There’s no easy way to handle it.
You’ve dealt long enough with the missed payments, damaged property, loud house parties, and unanswered phone calls. You knew to become a landlord wasn’t going to be easy, but no one warned you it would be this hard.
After grabbing all the self-help books you could, you still haven’t found the answer to your problems. The nightmare tenant is still there.
There’s no need to worry anymore. Keep reading below for 5 effective tips on how to handle the nightmare tenant.
1. Always Remain Rational
It’s easy to become emotional. There may have already been moments where you’ve stood in the doorway and yelled at the tenant who broke another window.
While it is completely natural, and sometimes warranted, to become angry with someone, it’s best to remain rational in all interactions with your nightmare tenant. Problem tenants sometimes feed off emotional responses and can react by causing more trouble.
When speaking with your trouble tenant, remain firm, assertive, but remain calm when speaking. Don’t throw papers or bang your fist on the wall. You’ll get a better response if you’re calm and collected.
2. Always Back up Your Point With Facts
When confronting your nightmare tenants, have facts to back up your point. If they broke a rule stated in the original lease agreement, bring a copy of the lease when meeting with them and highlight the rule they broke.
Did they only pay a fraction of their rent for the third month in a row? Bring receipts highlighting the amount they did pay.
If you come in with obvious facts and receipts, they’ll have a harder time trying to fight your side of the argument.
3. Always Show Them Respect
Even if you’re angry and confronting someone, you can confront them and still show respect.
For example, if you believe they are destroying some of the property, give them the promised 24-hour notice before coming into their space. Don’t go into their space without warning, and don’t bang on their door at midnight when you’re upset.
4. Always Have Empathy
Some people are just not good people. That’s that.
However, some bad tenants are bad tenants because no one has cared enough to teach them how to be a good tenant. Learning how to be empathetic with a difficult person is a hard process, but it could pay off for both parties in the end.
Be a little extra patient when dealing with their paperwork, take the time to show them how to fill out a maintenance request, and answer their emails in a timely manner. Your kind responses could soften their heart.
5. Always Be a Step Ahead
Don’t scramble for receipts and paper trails when things go poorly with nightmare tenants. Have a folder for all of your tenants and keep copies of important notices or items in their folder.
That way, if they spontaneously confront you first, you can pull out their folder. It shows you’re prepared, organized, and serious about what you do.
Top Tips on Handling a Nightmare Tenant
The nightmare tenant may have missed rent again or they might have broken a chair, but above are top tips on how to handle the situation in a professional manner.
Make sure you confront your trouble tenants with respect, possibly an extra dose of empathy, and facts to back you up in any situation. No matter what happens, you want to handle things like a professional.
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