There are numerous ways one can advertise rental property, however, the manner you advertise in depends solely on the defining characteristics of a particular property, location, budget, and whether a landlord is in a tearing hurry to rent out. A fatal combination of the following advertising methods seems to be popular, and used by many landlords and property managers to get the best results.

1. Rental Signs, such as ‘For Rent’ is the most common method of advertising, and the sigh is usually, prominently placed in front of a building or displayed in one of the windows facing the street traffic. A good method, it works particularly well in areas where there is a lot of traffic past the building, both foot and cars, and if the building is as well-maintained and attractive as the rental unit. The second factor is important, because if you have attractive apartments e.g. large, spacious, airy, clean with a new lick of paint, while the exterior of the building needs to be painted, or the lawns, car parks, are littered, nor does the neighbourhood do justice to your diamond in the rough, then other advertising methods should be used so as not to mislead or discourage interested renters.Everyone knows advertising in the newspaper is as traditional as ‘For Rent’ rent signs; however, there is an advantage to it, as your ad. Has a wider reach when the newspaper has an online version and you ad. can be viewed by prospective tenants over the Internet, as well. Newspaper ads work best in those papers that carry many residential listings.

   In order, to produce the pool of prospective tenants that you want, try and target your ads, meaning if you like to rent to college students, then your best bet is to place your advertisement in the campus newspaper or housing office. However, play it safe by also listing in a newspaper of general circulation, as you might inadvertently invite a fair housing claim if you advertise only in a particular foreign-language newspaper.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for their tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

What a landlord should keep in mind is, when a prospective tenant has been promised a clean, newly painted apartment before moving in, you must deliver the goods. It is quite possible, they would have gone elsewhere, but signed the rental agreement on being assured by you that they would be moving into a clean, freshly painted unit.

Your refusal to keep your word may see your tenants taking action by calling the health department and describing the unpainted, unclean conditions, which will be seen as genuine health risks, especially if deteriorating lead-based paint is involved.

As you must be aware, many states have reinforced laws for tenants, who have to put up with harmful conditions that landlords refuse to remedy. As well, it is legal for tenants to carry out repairs and later deduct the cost from the rent, or they may even withhold rent until the landlord has the place cleaned and necessary repairs carried out.

As for tenants, if a landlord makes such a promise, get it in writing before signing a rental agreement and moving in. On the other hand, it is far better to avoid renting a dirty place, as any landlord who shows such a unit to prospective tenants, proves he / she has no pride in the property, and is unlikely to maintain for the duration of the tenancy.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for their tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

Something every landlord wants to know is whether he / she is compelled to issue rent receipts, even when a tenant presents a cheque that could bounce.

Well, many states require landlords to issue rent receipts to tenants, in order to protect those of them who pay in cash, which leaves them with no other way to prove they did, indeed, pay the rent, in the event a landlord challenges their claim. Despite, many tenants beginning to pay rent either by cheque or credit card, state law insists on the issuance of rent receipts by landlords, especially if a tenant demands one. In case, the cheque bounces, the rent receipt issued will not hinder attempts to get the tenant to eventually pay up.

As well, another reason tenants may get adamant about being issued a rent receipt is, because many states give them a renters tax credit, which can be taken at the time of filing their income tax, and tenants who pay rent in cash, do require a rent receipt to back their deduction.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for their tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

Good question that, if you have commercial office space rented out to a tenant, who wishes to run a cable throughout the building for networking purposes. As the landlord, your tenant is expecting you to foot the bill to the tune of $12,000/- plus. Even as, you are aware that when the tenant moves, the server will go with him / her, though the cabling will be left behind.

Cable may not be your idea, but you will be the beneficiary of economic incentives, which are its most likely outcome, so go with the flow, embrace the idea warmly. When your current tenant vacates your office space, based on network-ready cabling will allow you to charge a higher rent than without.

That said, the next question is, whether you will be responsible for down time or loss of work due to malfunctions in the system. Keeping in mind potential legal liability, since you have a commercial lease, which is mostly a matter of contract, tenant / landlord are free to set their own rules. Be sure to put down in writing, whatever you and your tenant agree to on the issue i.e. they are free to make use of the existing cabling, but it does not come with a warranty regarding its functionability, and you are not to be held responsible for maintaining the cable or to pay for any losses suffered due to its malfunctioning.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for their tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

When is it legal for a landlord to terminate a lease, and thereby end an unwanted tenancy, is a relatively easy question to answer. One can say a landlord is within his legal rights to terminate a lease, when the tenant flagrantly violates any of its clauses, such as, paying rent late, keeping pets in direct violation of a No Pets clause, substantially damaging the property, or participating in illegal activities on or near the premises e.g. selling drugs or some such.

