Landlord Tips

Can a Landlord Require Renters Insurance in the Lease?

Yes, a landlord can require renters insurance as a condition of the lease in every U.S. state. There is no federal law prohibiting it and no state that bans the practice. If the lease says the tenant must carry renters insurance, maintain a minimum coverage amount, and provide proof of the policy within a specified number of days, those are enforceable lease terms the same as any other...

The Tax Reason Landlords Should Always Use a Lease When Renting to Family

Most landlords who rent to a family member do it to help. They charge a little less than market rate, skip the formal application process, and skip the lease because it feels unnecessary between people who trust each other. That informal approach has a tax consequence most people never see coming until they are sitting across from their accountant or getting an IRS notice.

How a Lease Agreement Protects the Landord

A lease agreement is not paperwork for its own sake. It is the document that determines whether a landlord can enforce their terms, keep a deposit, remove a non-paying tenant, or recover damages in court. Without it, or with a bad one, every one of those situations becomes harder to win and easier to lose...

What to Do When You Find Out Your Tenant Has an Unauthorized Pet

You find out your tenant has a dog. Maybe you saw it through the window. Maybe a neighbor mentioned it. Maybe you walked in for a maintenance visit and there it was. Now you have to figure out what you can actually do about it, and the answer depends almost entirely on what your lease says, or does not say...

What Landlords Can Do When a Tenant Refuses to Pay for Damage

You documented the damage. You applied the security deposit. There is still a balance the tenant owes and they are not paying it. This is where a lot of landlords give up, write off the loss, and move on. That is sometimes the right call. But it is often not the only option, and understanding what you can actually do changes the calculation...

My Tenant Damaged My Property: A Landlord's Step-by-Step Guide

Discovering that a tenant has damaged your rental property is one of the more frustrating situations a landlord faces. The emotional reaction is understandable. The financial exposure is real. But how a landlord handles the situation from the moment they discover the damage determines whether they recover their losses or end up worse off than if they had done nothing at all...

How Landlords Can Confirm Their Late Fee Is Legal Before It Becomes a Problem

A late fee that violates state law does not just become uncollectible. In some states it creates liability for the landlord who charged it. Tenants can demand reimbursement for fees collected above the statutory cap, file complaints with housing authorities, or raise the illegal fee as a defense in eviction proceedings. The landlord who has been charging a $150 late fee on a $1,500 unit in New York has been collecting an illegal fee on every single late payment. The maximum in that state is $75. That math adds up quickly if the tenant ever decides to pursue it....

When a Tenant Asks to Fix Something: What Landlords Can and Cannot Do

A maintenance request from a tenant is one of the most routine parts of managing a rental property. It is also one of the most legally significant. How a landlord responds, how quickly, and what they actually fix, determines whether they are meeting their legal obligations or setting up a dispute that can cost far more than the original repair...

What to Do When a Tenant Breaks Their Lease Early

A tenant calling to say they need to leave before the lease ends is one of the more disruptive situations a landlord faces. The income you counted on is suddenly in question, the unit may sit vacant during a slow rental season, and you have to figure out what you are legally allowed to do and what actually makes sense to do. Those two things are not always the same. Here is a clear-eyed look at what your options actually are...

First Time as a Landlord? Here's What Your Lease Agreement Should Actually Say

Pennsylvania Lease Agreement Requirements for Landlords

Here is what Pennsylvania landlords are required to put in a lease...

Florida Lease Agreement Requirements: What Landlords Must Include

Here is what Florida landlords are actually required to put in a lease...