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LandlordLaura
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| Joined: | Mon Aug 21st, 2006 |
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| Posts: | 1117 |
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 09:43 pm |
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I do not own rental property in Boston, MA myself. Out of curiosity, I did a web search and located the following website and nformation that may be helpful to you:
http://www.cityofboston.gov/rentalhousing/pdfs/handbook.pdf
You could also search online and get information re: a "crime free addendum" to your Lease Agreement and whether it would be something to include with your Lease when you give it to prospective Tenants to sign. A piece of paper will not directly prevent crime, however, it may give you an edge if your Tenant(s) do commit crimes and/or may help you "weed out" prospective problem Tenant(s) before they become your problem. Please see the following website for some additional information:
http://www.crime-free-association.org/lease_addendums.htm
If you are concerned about break-ins at your rental property, have you considered installing an alarm system and including the cost of such a system in the rent that you charge? If that is a possibility, it could be a win-win for both you and the prospective Tenants.
You asked about "disclosure" re: "bad things" that have happened in the house or at the property. Honesty is always the best policy re: letting people know if someone died in the property, for example. If there was a break-in in the past and you have repaired the premises to a secure condition, you have done everything that you can do. As ozzy92 mentioned, check the local laws and codes to be sure your property is up to code and as secure as you are legally required to maintain it.
Another idea would be to seek out and join a local Landlord Association that is located in the area where you own property. It would allow you to speak with other Landlords/Property Owners and get feedback from them re: issues that arise in your area and how to handle specific local matters/issues. It is also a good resource for referrals to experienced people who may be able to help you with issues that arise, ie. contractors, repair people, attorneys, etc..
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ozzy92
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| Joined: | Wed May 31st, 2006 |
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Posted: Fri Jul 18th, 2008 06:20 pm |
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Congrats on being a new landlord!
First, you should familiarize yourself with the state and local landlord/tenant laws if you haven't already. You are in Boston? Boston probably has their own laws as well, so make sure to find out, most big cities do. (I'm not from Boston, so I don't know what they might be). Make sure any agreements you make with your tenants follow the rules, and that they are always in writing. Make sure you are following rules about entering for repairs and inspections, etc.
The most important thing you can do is screen your tenants well. Make up a good application that covers everything you need to know about a tenant. Make sure there is permission to do a credit and background check on the application and they sign it. Do a credit and background check, and reject anyone questionable that doesn't meet your criteria, or misrepresents themselves. When doing this you have to make sure you are following local laws, and you are not discriminating against race, sex, national origin, military service, etc. You have to use consistent, objective criteria so you aren't accused of discrimination. If you are deciding on a potential tenant, and you think to yourself, "These look like nice people.", you are probably doing something wrong. It should have nothing to do with how they look, and everything about their documented history and behavior.
What people are doing around in your neighborhood is probably not something you can do much about, so you shouldn't be too worried about it. You can't do much about the homeless people unless they are breaking the law and you get the police involved. You'll find the worst that can happen is getting a bad tenant. A bad tenant can do much more damage by failing to pay rent and wrecking the place. Much worse than a random break-in or mugging. You can't prevent all bad things, but a good tenant screening is the best defense.
Good luck!
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bostonlandloard
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| Joined: | Mon Jul 7th, 2008 |
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Posted: Mon Jul 7th, 2008 02:51 pm |
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I am a new landlord and any advise will be helpful.
i gotta place recently and renting the top part of the apt. after i became a landlord, i feel different. the house is in a good location but i almost always worry about theft, break-ins, fights etc.
recently the cops reported one guy getting beaten by someone while he was walking, which was couple of blocks away.
i know this kinda thing happens in big cities, but how do landlords cope with this issue. can anything be done..
one other thing, i see lotta kids loitering around and i am always afraid what will they do next.
i also noticed that at the major intersections, there are ton of homeless people just sitting around, causing all sorts of grief to shoppers, owners, landlords, tenants etc..
one other thing, assume something bad happened, one of your tenants gets mugged or there is house break in or something worse, how do landlords work it out so it is rentable again..do u do anything different like reduce the rent, or vacate all the tenants and get new ones and hope the new tenants don't know what happened
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