It’s hard to enforce all the lease provisions residents must comply with, such as bans on pets and home businesses. At some point, you may overlook a resident’s violation of a lease provision for several months. But if you ignore the violation for too long, you may lose your right to...
One of the toughest situations you can face is when a household withholds rent over a claimed problem in a unit. Sometimes the problem is something major, such as no heat or hot water for an extended time. Other times the problem is something minor, such as a broken dishwasher. And still other...
Concerns over property damage and dog bite injuries may lead some owners to ban pets from a site altogether. Yet some residents may keep pets despite the ban. If you find that a resident has a pet, how you address this lease violation can determine whether you’ll be held liable if the pet...
Many state housing finance agencies are adding energy assessment and conservation measures to their Qualified Allocation Plans (QAPs) that encourage owners and managers to take steps to reduce their site’s energy and water usage and to engage and educate residents in making the site a...
Getting departing residents to pay their final month’s rent can be difficult. Many residents think it’s fine to tell owners to apply their security deposit to their final month’s rent.
Many units, especially older ones, aren’t set up to handle washing machines, dryers, and other large appliances. But even if your units don’t have hookups or the capacity to handle these appliances, some residents may still bring in portable units and connect them to the electrical...
As summer approaches and temperatures begin to rise, residents and their guests may be tempted to go up on the roof and sunbathe, barbecue, or just cool off from their hot units. Unfortunately, allowing people on the roofs of your site’s buildings can cause you many problems. For example,...
At some point, you’re going to have to notify households that you’re raising their rent. Reasons for raising the rent on a low-income unit can include a utility allowance decrease, an over-income household, a change in your area’s median gross income, or, if the rent is below...
At the beginning of every winter season, many site managers begin to worry about the possibility of being hit with slip-and-fall lawsuits filed by residents or guests. Although it’s inevitable that accidents will occur, the management can try to make the site as safe as...
As you know, first impressions are lasting ones. In the apartment industry, first impressions can mean the difference between high turnover and high renewal rates. Industry studies show that residents typically make their renewal decisions within the first 48 hours of residing at a community,...
Many elderly residents are capable of living independently and paying their rent on time. But sooner or later, you may have an elderly resident who has trouble coping with day-to-day concerns, such as managing money, paying rent on time, or keeping his unit tidy. An elderly resident who has...
