There are some parts of being a landlord that no one wants to deal with, and evicting tenants who are behind on their rent is one of them. Even worse than the guilt and conflict you might feel is the confusion of not knowing what exactly to do.
What are the correct steps to take when your tenant can’t pay rent?
Fortunately, this is one problem we can help with. In this short guide, we’ll tell you exactly what steps to take when a tenant stops paying in Texas. For essential landlord tips to make dealing with tenants easier for you, read on.
Understand Your Tenant’s Situation
The first thing to do when a tenant stops paying rent is to assess their situation. To start with, is this a recurring problem for them? Or do they have a long history of paying their rent on time, and are facing a unique situation?
Communicate directly with your tenant and ask why they’re unable to pay and when they think they’ll be able to again. Get all communications between the two of you in writing in case you need to make an eviction case later.
Review the Terms of Your Lease
A proper lease agreement will include an agreed-upon grace period for remitting rent. However you choose to proceed with your tenant, it’s necessary for you to follow the terms of your own lease, so it’s worthwhile to review it now.
Deliver a Proper Notice to Vacate
Even if you have no intention of evicting your tenant, you should deliver an eviction notice after the grace period indicated in your contract has expired.
This is mainly to protect your interests should the case go to court. It can also help make your tenant understand the seriousness of the situation you’re in.
Keep in mind that the way your eviction notice is written is very important. An improperly written notice could cause you to lose the case if it goes to court. It’s advisable to use a Texas-based professional eviction service just in case.
Evict Your Tenant
If rent collection attempts continue to be unsuccessful, at some point you will be forced to evict your tenant. Unless the terms of your lease say otherwise, Texas law requires that you give your tenant at least three days to vacate the property.
Rely on Precision Realty When a Tenant Can’t Pay Rent
By now you know what steps to take when your tenant can’t pay rent in Texas. As we said at the beginning, this is one of those landlord challenges that no one likes to deal with. But what if you didn’t have to do the work yourself?
From tenant screening to collecting rent, Precision Realty & Management knows how to deal with rental properties efficiently and at a profit. Why do it all yourself? Partner with Precision Realty today and let us help manage your investment.
