5 do’s and don’ts when a landlord needs to hire an attorney.
We had a member call recently and she was in a bit of a sticky situation. Unfortunately, she had multiple legal matters to handle with her tenants and the city where her rental was located.
To make matters more difficult—she had just terminated service with the property management firm she used and was living 300 miles away from her rental.
Sounds like a lot to handle, right? Yes and no.
Luckily for her, she had a subscription to LegalShield a service many landlords use in place of retaining a landlord tenant attorney.
But there were still some tips she needed in order to find the right representation for her.
5 do’s and don’ts when landlords need an attorney
No. 1 – Do request an attorney who specializes in landlord tenant law!
Don’t: Work with attorney who plays on both sides of the sandbox. Having a lawyer who only works with landlords is important. It means they have more experience with issues specific to you.
No. 2 – Do ask for information related to your case basics.
Does this attorney need to have experience with city violations, evictions, problem tenants, counter suits and the like?
No. 3 – Do ask for numbers
What is the success rate of your attorney? How much are they going to charge you? How much time can they devote to your particular case?
Don’t: Hiring the first lawyer who quotes you the best rate without doing the other research. Ask other property owners in your area who they work with.
No. 4 – Do be proactive with your timeline
If you need a lawyer quickly every second counts.
Don’t: Lie about your relationship with your tenant. If it’s crappy own up to it.
No. 5 – Do be prepared to get what you pay for
Happy Renting!