How to Avoid Trouble as a Landlord

A landlord can best protect themselves by maintaining accurate and thorough records, including all letters, complaints, bills/invoices, rent receipts, and rental agreements for a particular tenant and unit. Another suggestion would be to conduct business with the tenant via email or letter. If a landlord has an important conversation with a tenant, that should also be confirmed via email/writing and recorded in the tenant's file. This avoids a "he said/she said" dispute in court. Cases can be lost simply because of a failure to keep records or to document conversations and verbal agreements that were made with tenants. Put it all in writing. My firm could advise you on how to keep the types of records that can help you avoid trouble in the future.

The Correct Way to Issue Termination Notices

Different language is needed for different situations when it comes to notices, whether a client needs a nonpayment of rent termination notice, a "no cause" termination notice, or a "for cause" termination notice. If a termination notice is issued to a tenant, first class mail or personal hand-to-hand delivery is almost always required. If a rental agreement contains certain language, a landlord may also be able to mail the notice and attach it to the front door. A very common-and easily avoided-error is a landlord who serves a termination notice via certified mail or by slipping it under the door. Tenants are often successful in defeating an eviction simply because of an improper delivery, or due to ambiguous language or an incorrect date in the termination notice.

Any error can cause you problems. Therefore, if you are filing an eviction based on a termination notice, ensure that everything is absolutely correct. This will help you avoid a great number of problems and enable you to remove the tenant from your property in a timely manner. Tenants' rights are protected under state law, so you cannot just move forward and remove them without seeking help from the court.

Avoiding Future Legal Problems with Tenants

Some properties have specific rules and regulations that must be disclosed to the tenant. The way your contracts, agreements and addendums are drafted can help you to avoid trouble in the future. If your tenant violates the agreement when the terms are clearly spelled out in proper legal language, they will have little hope of being successful in a hearing. At my firm, I represent landlords in evictions and hearings in both residential and commercial properties. Large properties with multiple tenants have specific legal issues that require highly skilled representation to resolve quickly and in a cost-effective manner. My firm could help and is focused solely on protecting the rights of landlords in the Portland area and throughout the state of Oregon.