No one likes bad tenants, but they’re a fact of life for many landlords. We list the steps you’ll need to take once your tenants have moved out and how to prevent this from happening again.
Yes, there is such a thing as bad tenants. They’re the ones who don’t pay the rent, damage your property and leave their rubbish behind when they leave. But they could also the ones who are late with their rent, have a dog when the agreement says no pets and leave the lawns to grow to knee length.
There’s a sliding scale when it comes to bad tenants. As landlords, we each have our own definition of a bad tenant. What we’re focusing on today though, is how you clean up the mess after they leave; physically and figuratively.
Steps to Take When Bad Tenants Leave
Whether the tenant has left because they’ve been evicted, left voluntarily or their fixed tenancy expired, it’s up to the landlord to sort out the mess left behind. This could be a physical mess: furniture, property damage, rubbish or uncared for grounds. There could also be financial mess or Tenancy Tribunal issues to sort too. With no winners, it’s a reasonably rotten job to do, and one you’ll hopefully never have to do again.
Sorting your rental once a tenant has left can involve you:
- Repairing damage to walls, doors and windows
- Removing left behind belongings and rubbish (read our article on dealing with abandoned
goods for information on what to do with their property)
- Sanitising and cleaning surfaces, removing mould and stains
- Replacing torn curtains and patching carpet and lino
- Fixing broken fixtures and appliances
- Undertaking regular maintenance activities
- Tidying up the yard
- Drug testing and cleaning up of the property
- Engaging flea and pest removal services
Then there are the financial details to sort out, including:
- Rent in arrears; bond claim
- Bond to claim for repairs and clean-up costs
- Storage fees to claim (If required for abandoned furniture)
- Tenancy Tribunal application to be made and hearing to attend
Like most things, prevention is better than cure. Hiring a property manager to fully manage your rental, or to perform credit checks and regular inspections help prevents bad tenants from taking residence in your property. Let us help make being a landlord much easier: get your free rental appraisal or contact us today for more information on how we can help you.
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