Take These Steps Before You Rent Your Property to Any Tenants
We’ve all had or heard our fair share of horror stories when it comes to landlord-tenant issues: renters who failed to pay rent, applicants who claimed they were discriminated against, people who claimed that they were injured on the property, etc. As a commercial landlord, there are several basic steps that you want to take before you rent to any tenants, and as attorneys who regularly help landlords with commercial leases, eviction proceedings, and other legal issues that come up, we emphasize taking these initial steps with our landlord clients, and discuss them below. Getting Educated Read up on the different issues that landlords encounter and how to minimize risk, including the good, the bad, and the ugly. This includes the full gamut of issues: how to screen potential tenants, your rights as a landlord, etc. Also try to speak with experienced landlords and learn from their mistakes, for example, the pros and cons of renting to friends. Also get as familiar as you can with the rental laws in your state in order to thoroughly understand both your responsibilities and those of your tenants. In Florida, the Fair Housing Act protects tenants and prohibits landlords from doing certain things, such as creating unfair rules in a lease agreement, retaliate against tenants who exercise fair housing rights, discriminate based on any protected characteristics of tenants, such as disabilities. However, there are no limits on collecting a security deposit. Build Up an Emergency Fund There will be things that suddenly go wrong in rental situations, such as the water heater that needs replacing, or the roof that needs repairing, etc. In general, we suggest that landlords keep a fund of at least $10,000 on hand so that they can quickly respond to any emergencies, tenants are safe, and you do not miss out on any rental income. Screening Tenants Properly screening tenants is one of the most important steps in setting yourself up for a successful rental situation. Even before paying a company to run an official background check, some landlords find it helpful to have applicants fill out a questionnaire. This can sometimes help weed out people who may have a criminal history, a history of past evictions, or even those who may decide not to fill out the questionnaire at all. Changing Your Insurance Coverage Not only will your homeowner’s insurance likely change in terms of no longer needing coverage for possessions inside the dwelling, but it would be wise to get an umbrella insurance policy because being a landlord increases your risk and you want to make sure you have the right coverage to help you recover from any potential disaster. Contact Our Florida Commercial Landlord & Tenant Attorneys If you have questions about any commercial landlord and tenant issues, we can help. Contact our Tampa commercial landlord & tenant attorneys at HD Law Partners today to find out more. Resource: businessinsider.com/steps-i-had-to-take-before-renting-out-my-first-home Posted in Landlord Tenant | No Comments » Connect with us Archives May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 January 2025 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 November 13 Categories Alimony Appellate Arbitration Auto Accidents Auto Insurance Business Corporate Business Insurance Law Child Custody Child Support Criminal Law Divorce Family Law FEMA Insurance Payments Florida’s Mandatory 2‑Hour Legal Professionalism CLE: Foreclosure Defense Fort Myers Hurricane Insurance Attorney General Guardianship HD Law Partners Service HOA/Property Management Homeowners Association Homeowners Insurance Hurricane Claims Hurricane Insurance Insurance Bad Faith Insurance Claims Insurance Defense Insurance Litigation Landlord Tenant Law Enforcement Liability Loan Modifications Mold Water Damage Parental Rights Paternity Personal Injury Premises Liability Law Prenuptial Agreements Private Security Property Distribution Property Owner Law Sarasota Insurance Litigation Attorney Slip Fall Tampa Business and Corporate Attorneys tampa family attorney Tampa Insurance Attorneys Timeshare Timesharing Uncategorized HD Law Partners is proud to be your trusted full-service law firm Quick Links Property & Casualty Business & Corporate Litigation Family Law Contact Us Careers Get In Touch 2002 North Lois Avenue Suite 510 Tampa, FL 33607 813-253-5333 Contact Us