Being a Landlord can be complicated when your tenants do not cooperate. Communication is key in a professional relationship and should never be underestimated as it will prove extremely helpful if things turn sour. However, what happens when a tenant chooses to cut all ties and ignore a Landlord. What are a Landlord's rights if a tenant ignores them?
Why would you need to contact your Tenant?
There is no specific list of reasons for contacting a tenant. It can vary from rent payments, maintenance requests, organising an inspection or discussing a change to the tenancy agreement. A Landlord should always ensure that the contact never borders on harassment and is always conducted in a professional and organised manner.
Virtual Contact
In this day and age, before planning any physical meetings, a Landlord should first try to contact the tenant virtually, whether this mean by call, text or email. Usually a written method of contact such an email or text would suffice first and allow the tenant a reasonable amount of time to respond. If no response is received then it wouldn’t be considered unreasonable to call the tenant as an alternative way to try and make contact again. If they don’t answer and there is a voicemail option then there is no harm in utilizing it too.
The best part of contacting this way is that it also ensures that a record can be kept by the Landlord if any further action needs to be taken regarding the subject of why the contact is necessary.
The Old-Fashioned Way
If the Landlord does not receive a response using the virtual tactics discussed then they could take the next step of sending a recorded delivery letter directly to the property to ensure that their contact has been received by the tenant.
They could also choose to hand deliver the letter and knock the door first to see if the tenant will speak with them but this should be assessed based on the circumstances of the contact needed as it shouldn’t appear threatening or pestering as this could result in the tenant becoming even more avoidant.
Next Steps
If the matter regarding contacting the tenant is urgent and involves maintenance or unpaid rent the Landlord could then next choose to reach out to their tenants Guarantor. This will usually result in the tenant getting back in contact. However, if it doesn’t as reported online, a Landlord can give themselves access to the property if it is considered an emergency health or safety issue.
If tensions between a Landlord and Tenant continue then it may be time to seek legal advice and see if it is possible to take action against the tenant if it has got to the point where the Landlord would like to end the tenancy.
Conclusion
It is never a good situation when a tenant begins to ignore their Landlord. However, as long as a Landlord remains professional and reasonable in their actions there can be a process to ensure their rights are protected. By first reaching out remotely and leaving legal action as a last resort the Landlord will then have ensured that they have covered all bases regarding giving the tenant a chance to resolve the issue. It should always be remembered that unless in a case of emergency a Landlord should never let themselves into the property.
Disclaimer: Rent Guarantor is not qualified to give legal or financial advice. Any information shared in the above blog is an opinion based on personal experiences within the property rental sector, and should never be construed as legal or professional advice.
