One area for which landlords commonly need assistance involves tenant dispute resolution and tenant screening is a key help in this area.
One common dispute between tenants and landlords is the withholding of rent payments. If landlords fail to provide certain repairs, then tenants may decide not to pay their rent until the problem is resolved. The landlord may believe that the repair is unnecessary, while the tenant may review the issue as a major inconvenience. A landlord association will advise landlords regarding the best way to proceed.
Sometimes, landlords and tenants argue about the return of the tenant’s security deposit at the end of the lease. Landlords may want tenants to pay for repairs that tenants regard as normal wear and tear. To avoid these disputes, landlords and tenants should walk through the premises together both at the beginning of the lease and at the end of the lease.
The first step to dispute resolution according to a landlord association is to try face-to-face communication to solve the problem. In some cases, the two parties will reach a compromise once each has the chance to listen to the other’s frustrations. Keeping the lines of communication open and seeking an acceptable resolution for both parties will prevent problems from becoming more serious.
Sometimes, disputes end up in mediation or arbitration. A mediator works to help both parties come to a common resolution, while an arbitrator listens to both sides and makes a binding legal decision. In many cases, working with a mediator or an arbitrator will keep cases out of small claims court.
No landlord or tenant wants disputes to end up in court. In these cases, the support of a landlord association may not be enough. Landlords should seek legal representation from an experienced lawyer. However, most cases will not go to court as long as landlords try to resolve the dispute outside of a courtroom.