Tenant damaging property

Hi Sandra,

While you can not ensure 100% that a tenant will not damage your property, you should take as many proactive steps as possible ahead of time (prior to signing a lease) and be knowledgeable about tenant and landlord responsibilities (as spelled out in the lease and Texas Property Code).

For every application received you want to do the following:
1) Ensure the entire application is filled out by anyone over 18 (there should be no blanks unfilled our boxes unchecked and if an explanation is required for any of the boxes checked, inquire about it if the tenant did not explain).
2) Reach out to the current and previous landlord for their reference
3) Confirm employer
4) Request copies of permanent IDs, last two pay stubs (or other docs if tenant has changed jobs/relocated to area, is self employed, etc.), conduct background and credit screen
You should have tenant screening criteria in place to check the above against (min credit score, income 3X monthly rent, if self employed you may want to ask for proof of funds and last year's tax returns, if relocating you may want to request employment letter, etc.). Just as long as you request the same thing for each applicant.

Standard Security Deposit is equal to one month's rent, however each landlord determines the deposit. The Lease Agreement spells out the parameters of the return or deductions from the Security Deposit at the end of the least term. Note: Normal "wear and tear" is not cause for deducting from the deposit. Most Landlords allow pets "case-by-case" and require either a Non-Refundable pet deposit (per pet), a Refundable Pet Deposit (per pet), or increase in monthly rent (per pet).

I represent a lot of Landlords and am a Landlord myself of several rental properties that I own. I could go on and on, but HAR has a limited amount of space and I'm being cut off from writing anymore. I'm always happy to help!

Darby Grimmett / KW / darby@darbygrimmett.com / 936-827-9217

Screening tenants, doing thorough background checks and verifying the info on the lease application is critical. Just because has the money doesn't mean they're going to be excellent tenants. Many landlords/agents make this mistake and later regret it.

Meet them up and talk to them in person. You'll know how they will be. Sometimes the inside of their car and how they maintain it can give you an insight on how they'll treat the home.

Also, you can increase the deposit to double or more to offset the risk. Take pictures/videos of the property before tenant moves in to document the property's condition. There is no guarantee so they only thing you can do is minimize the chances. Good luck.

By screening well your tenant, you will avoid such issues for the most part. Your property manger or agent will need to: do a background check, call landlord and job references.
Also interviewing the tenant over the phone at least will give you a feeling on wether you are confortable renting to them.

If after all that screening, you are still unlucky and the tenant damages the property, then you are entitled to use some of the deposit to cover certain expenses. As long as these expenses are classified as damage and not 'wear and tear' you can use the security deposit from the tenant.

Hi Sandra. The leases we use spell out in great detail what happens to the tenant if damage occurs to a property. A large deposit equal to one months rent is one deterrent to take it easy with your appliances and floors. The leases do state normal "wear and tear" is allowed so some scuffs and scratches are allowed. The best answer is to lease to a good, responsible tenant that can provide a track record of good relationships with their previous landlords and vacating of properties they have previously leased on good terms with no damage. A good credit score on a credit report as well as no judgements from previous landlords is a good sign your picking the right tenant. Let us know if we can assist you with your rental properties. Mark McNitt, Bernstein Realty. 832-567-4357

Good tenant screening is important. You will also learn what to look for in a good tenant.