How to Avoid Penalties Imposed on Tenants
A good tenant-landlord is important for not only the people involved with the tenancy agreement but for the economy overall. Although most of the tenants and landlords uphold their respective parts of the contract. There are many who have no regard for either contract or the property. There are cases when penalties are being imposed on tenants.
We present you some instances that can attract major penalties imposed on tenants.
Rent Arrears
This is the most common rule that tenants don’t adhere to. If a tenant has two consecutive months of arrears then the landlord can evict him.
There are some tenants who don’t have two consecutive arrears but may regularly fall short of their monthly deadline. While this may not lead to eviction, it will come into play when the tenancy agreement is up for renewal and the landlord is so fed up that he doesn’t renew the contract.
Rent arrear also hit the tenant’s credit rating and future prospects while renting a house.
Smoking
If a tenant falls under the category of accommodation where it is prohibited to smoke, the landlord can ask the tenant to leave. What’s more, the landlord can also deduct a substantial chunk of money from the deposit in accordance with the contract.
Damages and Alterations
If a tenant damages the rented property or makes alterations without the consent of the landlord, the landlord can deduct the cost to bring the property in its original condition from the deposit. This can also impede a tenant’s chance to rent property in the future.
Changing Locks
Many people feel safer changing the locks when they move into a new rented accommodation. They want to maintain their privacy, which they think can be compromised as the landlords have their own set of keys. However, justified this thought may be, the tenancy agreement usually prohibits the tenants to change the locks. They are only allowed to do it if the landlord has entered without notice and without information and harassed the tenant.
Even if a tenant has misplaced the key or the lock is malfunctioning, it is best to inform the landlord and ask them to get the locks replaced to avoid any breach of contract.
Causing Disturbance and Nuisance
Tenants who are too noisy and disturb the peace and quiet of the neighbours can be asked to tone down but can’t be evicted. However, in the long-term, the landlord can definitely take the decision of not renewing the tenancy.
Unauthorised Subletting
Even though, the tenants pay rent to use the property, that doesn’t mean that they can use it the way they like. Subletting is a big no with a majority of tenants. If a tenant illegally sublets the property, the landlord can evict him.
Ignoring the Dos and Don’ts of the Contract
Depending on the tenancy agreement, there can be various do’s and don’ts that a landlord will expect the tenant to follow. If that is not done, the tenant can be evicted or asked to pay a huge fine.
Therefore, it is best to read the tenancy agreement thoroughly and be a good tenant.
