How To Handle Disruptive Tenants

Dealing with disruptive tenants is one of the most challenging parts of being a landlord or property manager. However, having a difficult tenant happens to every landlord at one point or another. Handling situations quickly and professionally can help mitigate them in a timely manner without adding more problems.

Screen tenants

Screening tenants is one of the most important things you can do to help prevent disruptive tenants in the first place. During the application process, be sure to get references from previous landlords and/or a manager from a job who can speak to the applicant’s character. However, screening tenants is not completely foolproof. Landlords who rent to college students may have applicants who may not have rented before, so it can be difficult to get a full picture of who they are as renters, even if they have great references from others.

Refer to the lease

When you are talking to the disruptive tenant, it is crucial to reference specific things in the lease. If it is not in the lease, there are no legal repercussions for them not upholding a rule you have in place. Make sure your lease is thorough and easy to understand. Otherwise, they may find loopholes in the lease’s rules. Before they sign the lease, be sure they understand everything and ask if they have any questions. Be sure the rules are fair and that the tenant understands the reasoning behind the rules.

Document everything

When the tenant is disruptive, be sure to document the date, time, and what happened. If another tenant complained about something with the tenant (noise, trash, etc.), be sure to document that and have it in the file. Having everything in writing will make it easier should legal action be necessary. After in-person conversations, recap everything in writing, whether a letter, email, or text, and have them agree to it.

Actions have consequences

Be sure to stand firm and follow through with the consequences you have in your lease for tenants who are disruptive. Whether it means a loss of the security deposit or eviction, be sure to take action and adhere to the repercussions. Otherwise, your tenants will get the sense that they can do whatever they want and not get in trouble, which will lead to more and more disruption. This will also lead to other tenants being upset that they are having to deal with a difficult situation, leading to them moving out and decreasing your income. On the first offense, give them a warning, but beyond that, impose stricter consequences.

Mutual respect

People are less likely to cause disruption when they respect the property and community around them and they also feel respected. Again, if they are disruptive, give them a warning on the first offense so they do not view you as unfair or overly critical. Knowing that you respect them will allow them to respect you in return, which will limit disruptions down the line. However, if you do not show respect, they will be less likely to respect you and the property in return and will be more likely to be disruptive.

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Nip it early

If you recognize that something is an issue, nip it as early as possible. Whether it is a noisy tenant or a tenant who is messy, these are things you can mitigate before they become more serious issues. Give a gentle reminder of what is in the lease and remind them of repercussions that will follow if they let things progress further.

Be a mediator

As a landlord, you likely hold community-building events often and generally want everyone who rents from you to get along. However, arguments can arise between tenants and even roommates. If left unchecked, these disputes can impact your entire rental community. It is important to handle these situations calmly and quickly before things escalate to roommates refusing to pay rent and tenants being violent towards each other. You likely have protocols for how to handle these situations. Include these in the lease so your tenants know what they can do and how to reach out to you to help with the situation.

Communication is essential

Communication is key when dealing with disruptive tenants. Starting off with a warning before things escalate will help tenants know what you expect and the policies of the property. Be open to tenants asking questions and coming to you with any concerns they may have. Tell tenants how they can best reach you, and have office hours when they can come talk to you in person if needed. If you allow tenants to reach out to you via email, texts, phone calls, or portal messages, be sure to check these platforms so you do not miss anything important that your tenants may need.

Disruptive tenants are a difficult but inevitable part of being a landlord. However, knowing how to mitigate the situation and remain calm and professional will help make the situation better for your whole rental community.