Smart Renting and Landlord Tips for a Smooth Rental Experience
Discover smart renting and landlord tips for a smooth rental experience, covering communication, maintenance, screening, and clear lease agreements.
Finding the right rental property can always be overwhelming. You want a place that feels like home. However, it should also stay within the budget. On the other hand, landlords expect reliable tenants who can pay rent on time. Landlords also expect them to take good care of the property. When both parties understand their roles and rights, everyone will win.
The rental process works best when it is built on trust and communication. Tenants need to know what landlords can or cannot do, so it’s important for landlords to find responsible tenants. Here are some smart renting and landlord tips that will ensure a smooth rental experience for everyone.
How to Check Rental History: Ensuring Reliable Tenants for Your Property
Understanding how to check rental history gives you an edge in finding reliable rentals or tenants. It will also help you to protect your investment, saving you headaches in the future. Here's how you can check rental history in the right way.
Ask for information
The easiest way to check rental history is to ask for information from the tenants. Just ask your applicants for the addresses where they have lived in the past three years, and then you can connect with those landlords directly. Phone calls can work better because you can hear the tone. It will also help you to quickly ask follow-up questions.
Check credit reports
Checking the credit reports can help you figure out how financially responsible the tenants are. This is where you need to keep an eye on consistent payment patterns. Always keep in mind that someone with a lower credit score can be more reliable with recent, consistent payments.
Verify employment
You need to make sure that the tenants get a sufficient income to pay rent. This is where you need to verify employment. While doing this, you need to confirm that their rent amount doesn't exceed 30% of their income.
Do a criminal background check
Running a criminal background check can add an extra layer of security. While doing this, you will need to follow fair housing laws. This is where you can deny applicants who have a criminal history. You need to focus more on recent convictions related to violence, property damage, or fraud.
What a Landlord Cannot Do in Georgia: Key Boundaries Every Tenant Should Know
The laws in Georgia protect tenants from unfair treatment by landlords. In the meantime, it will also balance landlord rights. Knowing what a landlord cannot do in Georgia helps maintain trust between tenants and landlords. Let’s take a look at them in detail.
Entering the rental unit
Landlords will not be able to enter the rental unit whenever they want. Before entering, they need to provide a reasonable notice. It should usually be 24 hours, but there can be exceptions during emergencies. In other words, landlords should not make any surprise visits to your home.
Changing locks
Landlords can’t change locks and force you to get out of your apartment. This can be legal in some states, but not in Georgia. In order to evict, landlords will need to follow proper eviction procedures via the court system. They will not even be able to remove your belongings, shut off utilities, or harass you until you leave.
Retaliation against tenants
No landlord can retaliate against tenants who protect their legal rights. For example, you can report code violations or join a tenant organization. In such situations, your landlord can’t evict you. You always have the right to ensure a safe and habitable property.
Security deposits
Laws related to security deposits in Georgia are quite strict. Every landlord should return your security deposit 30 days after you move out. The landlords will only be able to deduct for damages beyond normal wear and tear. They will also need to provide you with an itemized list of deductions.
Practical Tips for Maintaining a Positive Landlord-Tenant Relationship
Positive landlord and tenant relationships can help mitigate problems at all times. It’s important to put everything in writing, even before the beginning of the lease. This is also applicable to informal agreements. Emails and text messages can create records that can protect both parties during disputes. Here are some more tips to maintain a positive landlord-tenant relationship.
Pay the rent on time
As a tenant, you need to pay rent on time at all times. However, most tenants often forget to do this because of their busy schedules. This is where you need to set up automatic payments. Late payments can strain relationships and often lead to unwanted fees.
Report maintenance issues
You should promptly report all maintenance issues to the landlord as well. Small problems can often turn out to be expensive repairs in no time. This is where you need to take photos and send them along with your maintenance requests. This documentation can help everyone figure out the problems clearly.
Keep the property in good condition
You need to clean and properly maintain the property, even if you are living there for rent. Regular cleaning can help you avoid pest problems, and it can also reduce wear and tear. You should also follow the lease terms related to guests, pets, and property modifications. If there is a need to make a change, you should ask and get permission from the landlord.
Respect community rules
As a tenant, you should always respect your neighbors as well as community rules. Noise complaints and parking violations can create tension. This is why you need to be aware of quiet hours and things to follow when using shared spaces.
Final Words
As you can see, establishing successful landlord-tenant relationships will require knowledge, communication, and mutual respect. If you are a landlord, you need to protect tenant rights and screen them carefully. As a tenant, you need to understand your rights and responsibilities as well, then you can secure a better housing experience without any tension.
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