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Landlord Newsletter - I have a lot of good stuff for you!

LPA Newsletter November 27, 2014

Dear Fellow Landlord,

This may be a longer newsletter than usual, but I had a lot I really wanted to tell you!
Wishing you a Happy & Safe Thanksgiving!

  • Tenant Screening Video
  • Thanksgiving Special: Free Landlord Book with 5-10 year membership
  • Lease Clauses I am Thankful for
  • Reminder for Quick Check Credit Report clients
  • Free Bonus for LPA Members! Discounts on Business Products

Please e-mail us if you have any questions or would like to add or share any material / information. Have a great month and an even more successful year ahead.
John Nuzzolese
John@theLPA.com

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How to Screen Tenants in 5 Easy Steps - Recorded Webinar
Click here to view video

I always say that "95% of your tenant problems can be eliminated in the screening process." If you're like me, you probably find it difficult to relax when you have vacancies. So getting it rented is the main idea, right? Well, from now on, lets say "getting it rented to a properly qualified tenant is the main idea."

Below is what I call The 5 Steps of Screening Tenants.

STEP 1: First Contact

From the very first contact with the tenant, the screening process has begun. Whether you are the landlord, real estate agent or property manager, the same still holds true.

First Contact is usually by telephone*, so you need to ask the right qualifying questions in order to decide if you should proceed to step 2. Advise customers of your up front rent and security deposit requirements and other important facts regarding the rental that may help disqualify the prospect.

I suggest you make a list or prospect card of questions to ask and have it handy while you conduct your first contact interview. For example:

Name: Phone:
Reason for Moving: # of People & Relationship to You:
Intended Rental Term:              Occupancy Date:
Pets: Smoking:
Credit: Landlord Reference?

* First contact can also be through an internet ad by email. This is becoming a more popular method of rental advertising and I have found huge savings in rental advertising money. Here is a link to my Pre-screening Tenant Prospect Card for internet ads, such as Craigslist or LPA Rental Ads, etc. Pre-screening Tenant Prospect Card

Please note that anyone who has a problem answering your questions (as long as you ask them politely), probably will not qualify for your rental. Serious customers want to make a good impression on you and should be happy to answer your questions. This process can save you and customers a lot of time and trouble.

STEP 2: Showing the Property

From landlords to real estate agents, we all have our own style in showing the rental. I think we all need to be aware of certain telltale signs to watch for while evaluating your prospective new tenants.

  1. Appearance. Is the prospect neat and clean? Did he or she make an attempt to make a good impression? In most cases, an unkempt person keeps an unkempt lifestyle and home.

Click here for the full article.


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Early Thanksgiving / Black Friday Special:
"Finding and Keeping Qualified Tenants, From Pre-Screening to Lease Signing
A Step by Step Guide"

5 -10 Year LPA Membership FREE Bonus Limited Time Only!

To get the free book, Send me your 5-10 year order # and I will include a book with your member pack!

(This is book 1 which will be a component in the package for our upcoming Landlord Bootcamps)


Click here for the membership page

This offer applies to New 5-10 year memberships or 5-10 year Renewals Only between today and Nov. 30

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Lease Clauses that Make Me Thankful
By John NuzzoleseHappy Thanksgiving

There’s something else I am grateful for: the following clauses in the LPA Lease, which help make it possible for me to be an effective landlord and property manager. Each and every one of these clauses have saved me repeatedly from the situations in which they apply. I've included links to related articles and forms I use to enforce these clauses.

  1. Late Fees, Added Rent & Bounced Check
    LPA Lease Clause # 3, Late Fees is one of the most active clauses that frequently need to be enforced for most landlords. Without this clause, you are not legally able to enforce collecting a late fee, so it is very important to have in your lease. I am thankful for this clause because it not only covers us for an initial late fee, but it also provides the tenant with an incentive to hurry up and pay the late fee and the rent by imposing a "Daily Late Fee" that starts one or two days after the initial late fee is due.

    The clause also provides for a "bounced check" or NFS charge, which covers the landlord for fees in the event of a dishonored rent check.

    A very important detail that is often left out of many leases is "Added Rent" or "Additional Rent". You should always classify unpaid late fees and other charges like bounced check fees as "Added Rent". That makes makes those charges legally collectible as rent. If you really wanted to, (I'm not saying you should), you can evict a tenant for unpaid late fees classified as "Added Rent" even if they've paid the rent each month.

  2. No Pets
    In the words of the late Nick Koon, a landlord guru and mentor of mine, "No pet ever improved a rental property." The LPA Lease has a standard No Pet clause.

