As a Mississippi property owner, finding good tenants is crucial for maintaining your property's value and ensuring a steady rental income as a Mississippi property owner. Unfortunately, not all tenants are created equal. Some can become a landlord's worst nightmare. Known as professional tenants, these individuals exploit tenant rights and legal loopholes to their advantage, often leaving unpaid rent and property damage.
In this blog, our team at Lucroy Residential will explore the meaning of a professional tenant, the associated costs, and how to avoid these problematic renters. These helpful insights will help you create a more profitable and less stressful future for your property investments.
Understanding the Professional Tenant
In property management, “professional tenant” is a euphemism for the landlord’s worst nightmare. This type of tenant is notorious for creating endless headaches, leaving behind unpaid rent, and often causing significant property damage. Attorneys who specialize in landlord-tenant law frequently encounter these individuals, recognizing their tactics and the havoc they can wreak.
To understand the purpose of professional tenants, it's essential to recognize their behaviors and strategies.
These tenants have mastered exploiting tenant rights and legal loopholes to their advantage. They know how to manipulate the system, delaying eviction and avoiding rent payments through various cunning strategies. These tenants often present themselves as responsible and trustworthy during the application process but reveal their true colors once they have moved in.
The Tactics of Professional Tenants
These tenants have a repertoire of tactics to frustrate and financially drain landlords. Understanding these strategies can help you recognize potential red flags early on.
Constant Complaints and Withholding Rent
One common tactic is incessantly complaining about minor issues in the rental unit, demanding repairs and improvements. They often use these complaints as an excuse for withholding rent, claiming the property is uninhabitable. This forces the landlord into a position where they must either address every minor issue promptly or risk the tenant withholding rent.
In many cases, the complaints are exaggerated or fabricated, making it difficult for landlords to keep up with the demands.
Counterclaims and Legal Delays
When faced with an eviction notice, professional tenants will often respond with a barrage of counterclaims and defenses. These can include allegations of discrimination, retaliation, or failure to maintain the property. Even if these claims are unfounded, they delay the eviction process, buying the tenant more time in the property without paying rent. The legal process can become a drawn-out battle, costing the landlord time, money, and considerable stress.
Disappearing Act
By the time the landlord has navigated through the legal maze, the tenant is often long gone, leaving behind a trashed unit and unpaid rent. The damage left in their wake can be extensive, requiring costly repairs and renovations before the property can be rented out again. The financial and emotional toll on the landlord can be significant.
How to Handle a Professional Tenant
While prevention is the best strategy, sometimes landlords choose to preemptively deal with a professional tenant before any conflicts arise. Here are some practical tips and examples for handling these challenging situations.
Document Everything
Keep detailed records of all interactions with the tenant, including emails, letters, and repair requests. This documentation can be crucial if you need to take legal action. For example, if a tenant claims that repairs were not made, having a paper trail showing timely responses and actions can strengthen your court case.
Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
Familiarize yourself with local landlord-tenant laws to understand your rights and obligations. This knowledge can help you navigate disputes more effectively. For instance, knowing the legal requirements for serving an eviction notice can prevent the tenant from exploiting procedural errors.
Address Complaints Promptly
Even if the complaints seem minor or exaggerated, address them promptly and document your responses. This shows that you are acting in good faith and can undermine the tenant's attempts to withhold rent.
Use a Professional Mississippi Property Management Service
Consider hiring a property management company, like Lucroy Residential, to handle interactions with the tenant. Professional managers have experience dealing with difficult tenants and can handle legal processes more efficiently. They can also provide additional protection against unfounded claims and harassment.
Seek Legal Advice Early
If you suspect you are dealing with a bad tenant, consult a landlord-tenant attorney early in the process. Legal advice can help you avoid common pitfalls and develop a strategy to evict the tenant quickly and painlessly.
The Importance of Thorough Tenant Screening
Preventing this possible nightmare starts with a rigorous tenant screening process. Proper screening can help you identify potential red flags and avoid renting to individuals with a problematic behavioral history.
Comprehensive Background Checks
A thorough background check is your first line of defense. This should include reviewing the applicant’s credit history, criminal record, and eviction history. A poor credit score or a history of evictions can be major red flags.
Additionally, check for any criminal activity that might indicate a propensity for fraud or other illegal behaviors.
Employment and Income Verification
Ensure potential tenants have a stable and sufficient income to cover the rent. Requesting recent pay stubs, employment verification letters, and even tax returns can confirm their financial stability. Calculate the rent-to-income ratio, ideally aiming for rent to be no more than 30% of their gross monthly income.
For example, if the monthly rent is $1,200, the tenant's gross monthly income should be at least $4,000 (30% of $4,000 equals $1,200). This helps ensure they can manage rent payments along with other financial obligations.
Contact Previous Landlords
Speaking with previous landlords can provide valuable insights into the applicant’s behavior and reliability as a tenant. Ask about their payment history, how they treated the property, and if there were any significant issues during their tenancy. Previous landlords can offer a firsthand account of the tenant’s conduct and reliability.
Setting Clear Expectations and Policies
From the outset, establish clear rental policies and communicate them effectively to potential tenants. This includes rules about rent payment deadlines, property maintenance responsibilities, and consequences for non-compliance. A well-defined lease agreement can serve as a reference point in case of disputes, helping to prevent misunderstandings and ensuring both parties are on the same page.
Avoid the Stress of Professional Tenants With Jackson, MS Property Management
Dealing with a professional tenant can be a costly and stressful experience for any property owner. From constant complaints and withheld rent to legal battles and property damage, the impact of these tenants can be profound. However, by implementing a rigorous tenant screening process, you can significantly reduce the risk of renting to these problematic individuals.
At Lucroy Residential, we understand the challenges landlords face in managing their properties and dealing with difficult tenants. Our comprehensive property management services are designed to mitigate these risks and ensure your property is in good hands. We offer advanced property advertising, thorough tenant screening, proactive maintenance management, strict legal compliance, and reliable rent collection.
