When deciding on a tenant for your rental property, as the landlord, the hope is always that it is someone who is law-abiding and reliable. In the best of situations, the renter will pay on time each month and will treat the home with respect. Sadly, though, as many landlords in the Houston area will tell you, this is not always the case.
There are many different reasons someone may end up being a problem renter. Some of these issues include:
- Not paying rent
- Damaging the property
- Repeat nuisance issues
- Abandoning the lease without notification
- Violating the lease
Understanding the rental myths
Part of the problem many landlords also face with tenants is the sheer amount of myths that are out there. All too often renters think they are well within their legal rights, when in fact the landlord is the one with the upper hand.
The Austin Tenants’ Council does a great job of really breaking down some of these rental myths. For example, a tenant may think that he or she can simply tell a landlord about a needed repair, but then withhold rent until the repair is complete. This is simply not true. In fact, this type of retaliation can mean forfeiture to some of the renter’s rights and can put the renter at risk for eviction.
Another common myth is that a renter can pay rent late, but as long as they catch up on their payments, he or she cannot be evicted. This is not necessarily true. In fact, in most cases, the landlord still has the right to proceed with the eviction, even after the late rent is paid.
As one can imagine, the issues a landlord can run into when it comes to tenant disputes is endless. From eviction rights to what to do if the property is in foreclosure, landlords really do need to have someone on their side.
This is where the attorneys at The Weaver Law Firm can step in. We represent residential landlords throughout the Houston area. We handle all types of real estate and business law matters. We educate our clients on the Texas Property Code and make sure landlords fully understand their rights when facing a legal issue.
