Galt Property Management on Avoiding Tenant Lawsuits

Dealing with a difficult tenant can be stressful and time-consuming, but when a bad situation gets litigious, you can lose more than just sleep. The best way to deal with tenant lawsuits is to avoid them altogether, so take the following advice from the Rocklin, CA property management agents on how to keep tenant-landlord relations civil and out of the courtroom and how to protect yourself in the event of a small claims lawsuit.

Firstly, according to the Galt property management professionals, if you don't have a good feeling about a potential tenant, move on to the next applicant right away. It's better to wait a little longer for the right tenant than to get contractually involved with someone you don't feel is trustworthy.

Often, property owners get sued in small claims court over security deposits at the end of a tenancy. How can you avoid this? At the inception of the tenancy, it is important that you set your expectations for how your property should look when the tenant vacates. If you allow the tenant to paint, for example, make sure they understand (in writing) that they need to paint the walls back to their original color before the move-out date. Take videos and photos to capture a complete visual picture of how your property looked before your tenant moved in. Keep a checklist as well, and compare your documentation before and after the tenancy to gain an accurate understanding of what damages occurred during the tenancy.

If your tenant takes you to small claims court over the security deposit, you now have ample documentation to prove that they are liable for the damages you applied to them.