Are you a lousy tenant? If you’re not too sure, here are eight things that could make you one. Behaving irresponsibly can cause trouble like getting evicted, having your security deposit confiscated, or even being barred from renting in the future. Make sure to avoid these risks if you don’t want to face the consequences!
- Not paying rent on time. This is probably the biggest issue in assessing whether or not you will be a reliable tenant. Falling behind on your rent can cause your Chelsea property manager to evict you since they have every right to do so. You can also harm your credit score if you are unable to pay on time.
- Making too much noise or disturbing other tenants. You’ll give your landlord many complaints against you when you are always being loud or upsetting other tenants. Your landlord will not likely renew your lease when the time comes, with all the complaints he gets about you.
- Damaging the property or not taking care of it. There is another typical trait of a bad tenant. Your landlord would have to spend money to fix the property if you destroy it or will not take care of it. This ends up costing them some money, and they could even choose to keep your security deposit or, in severe situations, evict you.
- Not reporting maintenance and repair issues. If you fail to promptly report maintenance and repair problems, they can end up costing your landlord a lot of money. Additionally, you risk causing damage to not only the house but also to your personal property (consider a water leak that becomes a flood!). This is why it is vital to alert your landlord of any matters as early as possible.
- Having pets when you’re not supposed to. You might feel that your landlord will not notice that you keep pets when they are not permitted, but they will. If your lease expressly prohibits pets, this is a violation of the lease terms and may result in your eviction from the property.
- Bringing in unauthorized guests. Likewise, uninvited guests or residents are not permitted. For legal purposes, your landlord must be informed of everyone living in your rental home, such as relatives who tend to stay a long time. If things go wrong, unapproved guests can cause legal headaches to you and your landlord.
- Smoking inside or using drugs. Another sign of a bad tenant is this. The use of drugs and smoking inside when your lease expressly prohibits it and continuing to do so can enrage your landlord and result in your arrest (if the drugs are illegal) or eviction–or both.
- Ignore your lease terms. If you disregard any of your lease terms, including those discussed previously, you may believe it will make little difference in the short term. However, your landlord will eventually discover this – and they will not be pleased. They may lead to them issuing you a warning or evicting you.
Be certain to avoid these things now that you know how not to be a bad tenant! The last thing you’d want is to receive a bad reputation or get blacklisted, which makes it harder (if not impossible) to rent a new place. If you are in the market for a new rental home, browse our listings. We can help you find a quality rental home in Chelsea.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
