Tenant Management

If there was a fire and the tenant lost all of their belongings or there was bodily injury, who would be responsible to pay for all of the damages?

The tenant could ask the landlord to cover everything including the medical bills.  This would make the landlord liable and can cost thousands of dollars.  No one can predict the future so it’s better to require renter’s insurance to add an extra layer of protection, limit your liability, and have a peace of mind.  Below are the many reasons as to why you should require renter’s insurance.

Renter’s insurance covers so much.  Not only does it cover the tenant’s belongings in the event of a natural disaster or theft, it can also cover pet damage and relocation expenses.  If your property becomes uninhabitable for some reason, renter’s insurance will cover the tenant’s expenses for finding new housing while the building gets repaired.  It also helps you find responsible renters.  Tenants who are willing to spend a little more per month to cover their belongings means that they care.  Lastly, renter’s insurance is very affordable nowadays with an average of $10 per month.  It is worth it.

SimplifyEm Property Management Software makes it easier than ever before when it comes to handling renter’s insurance.  As a landlord or property manager, SimplifyEm can help you with the whole process from beginning to end.  SimplifyEm has built-in online leases where you can add a clause in the lease to require renter’s insurance.  You can then send the online lease to the tenant for e-signature.  The system automatically sends an email invitation to the tenant to sign up with our insurance partner, Sure.  Once the tenant signs up, your SimplifyEm account would get updated with the renter’s insurance policy and details on the tenant’s file.  For the tenants that do not have renter’s insurance, SimplifyEm lets you send mass email invitations to all of those tenants to sign up.  SimplifyEm tracks the policy and makes sure it’s up to date.  When a policy is near expiration, SimplifyEm automatically sends an email reminder to the tenant to either renew or cancel the policy.  SimplifyEm’s UI makes it easy to see all of this on one page.

SimplifyEm Property Management Software also offers income and expense tracking, tenant and lease management, online payments, mass email and texting of notices, tenant screening, rental advertising, e-sign, maintenance and work order tracking, tax reports, unlimited document storage and so much more.  Streamline the renter’s insurance process today.  Get a free one-on-one live demo with a specialist and get all of your questions answered by signing up here.

Do you wish there was an easier way to communicate with tenants?  Do you wish you could see a communication history instead of looking through old emails?

SimplifyEm Property Management Software makes it easier to communicate with tenants and helps you establish great relationships with them.  SimplifyEm has the ability to mass print, email, text and publish notices to the tenant portal while simultaneously saving all of the communication for each tenant in their respective tenant file.  The communication history is very detailed in letting you know what type of notice was sent, how it was sent and when it was sent.  Templates are already pre-built in the system for rent receipts, lease renewals, rent reminders and late rent notices so you don’t have to start from scratch.  The system automatically populates the notice with the correct tenant information so there is no need to manually edit each one.  Customized letters or messages can also be sent in the event of an emergency such as a water shut off.

Tenants may not check their email every day, so SimplifyEm has a texting feature built in where you can mass text message all of your tenants directly to their mobile phone.  Tenants can respond via text message and it will automatically appear in your SimplifyEm account where you can respond back.  A full text message history is also saved on the tenant file for future reference.  Texting is a great option to contact tenants faster and easier.

Tenant portals are a great way for tenants to do many things online without having to contact a property manager directly.  The SimplifyEm tenant portal provides online payments, view the communication history and the ability to submit maintenance requests.  The communication history in the tenant portal is the exact same as it appears in the property manager’s account.  This eliminates confusion and everyone is on the same page.

Instead of manually sending notices, SimplifyEm can automate them.  You can automate rent receipts, late rent notices, rent reminders and if you’re managing for other owners, owner statements.  SimplifyEm automatically emails the notices for you on the day of your choice and this allows you to focus on more important tasks in the business.

SimplifyEm solved all tenant communication issues.  No more looking for old emails or wondering if the tenant received the notice or not.  Know that all of your messages are seen and know that everyone is up to date regardless of the matter.  Avoid the back and forth with tenants and streamline your communication with SimplifyEm.

SimplifyEm has more features to help manage your properties including tracking income and expenses, rental advertising, tenant screening, e-sign for rental applications and leases, vendor management and twenty plus reports including Schedule E and 1099s.  SimplifyEm has free live phone, email and text message support and free training for all customers.  Grab a free two week trial here and test it out yourself.

When renting a rental property in Louisiana, there are general rules every tenant must follow towards their landlords. Here are the basic responsibilities of tenants in Louisiana.

Tenants must:

•pay the rent in accordance with the lease terms.
•return the property in the same condition, except for normal “wear and tear,” as it was leased.
•refrain from altering the premises without first obtaining written consent from the landlord.
•allow the landlord to make all necessary repairs that cannot be postponed until the end of the lease.
•use the property for the purpose for which was leased. Any misuse by the tenant may cause the lease to be dissolved.
•inform the landlord promptly when the property has been damaged or needs repair.
•The tenant is liable for damages to the property that exceed the normal “wear and tear” caused by the tenant or the tenant’s guests.

Source: Louisiana landlord and tenant guide.

Landlords in Louisiana can avoid basic issues with tenants by following the actions when renting out a property. Here are actions landlords can take before hand to avoid tenant disputes.

Landlords should:
•deliver the property to the tenant at the agreed time and in good condition for its leased purpose.
•maintain the property in a suitable condition for the purpose for which it was leased.
•protect the tenant’s right of peaceful possession for the duration of the lease.
•refrain from making any alterations to the property.
•pay taxes, assessments and other charges to the property.
the landlord sells the property during the term of the lease, then the new owner may change the lease terms or evict the tenant. In order to prevent this, the lease must be recorded in the parish where the property is located. The tenant may have an action against the landlord for loss sustained as a result of the sale.

Source: Louisiana landlord and tenant guide.

It is very important for the Connecticut tenants to check any apartment or rental property that he or she may rent for unsafe and unhealthy living conditions, so that these conditions can be fixed before signing the lease. Some conditions to check for include the following:

• kitchen appliances that don’t work correctly;
• plumbing problems (leaking faucets, broken toilets and bathtubs);
• not enough heat or hot water; n doors without locks;
• building problems (leaking roof, broken windows, peeling paint, falling plaster);
• broken or unsafe steps;
• hallways that are not lighted well;
• pest problems (rats, roaches or rodents);
• overcrowding (many tenants located in the same location);
• hazardous (dangerous) electrical wiring or equipment;
• bad odors (the smell of garbage); and, n other conditions in the apartment that appear unsafe or unhealthy.

Also, both the landlord and the tenant should inspect the apartment together and should agree on the conditions when the tenant moves in. The checklist should be completed by both the landlord and the tenant and will be helpful if there is a security deposit disagreement when the tenant moves out.

Source: www.jud.ct.gov

When renting out a rental property to a prospective tenant, landlords have some basic responsibilities they need to follow. Here are the responsibilities every Connecticut landlord must follow.

The landlord must:

• Provide a clean apartment when the tenant moves in; n clean common areas (hallways, stairs, yards, entryways);
• Keep hallways and entryways lighted well; and, n keep plumbing and heating systems working (both hot and cold running water).

In addition, the following may be required by state and local housing, health and fire codes:

• Correctly repaired and safe stairways, porches, floors, ceilings and walls;
• Good locks on the doors to the apartment; n safe fire exits from the building; n two electrical outlets in each room; n viewing devices on doors that open onto a hallway (in some communities);
• Extermination service if the apartment is infested with pests or rodents; and n a smoke detector that is in working order.

Landlords should check the appropriate state and local agencies to see what applies to their properties.

Source: www.jud.ct.gov