    In the event I decide to accept a tenant with a pet, I require a Pet Agreement Addendum to spell out the specific rules of conduct and care needed to protect the rental property. The Pet Agreement explains that the privilege of having the pet may be revoked if the tenant does not uphold his responsibility.

  3. Plumbing Stoppages
    A common call you hear from your tenants might be about toilets or plumbing stoppages. I love the plumbing stoppage clause because it has practically eliminated plumbing stoppage calls for us. It is the tenant's waste in the lines and the tenant should be responsible for keeping the waste lines clean. Even if you don't use the LPA Lease, the Plumbing Stoppage & Drain Maintenance Notice can be very helpful.

  4. Renters Insurance
    I'm glad this is in our lease. I remember an incident years ago when the garage roof leaked during a heavy rain storm. The tenant called threatening to sue us for the damage to his sofa, which he stored in the garage. I was doubly thankful for our clause in the LPA Lease because of a) the Renter's Insurance clause which makes the tenant obligated to have renters insurance and b) the Maintenance Clause which indicates that garages and basements are not included in the rental, but may be used at the tenant's own risk.

  5. Illegality
    I once had a tenant's attorney tell me he was going to have my lease declared "illegal" and the eviction case "thrown out of court" because he thought he could prove one of the clauses were "illegal". Then I pointed out the Illegality clause which states that if any part of this lease is not legal according to local laws, the rest of the lease agreement will be unaffected. That shut him down and the eviction proceeded without further incident.

  6. No Smoking
    Have you ever painted after smoking tenants? You probably know what I'm talking about. It's sometimes hard to find non-smoking tenants to rent a property where heavy smokers have been. The LPA No Smoking Notice & Reminder form can be used to inform tenants that they are in violation of their No Smoking clause in the lease agreement. It can also be used a new Notice to initiate a new No Smoking rule for your rental.
    I'm thankful for the No Smoking clause.

There are many more important clauses in the lease that also make me grateful!

I hope you have a great Thanksgiving!

Click here for the full article


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Reminder for Quick Check Clients:

  • You must keep your LPA Membership current to continue with the LPA discount pricing.
  • Link to LPA Renewal Page: Click here
  • Link to Retrieve LPA Password (Just enter your email): Click here
  • If you do not already have an LPA Membership, Click here
Quick Check Credit Reports, Inc.

If you haven't already, please take the opportunity to sign up for The LPA's Quick Check Credit Reports! Quick Check is a simple, fast way to access online credit reports while saving you money!

  • NO sign-up or set-up fees,
  • NO membership fees,
  • NO compliance fees
  • Just lower prices!

    Special Tenant Screening Discounts for LPA members! See our price list!



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    Free Bonus for LPA Members ($99.00 sign-up value)
    Community Buying Group for LPA Members

    Are you spending money on materials, paint or appliances for your properties?
    The Landlord Protection Agency is happy to provide you with yet another feature that makes your LPA Membership more than pay for itself! - again!

    The LPA has a great new program to help you save money at Lowe’s, Sherwin Williams, Sears Commercial and 20 other suppliers. The best part is that there is no cost to you and existing Lowe’s LAR and Sherwin Williams accounts qualify for additional discounts. Take advantage of this program click here to register (no charge to you)

    It costs you nothing and only saves you lots of money! Click here for this money saving member's only benefits!

    Just one more way the LPA is helping you with your business.

    I doubt that you'd let your LPA membership and Quick Check benefits expire, but just in case you haven't joined yet or your account did expire, Click here for our low membership & renewal prices!

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    FREE Tenant Credit Reporting
    (LPA Membership Bonus Feature)

    Tenant Reporting

    Have you ever been beaten by a tenant on the rent?
    Most of us have and unfortunately, it is one of the costs of doing business as a landlord.
    On the bright side, remedies are available. If you have documented your tenancy with the proper paperwork including a rental application, lease agreement, late notices, etc., you may have a chance of collecting.

    Credit bureau reporting is an option in which many modern landlords are beginning to participate....

    Click here for the full article


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    LPA Membership Expiring?
    Take Advantage of our low Renewal Prices!

    How to Check your LPA Membership Expiration Date:

    1. Be logged in with your LPA username & password
    2. On the "Main Menu" (top right), click on "Your Orders" (right below your name)
    3. The beginning date of your membership will be listed to the left of your membership order # in this format: YYYYMMDD


    *Your Membership Expired? No Problem!



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