.
Cash
If you’ve found your bad tenants in Wills Point are entirely unmoved by your attempts at communication, you could try sweetening the deal. You could try bringing the tenants around to your way of thinking with cold hard cash, which can go a long way towards swaying uncooperative tenants. You want to be extremely clear that this is an exchange for a signed agreement to leave and hand over the keys to your property. Be prepared by having the documents drafted and ready for them to sign immediately upon agreement. When they return the keys, you should return their security deposit along with any monies due per your original rental contract and change the locks at that time.
Wolf Empire Homes
There is an alternative solution if all of the above sounds like too much work. Give us a call at Wolf Empire Homes to discuss how we can help you manage the predicament you face with your rental properties. We handle each client with care at Wolf Empire Homes because our goal is to relieve you of your problems and set you on a path toward happiness. At Wolf Empire Homes, we use straightforward agreements, with no hidden fees, and full transparency in our process. Our professional investors at Wolf Empire Homes will walk you during every step of the process. If you decide to accept our cash offer, our team of experienced management pros at Wolf Empire Homes will deal with the headaches of your bad tenants in Wills Point so you can move on. Contact Wolf Empire Homes today at (903) 300-6264 to learn more or fill out the form and someone from our team will be in touch soon.