Over 31% of all housing in the US is multi-family housing.
Being a landlord with multiple rental properties is fantastic for your revenue stream. Whether you own a converted home, a duplex, or a small apartment building, the more units you have, the more your investment will make you.
It's not all hunky dory, though. With more tenants living in close proximity, there's a lot more potential for conflict. One of the most common problems in these situations is noise.
Today, we're going to help you deal with noise complaints in your rental units. It can be tricky to properly deal with noise complaints because noise is subjective. Keep reading and we'll give you the landlord tips you need to deal with noisy tenants.
How Noise Complaints Happen
Noise complaints can be tricky for landlords. Of course, you want all of your tenants to be happy, but there has to be compromise and reason in order to maintain harmony. If you get a noise complaint from a tenant, you need to make an assessment of its validity.
Look at local bylaws to figure out when noise restrictions should be in place. In addition, however, think about your tenants' right to quiet enjoyment. Even if the noise is occurring during the day, if it's disturbing other tenants, something needs to be done.
Common noise complaints include:
- Stomping upstairs
- Loud TV or music
- Parties or noise after 10-11 p.m.
- Yelling or pet noises
- Outdoor parties
What You Need to Do
When you receive a noise complaint, consider the above. If you determine that a tenant is being disrespectful to other tenants, the next step is to take it up with the noisy tenant.
Explain to them that you've received a noise complaint and outline the reasons why you need them to keep the noise down. Either they'll listen to you and do their part or they'll disagree with the complaint. When this occurs, the situation can be much more difficult to navigate.
If there are further complaints, you may need to take action and evict the noisy tenant. Eviction is a complicated process that no landlord wants to go through, so do your best to make them understand the consequences of their actions. If they don't stop, you'll have to serve a cure or quit notice.
Have a Process In Place
The best way to deal with loud tenants is to prevent them from becoming your tenants in the first place. Make sure that you're doing thorough tenant screening and making it clear in the rental agreement that noise will not be tolerated.
During your screening, make sure to do a background check and call previous landlords to find out what an applicant is really like. Gathering as much information as possible about a potential tenant gives you the ability to put the most respectful people in your rental units.
Letting the Pros Handle the Noise
Noise complaints can be troublesome for landlords, but they're a relatively normal part of doing business. If you don't feel like dealing with these types of interpersonal issues between tenants, it might be time to hire a property manager.
Not only will a property management service like ours deal with tenant complaints, but we can also help you find the best tenants with tenant screening services. Should the need to evict a tenant arise, property managers can navigate that situation seamlessly.
To learn more about our property management services and how we can help you avoid loud tenants, contact us at Residential Equity Management today.
