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8 Things That Make You a Bad Tenant

Sudden Valley Tenant Smoking a Cigarette in Her Rental HomeAre you a careless tenant? If you’re not too sure, here are eight things that could make you one. Behaving irresponsibly can cause trouble like getting evicted, having your security deposit confiscated, or even being barred from renting in the future. So, if you don’t want to struggle with those risks, keep clear from these behaviors!

  1. Not paying rent on time. This is obviously a major factor when it comes to someone being a bad tenant. Falling behind on your rent can cause your Sudden Valley property manager to evict you since they have every right to do so. Being late to pay rent can also damage your credit score.
  2. Making too much noise or disturbing other tenants. If you are constantly making noise or causing disturbances to other tenants, your landlord will have numerous complaints against you. The more complaints your landlord receives, the less likely your lease will be renewed when it comes up for renewal.
  3. Damaging the property or not taking care of it. A bad tenant can also have this common trait. If you cause damage to the property or fail to maintain it, your landlord will be forced to spend cash fixing it. This can cost them a lot of money, and they may decide to keep your security deposit or, worst-case scenario, evict you.
  4. Not reporting maintenance and repair issues. It can cost your landlord a lot of money if you don’t report maintenance and repair issues right away. Additionally, you risk causing damage to not only the house but also to your personal property (consider a water leak that becomes a flood!). This is why it’s crucial to notify your landlord of any issues as soon as possible.
  5. Having pets when you’re not supposed to. You may believe that it will go unnoticed by your landlord if you have pets when you aren’t supposed to, but they will find out. If your lease legitimately prohibits pets, this is a direct violation of the terms of your lease and may lead to your eviction from the premises.
  6. Bringing in unauthorized guests. The same holds true for uninvited guests or residents. Your landlord needs to know who lives in your rental home for liability reasons, such as family members who stay for extended periods of time. Unauthorized guests could cause legal issues for you and your landlord if something goes wrong.
  7. Smoking inside or using drugs. Here is another sign of a bad tenant. If your lease states that you are not permitted to smoke or use drugs inside, and you do so anyway, your landlord will be irritated, and you may be arrested (if the drugs are illegal) or evicted – or both.
  8. Ignore your lease terms. Ignoring any of your lease terms, as well as those we’ve already discussed, may cause you to think it won’t have an impact in the short term. However, your landlord will eventually discover this – and they will not be pleased. They may lead to them issuing you a warning or evicting you.

Since you know how not to be a bad tenant, be sure you stay clear of these activities! Receiving lousy recommendations or being blacklisted, which makes renting another home quite complicated (if not impossible), is the last thing you need. If you are in the market for a new rental home, browse our listings. We can help you find a quality rental home in Sudden Valley.

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