One of the most difficult parts of being a rental property owner is making sure to rent to the right tenants.  Screening tenants before choosing who to give a key to can be a stressful and difficult procedure and a lot of rental property owners prefer to allow property managers like Martin Feinberg to handle the process.  Even a well screened tenant who looks responsible on paper can end up being a bad choice though.  When a bad tenant gets through the screening process, professional property managers need to know how to handle it.

Tenant Screening isn’t the End

Occasionally a bad tenant gets through the screening process with flying colors.  Bad tenants can have excellent credit, good jobs, and even great feedback from previous landlords.    That doesn’t mean that a tenant who looks great on paper might not end up being incredibly rude, demanding, or flaky.  Even the best screening process will not always reveal a difficult personality.

In the best case scenario, the property manager will recognize such red flag behaviors before the lease is signed.  If that happens, they should feel no guilt in refusing to go forward with completing the lease and signing papers.  Property managers always have the power to change their mind before the lease is executed.

Once the lease is signed though, a bad tenant can become a real problem.  Even then, a property manager still has options.

Handling Bad Tenants after Signing

Handling a good tenant who has gone bad requires a lot of good communication. Sometimes it can be helpful for a property manager to let the tenant know that they might not be the right property manager for them or that the property might not be fitting their special needs, for example.   Property managers with difficult tenants can offer to refund the tenant’s deposit or end the lease early with no penalties to encourage them to move on.  Such communication gives the tenant an easy way out without being pushy or creating unnecessary drama.

The occasional bad tenant is inevitable for property managers and rental property owners alike.  Knowing what to do when confronted with one can go a long way toward mitigating potential damage and remaining successful.