Are landlords bad?

Landlords are often viewed as greedy and unscrupulous. They charge high rents and evict tenants without warning. Are they really such terrible people?

Most landlords aren’t bad. They are simply trying to make ends meet. So, they shouldn’t be treated unfairly.  They are running a business and providing a home for someone who can’t or doesn’t want to buy their own property.

Landlords are people who own property and rent out rooms in their homes to tenants. They are responsible for maintaining the property and ensuring that everything is safe and secure for the tenant. If anything goes wrong with the property then the landlord must fix it.

They may also provide services such as cleaning, maintenance, and security. If you want to stay safe when renting from a landlord, make sure that you know what you are getting into before signing any contracts.

I pride myself on being a very good landlord. Our tenants stay with us for a very long time. As a landlord, you want to avoid your property being empty for a long period of time. So, if you keep your tenants happy they will stay with you.

In my opinion, most landlords are actually good, but there are some out there who give good landlords a bad name!  Let’s take a look at some common landlord scams so that you can avoid them.

Landlord Scams! 

Unfortunately, landlord scams are becoming increasingly common these days, especially among millennials.

Millennials are often targeted by scammers due to their lack of knowledge about real estate laws and regulations.

This can leave them with the impression that all landlords are bad and don’t care about tenants’ rights, but this isn’t true.

In reality, landlords are required to provide safe housing conditions and protect their property against damage caused by tenants.

However, unscrupulous landlords sometimes abuse their power and violate tenant rights.

Here are three types of landlord scams that you should avoid.

1. Rent Scams

Rent scams usually involve an individual claiming to be a landlord and offering to rent an apartment or house to a potential tenant.

This person will ask for money upfront, promising that he/she will pay back the amount later.

However, once the money has been paid, the scammer disappears without providing any services.

It is illegal to charge a fee upfront unless you are licensed as an estate agent. If you receive such a request, contact the police immediately.

2. Fake Tenant Scam

Fake tenant scams occur when individuals pretend to be tenants in order to steal personal information, such as bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and driver’s license numbers.

These individuals may pose as renters or owners of properties in order to obtain sensitive information.

They may claim that they have lost their job or have no place to live. They may also threaten to sue the victim if they refuse to give up their personal information.

Do not fall prey to fake tenant scams. Contact the police immediately if you suspect that you are being threatened.

3. False Claims About Property Damage

False claims about property damage are another form of scam perpetrated by dishonest landlords.

Some bad landlords intentionally cause damage to the property in order to collect insurance payments.

Others may fail to maintain the condition of their property and blame tenants for the damages.

If you notice signs of water damage or mold growth in your property, raise it with your landlord first, and if nothing is done you should contact the local authorities.

Remember that landlords are legally responsible for maintaining safe living conditions for their tenants, be wary of anyone who tries to convince you otherwise.

Bad Reputation

Landlords have a bad reputation. They are often seen as greedy, unscrupulous, and untrustworthy.  

They are also viewed as an obstacle to renting property. They’re blamed for everything from poor maintenance to rising rents.

Most landlords are simply trying to provide a safe place for tenants to live. Here are five reasons why landlords have a terrible reputation.

1. They Don’t Care About Their Tenants

Some landlords don’t care about their tenants. They treat them poorly, charge exorbitant rent, and fail to maintain their properties properly.

This leads to problems such as mold, water damage, pests, and broken appliances. This makes living in their homes unpleasant and unsafe.

2. They Charge Too Much Rent

Rent prices are increasing across the country. Many landlords are charging too much rent, especially in areas with limited housing stock.

Some landlords are also taking advantage of the shortage of affordable rental units by raising rents without providing any improvements to their buildings.

3. They Fail To Maintain Properties Properly

Landlords are supposed to maintain their properties properly, but some neglect to do so. They ignore repairs until tenants complain, or wait until tenants leave before fixing issues.

Problems such as leaky roofs, faulty plumbing, and pest infestations can go unnoticed for years. If you notice these problems, report them immediately.

4. They Make Unfair Demands Of Tenants

Landlords should be fair and reasonable when dealing with tenants. However, some landlords make unfair demands such as asking for security deposits, excessive pet fees, or unreasonable cleaning requirements.

If you feel pressured to agree to something you don’t understand, speak up.

5. They Take Advantage Of Poor People

Landlords sometimes target low-income families. 

They may also raise the rent after accepting a tenant. These actions are unfair and unethical.

What are the characteristics of a good landlord?

A good landlord should be knowledgeable about his or her tenants’ needs, and willing to go above and beyond to meet those needs. A good landlord should also be able to communicate effectively with their tenants. Finally, a good landlord should understand the laws governing rental properties, and be willing to abide by them.

It’s important that a landlord knows the legal requirements for renting out a property and abides by these rules.

Landlords are responsible for managing rental properties, ensuring tenants pay rent on time, keeping the property clean, and taking care of any maintenance issues that arise. Most landlords hire property managers to handle these tasks, but some take on the responsibility themselves. There are many different ways to run a successful rental property, so it depends on your personal preferences and experience.

Some landlords prefer to manage everything themselves, while others delegate certain responsibilities to employees or contractors. 

We used to have a managing agent for all of our properties, however a lot of the time we felt like we were paying for nothing. If a tenant reported an issue to the agent, the agent would call us and we would have to sort the issue out. So, the agent was just the middle man and we’d have to do the work anyway.

What Makes a Good Landlord?

A good landlord should be knowledgeable about his or her tenants’ needs, and willing to go above and beyond to meet those needs. A good landlord should also be able to communicate effectively with their tenants. Finally, a good landlord should understand the laws governing rental properties, and be willing to abide by them.

A bad reputation seems to shadow the profession of being a landlord. Most tenants will happily tell you about their experience with a previous evil landlord they rented from. Unfortunately, this isn’t always justified. There’s an inherent contempt for the profession which is hard to evade. Thankfully, it doesn’t take much to show you’re actually a professional who’s both fair and respectful. Here are a few tips on how to be a good landlord.

1. Treat It Like a Business
2. Don’t Let your property to Bad Tenants (this is easier said than done!)
3. Meet Safety Standards
4. Be Approachable and show respect
5. Get Things Done
6. Keep Your Distance

Our tenants stay with us for a long time.  We answer any queries from our tenants very quickly, we never keep them waiting.  If any maintenance needs to be done we organise it as soon as we can.  We don’t usually put the rent up if we have a tenant in a property.  This is because we’d rather have a lower rent than have a void.  A void can end up costing a lot of money. 

Tenants appreciate the small gestures.  As an example, at Christmas, we send all of our tenants a gift voucher as a thank you for looking after the property so well. They all really appreciate it and we always get a thank you message from them. Our tenants always have my mobile number and have had no hesitation in contacting me if there are problems, any issues are always fixed swiftly.

In Conclusion

The majority of landlords are good and treat their tenants fairly. They just have a bad reputation, a few bad landlords make people think that all landlords are bad. Most landlords aren’t bad, in fact most are very fair to their tenants and want them to have the best experience living in their property.   

Landlords are mostly good people, I think it’s time to change the perception of landlords. They need to be viewed positively instead of negatively.