However, a landlord is required to send adequate notice to a tenant telling him / her that the tenancy has been terminated. State laws have set out extremely detailed requirements regarding the drafting and delivery or serving of a termination notice. The reason for terminating the tenancy must be clearly stated, with a warning that the tenant must vacate the premises or face an eviction lawsuit. Or else, the notice should warn the tenant of eviction, if he / she does not clean up his / her act, e.g. pay the rent, or find a new home for the pet.

In case, the tenant complies or vacates the rental property, the landlord has just saved himself some expensive litigation expenditure. However, if the tenant refuses to comply with the termination notice, the landlord can file an eviction lawsuit against the tenant.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for their tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

The rule of thumb is that a tenant is bound for the duration of a rental lease, unless the landlord bends the law or violates lease terms, such as, failing to carry out necessary repairs, or else refusing to comply with an important clause in the lease. There are a few states, which have laws that allow tenants to breach a lease for health problems or if their job requires permanent relocation. Federal, including many similar state laws permit tenants entering active military service and related government positions to terminate a lease before its due date.

However, in case a tenant breaks a lease without reasonable cause, he / she is responsible for paying the remainder of the rent due under the lease term. Even so, most states require a landlord to make all efforts to find a new tenant, no matter the reason behind the tenant’s move, rather than forcing him / her to pay the remaining rent due under the lease.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for their tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

And, now the last of the top ten mistakes landlords should avoid making:

1. Withholding Security Deposits For Broken LeasesMost landlords are wont to retain the entire security deposit account, in the event of a tenant’s breach of lease, justifying their action by laying the blame solely on a tenant’s misbehaviour, reasoning that ultimately they need it to cover the rent. However, it is illegal to do so in most states, as a landlord is expected to take reasonably prompt steps to re-rent, and credit any new rent toward the tenant’s obligation for the rest of the lease. Keeping a two month rent deposit and re-renting within a month not only illegal, but could land you in a litigation soup.
2. Failure to Return Security Deposits As Per the LawIt seems security deposits are not only used improperly, they are as well, often not returned in accordance with the state law, either. Many states have imposed deadlines by which landlords are required to itemise deposit use, and return the balance. However, tenants are often made to wait many weeks, even months for this accounting, which is why in some states, deliberate or ‘bad faith’ deposit retention can result in the landlord being penalized by being ordered to pay the tenant, two or three times the deposit amount.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.comfor tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

A good landlord will ensure he avoids making the following mistakes i.e.

1. Using Security Deposits for Other Than Their True PurposeMost arguments heard in small claims courts are over security deposit retentions. Every landlord is aware that the basic rule for security deposits is that they are to be used only to cover damage beyond wear and tear, necessary cleaning, and in lieu of unpaid rent. However, landlords have been known to use the deposit to cover appliance upgrades, cosmetic improvements and other refurbishing, apart from repairs. If, you commit this mistake, be prepared to lose your case in the small claims court.
2. Improper Maintenance And Non-RepairsEvery state has made it mandatory for landlords to offer and maintain housing in accordance with the basic health and safety standards i.e. state and local building codes, health ordinances and landlord-tenant laws. Failure to carry out important repairs, or deal with environmental hazards, or put security measures in place to avoid your property from becoming an easy target for criminals, can legally entitle a tenant to break his / her lease, even withhold rent or make the repairs themselves, deducting the repair expenses from the rent.

   Failure to make rental properties reasonably secure in the face of repeated on-site crime, can result in landlords being ordered to compensate the tenant-victim, if yet another theft or criminal incident take place. Follow the law and you won’t have to learn the expensive way.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!

To stay out of legal soup, landlords should avoid the following mistakes:

1. Excessive Late Fee Charges
   Undoubtedly, late fee charges can motivate tenants in to paying rent on time, and while, they can prove to be great motivators, some landlords may cross the line and go way overboard by setting fees with little or no resemblance to actual damages suffered by late rental payments. The law is cognizant of the fact and courts have begun to increasingly invalidate excessive late fees that cannot be justified with hard evidence. To be sure, a landlord is far better off for setting modest fees that reflect actual damages, while dealing with chronic late-payers by issuing them pay-or-quit notices.
2. Tenant Rights to Privacy ViolationsAs a rule, most states have laid down detailed rules regarding when, for what reasons, and how many hours (usually 48-hours) notice has to be issued before a landlord may enter a tenant’s home. However, there are many landlords who arrive unannounced, even as they proceed to check things over, or perform an on-the-spot repair, or show the place to prospective tenants. What a landlord must remember is that repeated violations of a tenant’s privacy, excuses him / her from any further obligations under the lease, and could result in the court-ordering cash damages against the landlord.

That apart, landlords should make themselves cognisant with all rules and regulations before drafting tenancy leases or rental agreements. They must also take all necessary precautions, such as, tenant screenings, background checks on prospective tenants, including making certain all rental lease clauses are adhered to, as insurance for a litigation free landlord / tenant relationship. A simple click of the mouse and any landlord or property manager can visit www.e-renter.com for their tenant screening and background check services. www.e-renter.com, the best tenant screening agency in America!