Tuesday, 27 June 2017

Standard Policies And Procedures Manual And Management Guides For Real Estate

By Lisa Snyder


Property management is dynamic from one state to the other and changes on regular basis. Getting unified rules, procedures or policies is therefore almost impossible. However, there exist overriding policies and procedures manual and management guides for real estate that cover the basics regardless of the property, landlord or state. These policies are meant to keep you within the boundaries of the law by protecting you from penalties.

Screening tenants cannot be underestimated because is it a requirement of the law and will prove helpful to the property owner. It will ensure that you do not accommodate terrorists or end up with perpetual rent defaulters. Engage professional agents who have the knowledge and resources to conduct a thorough vetting process. This does not leave you at liberty to discriminate since the law will punish you for it.

Write all agreements entered into with your managers and tenants. It is challenging to defend a verbal agreement entered especially because there is no evidence to proof. Some of the items that must be entered in a formal contract include amount to be paid as security deposit and rent, how rent will be paid, when it can be increased, the percentages and penalties that a person will incur for late payment, etc. By engaging a professional legal drafter, your contract will be admissible in court in case a dispute arises.

You should inspect the property as often as possible. This allows you to identify areas that need repair attention to avoid injuries on tenants or people within the area. The law allows you to inspect the property after providing a notice to the occupant. The reasons may be repair or for security purposes. Should a tenant raise an issue, it must be addressed immediately. This provides protection in case you are sued.

Be cautious with the security deposit you ask and get from tenants. Indicate clearly about existence of a deposit and how it can be retrieved, used or handled in different circumstances. Set the deposit at a reasonable amount, hold it in liquid form and be ready to return it whenever the tenant wants it back, albeit through the guidance of the contract. This helps you avoid disputes with tenants when it is time to leave your property.

The security of rented premises lies in your hands. Tenants sue landlords and managers whenever they lose items within rented premises. Ensure that the perimeter fence is intact, entry and exits are covered and CCTV cameras are there to aid in recovery. Such measures will keep you off trouble.

Be wary of hazards that tenants will be exposed to within your premises. The most common environmental hazards include lead poisoning and mold. They should be notified of the existence of such so that necessary precautions are taken. The law is usually very tough whenever such disclosure is not made. You will have to pay hefty fines for failing to disclose them and thus harming the health of tenants.

The property is your responsibility even with the availability of managers. Ensure that all clauses stipulated in the contract are executed accordingly. With a formal contract, it will be easier to identify the party that was negligent so that responsibility can be assigned.




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