Life bears many unexpected changes, and tenants are not very different. Divorce, death, and adding or changing a roommate or family member are all events that should be shown in the list of occupants or leasees on the lease for your rental property in Spokane. It is important to have an accurate count of all tenants and occupants in every rental home in the interest of both the property owners and tenants.
Lease management is a significant component of acquiring a single-family rental property. As a binding contract, the lease should clearly explain all of the terms and responsibilities of both the tenants and the landlord or property owner. A lease should furthermore definitely specify, by name, all of the tenants and all the other people who live there. The fact of the matter is that when renting a house, a property owner accepts a certain degree of liability concerning the property and those inhabiting there.
In the event that an unauthorized resident damages the property, the landlord can only be able to hold the tenants responsible if they are the individuals listed on the lease. The same is true with collecting rent. If there are adult residents in the house who are not listed on the lease and someone fails to pay rent, the landlord cannot collect from anyone that didn’t sign the lease.
There are several circumstances that may demand an update to the tenant list on a lease. Among the most common of these are situations involving the death or divorce of a tenant. In similar cases, the tenant that remains may indeed like to stay and reside in the rental house. Should this be the case, the lease should be updated to reflect the actual responsible parties. In that event, a landlord can require the remaining tenant to re-qualify for the house based on their sole income and circumstances.
Another typical incident or situation that calls for a lease update is marriage or any additions to the household. Normally, any legal adult living in the rental home should be a listed party on the lease. These may consist of family members and/or authorized roommates. Landlords can (and should) clearly state that all residents must be pre-approved before moving in, and notified if and when they move out. Any time the tenant roster changes, the lease is supposed to be modified to reflect those adjustments. Assuming the lease in question is a long-term contract, the landlord may simply prepare an addendum to stipulate the new tenants getting ready to inhabit the house.
Both tenants, leases, and the laws that govern rental properties all vary from state to state and case to case, making it vitally important to thoroughly investigate each individual case. That being said, supervising your rental properties and the tenants within is very tedious work. For this reason, working with Real Property Management Spokane County could be very profitable for both your wallet and your personal life. Our team of experts helps Spokane property owners with lease and tenant management, including any necessary lease changes. Contact us or call us at 509-462-1042 for more information.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
