Basta Pinoy News
Gigil
 
Topics
  Opinions
  Headliners
  Listen to Radio
  Watch video clips
  Daily Horoscope
 

Filipino Channel
Filipino newspaper edition Washington DC Maryland Viriginia
Basta Pinoy News
Filipino entertainment news
Basta Pinoy Entertainment Digest
Filam Community News and Videos
Filamvision TV
Filam Community News
Filam News Digest
Politics, Empowerment, Advocacy
Immigration Q and A
Immigration Q and A
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Advertising in South Florida Profiles in Health
 
 
 
Ê Print this Page email article Email Article  Share Story


Fair Housing: Landlords

 
 
posted on 29 June 2008

Top 10 Common Landlord Mistakes and Blunders



When I was working as an attorney representing tenants, I noticed landlords making the same mistakes again and again. These mistakes usually, if not always, had costly and negative effects on their business of renting as well as causing undue stress and inconvenience for the tenants.   In addition, such mistakes often gave rise to private claims against the landlord or valid defenses in the eviction process.

The following list below is simply based on personal observations as an attorney in the housing industry and is not meant to be an exhaustive list. I certainly hope it will inspire all landlords to learn the applicable laws and comply with them as well as encourage landlords to treat the business of renting housing as a serious business requiring extensive preparation, education, and the utmost professionalism.

 1. Failure to comply with the Florida Landlord Tenant Act, Chapter 83 Part II of Florida Statutes;

2. Entering the rental property without permission or notice from tenants ;

3. Failing to impose a claim on the security deposit once a tenant vacates the unit and then keeping the security deposit;

4. Giving tenants improper notices regarding collection of rent or regarding curable or non-curable violation of the lease;
 
5. Not having a written lease agreement or using lease agreements that fail to outline the basic terms of the lease, such as the amount of rent, date rental payments are due or length of the lease;

6. Not treating the rental of the property as a business;

7. Having the wrong attitude regarding or excessive pride of the property, i.e. "It's my property, I can do whatever the hell I want with my property!";

8. Failing to make repairs and conduct simple maintenance until either a code enforcement complaint is filed against you or tenant starts the rent withholding process;

9. Sending tenants notices without opportunity to cure non-material violations, such as cleanliness, parking issues, noise, etcetera; and

10. Filing an eviction action prematurely such as filing the action before the requisite time has passed under the law.
Statue of Liberty
 




If you find yourself guilty of any of the above, you could find yourself with a code enforcement report against you, subject to a costly lawsuit, or wasting funds on a prematurely filed eviction action. It is highly recommended that you educate yourself by consulti ng an attorney, finding excellent publications regarding the rental of housing as a business and seeking out any educational trainings or seminars about the rental industry.

 

MARIA AGUILA
 
 
Terms of Use. Privacy Policy. Disclaimer.

SPECIAL TO PINOYS!
Domain hosting as low as 9.99
Popular Topics
‘Short Sale’ of Real Estate Can Help Homeowners Lenders, Avoid Costly Foreclosure Proceedings
Making Money in Real Estate: Mistakes to Avoid
Are You a Landlord or Want to Become One? If So, Screen Your Tenants!
Business News Feed