It is not uncommon in this day and age for people to opt in renting instead of purchasing homes or properties. Most people rent their houses, apartments, condominiums, bungalows, and even commercial or office spaces. At some point in your lives, you have to admit that you were once or even still at present part of a landlord and tenant relationship. Whether you were the tenant or the landlord, it is not impossible to have disputes over certain issues with the other party. Some may be easily settled through talks and negotiations but there are a few instance wherein you would not be able to handle it on your own anymore. During these instances, it is best to consult expert landlord and tenant solicitors that would be able to help you in solving the issues at a more civil, fair, and quick manner.
Tenants Who Do Not Pay
Perhaps the top problem most, if not all, landlords face is when tenants do not pay. Unluckily, it may take a couple of months before you notice how much arrears a tenant already owes, most especially if you have a lot of tenants. But luckily, contracts exist to help and protect you as landlords, should you have delinquent paying tenants. During these cases, you would already be able to file legal suits because of a breach in contract. With solicitors, you would be able to settle these types of disputes without having to waste energy and time on getting mad and going back and forth just so you could try to collect the money that is legally due to you.
Tenant vs Tenant
There are some unfortunate cases where tenants would have disputes with each other and sometimes these disputes get very nasty. Should this happen, it would require for the landlord to intervene and act as a mediator in solving the problem. There are cases in which the landlord cannot handle the mediating alone as there are already certain laws or regulations (even just within the local authority and neighbourhood) being breached. This is where solicitors come in to work on negotiations and compromises so that both parties would reach an agreement. Although this is not explicitly stated in each of the tenant’s contract with the landlord, of course why wouldn’t you get an immediate solution to a problem that may possibly cause you much more than how much you paid the solicitor, right?
Hidden Property Damages
As a tenant, it is your unspoken duty to check every nook and cranny of the space you will be renting out. Whether it is for the purposes of lodging or as an office or as a commercial space for your business, it is only natural for you to inspect it and make sure that you will be getting your money’s worth. However sometimes, some dubious landlords are able to hide disrepairs in the property only for you to find after you have already signed the contract and paid months of deposit. Some landlords would give zero care as to whether to fix these damages and pay for them, so you are left with either a) living with it or b) fixing it out of your own pocket. When this happens, you could get a solicitor that would be able to carry out a legal action against your landlord for your compensation and well-being.
Unlawful Eviction
As a tenant, and even as a landlord, you should never engage in any rental obligations without a proper contract that both parties would sign on. This contract serves as protection for both parties should the other become unfair and unjust. There are instances wherein landlords would just choose to evict their tenants without proper reason and notice – sometimes even before the end of the contract date. When this happens, seeking the help of landlord and tenant solicitors is your best bet to get you out of such as a mess. These experts would be able to help to your advantage, most especially as a tenant, so that you would not be left homeless.
Landlord and Tenant Relations
It does not matter whether you are a landlord or a tenant, it will be unavoidable to come across people who may take advantage of you or simply just dupe you out of certain aspects and loopholes in your rental contract. Solicitors may come with a price, but it is not more costly than when you are unable to fix such disputes between landlords and tenants urgently. Would you rather not pay for the services of a solicitor that would end these disputes quickly than just wait out a non-paying tenant and not incur any income from them at all in a couple of months? What if they try to run away from paying their rental arrears? Then you would be left with nothing but no income for a number of months, a beat down apartment and added expenses to bring it back to shape and get a new tenant. Yes it comes with a price, but it is a wise move to pay.
