Open Communication Prior to the Pen: How to Avoid Landlord-Tenant

Disputes from the Beginning

Disagreements between two or more parties exist in every society, on every continent, and in

every culture for one reason—it is human nature. Disputes between landlords and tenants can

be some of the most stressful disagreements individuals may ever become involved in since

they concern the very personal aspect of private property and living or working space. The

stakes are high, in other words, when a disagreement arises regarding a residential or

commercial property. If solutions are not found quickly, families can be uprooted out of homes,

businesses may suffer and money may be lost for both parties. Avoiding tenant and landlord

disputes from the beginning is feasible if both parties are properly informed of expectations,

rules, and other policies that must be met on either side of the contract.

One of the best ways to avoid a dispute between a tenant and landlord is to start the

relationship off with good communication. The best forms of communication involve

transmission of information including rental agreements, tenant screening and tenant credit

checks. With this basic information, both tenants and landlords may be able to glean

information they otherwise couldn’t about the potential problems that could arise with the future

tenant-landlord relationship. If a landlord is offering a below-par property and has fails to

provide a professional rental agreement, it may be a red flag that they will be unprofessional in

other aspects of their property management. Likewise, if a tenant has at some point filed for

bankruptcy or has moved unexplainably and without reason every single year for a decade, for

instance, red flags may understandably be raised.

Samples of lease agreement templates can be found on the Internet as well as information on

how to screen a tenant or check the credit of a prospective landlord. While sample lease

agreements can be found anywhere, landlords are wise to use state-specific lease agreements

as rights and laws regarding such contracts and relationships vary from state to state. Tenant

application forms, late notices, violation notices, tenant credit and criminal checks and landlord

software are also available online.

The benefits of a clear, concise yet thorough contract or form that is agreed to by both tenant

and landlord are sometimes invaluable. When terms are put in writing, signed documents and

agreements become very powerful pieces of evidence in a state court if the dispute does get to

that level. It is critical however that tenants and landlords assure the legality of documents

before signing them since legal processes can be tricky and complex, once claims are filed in

court. But for most tenants and landlords, knowing the terms of a well-written contract prior to

signing and moving in allows both parties to follow predetermined rules and regulations.

Imminent consequences should not come as a surprise then if those terms are not met for some

reason.

For more information visit http://www.ezlandlordforms.com