When a rental agreement is made between a landlord and tenant, both parties have certain roles and responsibilities that they need to fulfill to maintain an amicable relationship. However, there has a been a rise in landlord-tenant disputes in Florida in the past few years, which often leads to the matter being resolved in court.
However, there are some steps that landlords can take to settle the dispute without wasting any time or money.
Steps That Landlords Can Take To Settle Disputes
Here are some of the ways in which landlords can settle any issue with their tenant, without having to go to the court.
1. Discuss everything
The first and foremost thing is to be proactive and discuss each and everything with the tenant before the lease is drafted and sign. If you are the landlord, you should communicate all of your expectations and regulations to your new tenant, and also find out what terms they want to include in the agreement. Make sure that you are open and honest, and that both parties have no hidden or resolved terms that may cause a problem later on.
2. Consult a lawyer
When you are drafting a lease, it is always wise to involve a lawyer in the process, who will not only draft the lease for you, but also review the terms and conditions set by both parties. The lawyer will not only mediate between the two, but will also be able to review a draft of the lease if you have already gotten it prepared. Moreover, they will be able to tell you if you need to add anything else to the lease.
3. Protect your interests
Since you are the landlord, you expect your tenant to pay the rent on time without fail, and there is nothing wrong in that. However, when disputes arise, tenants often try to gain the upper hand and get out of paying their rent or any other expenses. The best way to protect your interests is to hire a competent lawyer who can back you up and also help you resolve the dispute before it goes to court.
4. Negotiate out-of-court settlements
Most landlord-tenant disputes that go into courts often lean towards the tenant’s favor, which causes the landlord to face huge losses. Therefore, it is always better that you try an out-of-court settlement, where your lawyer can mediate on your behalf. Even if you are at fault, the lawyer will ensure that you don’t have to pay anything more than what you are supposed to.
Moreover, if the out-of-court settlement doesn’t result in any solution, then your lawyer will step up and ensure that the ruling is in your best interests. Therefore, you won’t have to worry about losing the settlement or paying any damages or penalties.
5. Consult the lawyer in eviction matters
When the tenant fails to pay their rent on time repeatedly, then you are well within your rights to send them a legal eviction notice, and it is always to keep your lawyer in the loop for it. The lawyer will be able to guide you through the regulations that must be followed when you are evicting a tenant, and also draft the notice for you.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to landlord-tenant disputes, you might want to settle the dispute without involving the lawyer or court in between, but things can often take a negative turn when you do so. Not only will a lawyer help protect your interests, but they will also be able to help you save time and money. If you are looking for a professional law firm that can handle these matters for you, choose Dsouza and Strachan Law. We are a group of highly experienced lawyers who will be able to provide the best possible solutions.