What to Do if Tenants Have Damaged Your Property

Whilst the vast majority of landlords experience no real problems with their tenants at all, it’s an unfortunate fact that some people can cause an excessive amount of damage to your property. Whilst some amount of wear and tear is to be expected over time, if things become simply acceptable you may wish to take action. The law says that any damage to your fixtures and fittings should be reported to you or your agent straight away. Once this occurs, an agreement should be made as to how repairs will be made and how they will be funded. Putting an inventory together before a tenancy begins is essential if you are to prove the residents are at fault. Without this, you may have no way of proving that the damage occurred whilst they were living in the property.

Is it Wear and Tear?

The contract signed by you and the tenant should outline what should happen if damage does occur. There are some things that you will be responsible for repairing. Cracked paint and worn armchairs may be your responsibility as these are things that are subject to some wear and tear over time. You will also be responsible for repairing things like washing machines unless you can prove that the damage was caused by tenant negligence.

Curating Evidence

If you need to document the damage caused, you can do this by taking pictures of it. It’s advisable to take pictures of your property before the tenants move in so that you can allow legal professionals to make comparisons. You should try and recruit a solicitor as soon as you decide to become a landlord as chances are that you’ll need their guidance and support on a regular basis. The law can be subject to complex changes and it can be hard for anyone who isn’t a trained professional to keep up with legislation. The vast majority of disputes between landlords and tenants can be solved via negotiation. For instance, if your tenants do cause damage to your property, you can ask them to pay for it. If they refuse to pay, you may decide to call upon your solicitor. When calling upon a solicitor to help you with any disputes its always best to look around a choose lawyers like Neves Solicitors from Luton and Milton Keynes and Ashley Wilson Solicitors LLP from London for are conveyance lawyers and specialise in this area of law. By choosing a conveyance lawyers who have a proven track record you can significantly increase your chances of winning any disputes.  When it comes to conveyance law this knowledge as well as local knowledge can prove invaluable.

Running Checks

It’s wise to learn from your mistakes if something happens that could be avoided. Agents tend to run stringent checks to find out whether a tenant is likely to be suited to your property. Background checks can help you to make an informed judgement on whether to go ahead with a tenancy and a conveyance lawyer can make sure that your wishes and requests are reflected in your tenancy agreement. If you do become the victim of unruly tenants, you may wish to put together a stricter tenancy agreement next time. With a reputable property lawyer behind you, you should be able to get the justice that you’re looking for if tenants trash your property and refuse to pay for the damage that they have caused. In any case, it’s wise to have an experienced legal professional behind you from the onset if you are renting out a property.