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Charleston property management companies understand that when it comes to the rental home you own, you want that property to be taken care of and increase in value. When a property manager does an inspection or has a cause for concern to be raised about a possible hoarding situation, what can they do about it? Hoarding can result in home damage, and even make a rental home uninhabitable which is why Charleston property management companies should act over hoarding quickly.

Know the Tenants’ Rights

Hoarding has is classified as a mental health disorder subtype of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Being recognized as a health condition by the American Psychiatric Association qualifies hoarders for protections under the Federal Fair Housing Act as a disability. This means that you cannot forcefully evict someone for being a hoarder and Charleston property managers must make reasonable accommodations for hoarders before evicting.

What’s Considered Hoarding?

Messy and cluttered spaces do not constitute hoarding unless the behavior results in emergency exits being blocked, prevents sprinkler systems or ventilation from working, attracts pests, or create hazards for other tenants.

How to Confront a Tenant

Before you confront a tenant, you need to ensure that your lease enables you to do so. A proper lease will require tenants to keep their rental homes in a safe, clean condition, free from pests and hazards. Remind the tenant that their lease obliges them to these standards and see if the matter can be resolved without escalation.

What Reasonable Accommodations Must You Offer?

Reasonable accommodations are vague and may vary state to state but generally speaking, most judges will see a proven offer to the tenant of being able to rent additional space or giving an option to rent a storage unit within the realm of reasonable. You might also consider offering to allow them to rent a bigger home if they qualify or home with a garage or basement.

Evicting anyone is a complicated process, but it can be even more so when that tenant is a hoarder. If you want to prevent these situations from happening at your rental property, call Scott Properties today!

Charleston property management companies know that verifying income is essential to finding the right tenants to lease homes. Skipping verifying income can be tempting if you’ve already run a credit check and the prospective tenant has cash on hand for the deposit and first-month rent. While keeping your properties occupied is the goal of Charleston property management companies, leasing to a tenant that cannot afford to live in the home can become your worst nightmare.

How Much Income Does a Tenant Need?

The general rule is that your rent should only be one-third of your income. You will need to verify that your tenant makes at leastthree times the amount of rent in gross income annually. Keep in mind that some tenants may not have a traditional source of income that meets these requirements such as a salaried job; however, Charleston property management companies can also consider a co-signers income as well as student loans or grant money that the tenant uses for their expenses.

How To Verify Income

Most people have a traditional job that offers them a paycheck. Charleston, property management companies, can take copies of the paystubs to determine if the tenant meets the income requirements. If the tenant is self-employed, cash or commission-based employee, retired or a student, you will need to verify income in other ways such as:

• Tax return
• Annual income statement
• Employer verification
• W2 or 1099
• Offer letter
• Retirement, SSI, SSD, or Pension statements
• Bank statements

If a tenant cannot provide you with some proof of income, a red flag should be raised. Never make exceptions and waive the evidence of the income portion of the application.

If you need help finding the perfect, qualified, tenants for your rental homes in Charleston contact Scott Properties today!

Charleston property management companies know that tenant complaint is part of the job. A property manager may receive dozens of calls a day from tenants who need maintenance or have a complaint about their home or neighbors. Getting ahead of the most common reasons why tenants complain will help free your time for important business matters.

1. Home Dirty Upon Move in-The most common complaint from new tenants is that the rental home was not clean when they moved in. Charleston property management companies most likely have the home cleaned professionally top to bottom when they are turning the home for the next tenant, however after days or weeks of showing the home, dust, and dirt can settle and make the home look dirty. Before you hand over the keys to a rental home, take a walk through with a feather duster and do one last inspection.
2. My Landlord Never Calls Back-Tenants expect their Charleston property management companies to get back to them quickly, especially if there is an emergency maintenance situation. Property managers should be keeping track of their tenant calls and responding as soon as possible to keep good tenant relationships.
3. Pests!When rental homes sit empty, it is common for spiders and other insects to enter the home. No matter how clean the rental home is or how many times the pest control people came through, pests can become a problem at no fault to the homeowner. However, if a tenant complains about pests, you should contact your pest control company immediately and let the tenant know of the appointment time for extermination.
4. My Appliance is Broken-There are many different repairs that tenants will request from leaky faucets to stoves that stop working or HVAC that runs out of freon. There are no preventing maintenance issues that are part of normal wear and tear, but you can insist that your maintenance crew checks appliances when they are turning the home.

If you are ready for Charleston property management companies to take over the daily tasks of rental home management, contact Scott Properties today!

Property Management | Most people think of renters as young professionals, just out of college, starting their adult life or people who cannot afford to own a home. However, this ideology is proving incorrect as older Americans are selling their homes and choosing to rent instead. Rental property management in Charleston, South Carolina can see rental homes occupied quicker than ever if they market to the over 55 demographic.

Why Are Older People Renting?

The Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies concluded that the Great Recession has a huge impact on the housing market and rental market for people over 55. The findings of their study showed that home ownership from 2005-2015 declined 6% among 46-55 years old and the 56-65-year-old demographics. No longer able to afford their homes or forced into foreclosure, much older American’s were forced to start renting.

Now that home prices are back on the rise many older Americans are taking the opportunity to sell the homes they have invested in now that they no longer need the space. The extra cash from selling their homes can pay for years of rent on a smaller home and put money into savings for retirement, traveling, fun, or trusts for their next of kin.

Why You Should Rent to Older Tenants

Rental property management in Charleston should market towards seniors because this demographic is more often financially stable, settled, and in a better position to take good care of a home for a long period. Older renters are also less likely to move out after their lease is up and will sign long term leases on places they love that also meet their needs. Tenants age 55-65 also have much more disposable income as their children are typically now grown up and rent payments can be consistent and on time.

If you are curious about how you can find rental property management in Charleston, contact Scott Properties today!