Renting & Tenants
Leases, rent, screening, and tenant relationships.
Zelle vs Venmo vs a Rent App: How Should Tenants Pay You in 2026?
Zelle has no fee but no paper trail, Venmo can flag your account as commercial, and a rent app is the only option built for tax season.
What to Do When You Inherit a Tenant With a Purchase
An inherited tenant's lease survives the sale in nearly every state, and you're on the hook for their deposit even if the old owner never sends it to you.
Tenant Noise Complaints: What to Do When Two Renters Feud
60% of renter disputes involve noise, and how you document the first complaint often decides whether you end up in court six months later.
Tenant Sublets Without Permission? Here's What to Do Next
An unauthorized sublet is a lease violation in most states, and landlords typically have 3 to 30 days to issue a notice to cure or quit.
What to Do When a Tenant Stops Paying Rent: 5 Steps
Rent is late by day 5 in most states before you can even serve a notice, so document, notify, and follow your state's timeline exactly.
Emotional Support Animal Requests: A Landlord's 4-Step Guide
An ESA request is a Fair Housing Act accommodation, not a pet request — here's the 4-step process to handle it correctly and avoid a costly complaint.
Tenant Moved Out Without Notice? 5 Steps to Take Now
Most states require a landlord to document abandonment before reclaiming a unit, and skipping that step can turn a vacancy into a legal problem.
Tenant Left Belongings Behind? What to Do Legally in 2026
Most states require written notice and 15-30 days of storage before you can dispose of a tenant's abandoned belongings, or you risk a lawsuit.
Tenant Files Bankruptcy During Lease? Do This First
Once a tenant files bankruptcy, an automatic stay under 11 U.S.C. § 362 stops most collection and eviction action the same day the petition is filed.
Tenant Habitability Complaint: 4 Steps to Take Now
A habitability complaint gives you 24 hours to weeks to fix the issue, depending on severity, before a tenant can withhold rent or call the city.
What to Do When a Tenant Dies Mid-Lease: A Landlord's Guide
When a tenant dies mid-lease, the lease usually passes to their estate, not to you, so unpaid rent becomes a probate claim, not an eviction.
Tenant Damage Beyond the Deposit? Here's What to Do
When repair costs exceed the security deposit, landlords have three real paths: small claims court, collections, or eating the loss.
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