As a landlord, you have certain obligations to your renters. These often include maintaining safety through proper screening, keeping the rental space free from hazards, providing essential services, and staying current on repairs.
But what most people don’t realize is that tenants also have obligations to fulfill to ensure both renter and property safety. Typically, this involves maintaining the property and being a good neighbor, but it can mean much more. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the common tenant responsibilities you can implement as a landlord.
What Are Tenant Obligations?
Tenant obligations are the responsibilities that a tenant takes up when they sign a lease or rental agreement. In most cases, the landlord will include those responsibilities in the rental agreement, but some may opt for a less formal oral agreement with the renter. By signing a rental agreement, the renter takes responsibility for the rental property for the duration listed on the agreement.
How Tenant Obligations Work
Once a tenant signs a rental agreement that follows the local laws and ordinances, the law binds them to the contract. This means they agree to uphold their tenant obligations for the duration they intend to stay on the property.
Usually, by paying rent in full, keeping the rental unit clean, living in harmony with other neighbors, and flagging major issues, the renter is upholding their renter obligations. However, if they act contrary to the agreement, they are in breach of the contract and the landlord can sue for damages. The renter’s responsibility clauses provide detailed information on all major areas in the agreement.
Rental or lease agreements may vary in different states. But the Uniform Residential Landlord-Tenant Act provides clear guidelines on which the rental agreements can base their renter responsibility clauses.
What Are Tenants Responsible For?
Responsibilities for tenants may include:
Maintain Cleanliness in the Rental Unit
One of the major tenant responsibilities is to maintain the cleanliness of their unit to the best of their ability or as the unit’s condition may allow. Although cleanliness is subjective, a clean unit should be devoid of mold growth and dirt buildup on surfaces.
Discard Trash
A renter should dispose of garbage regularly and in the designated areas to avoid the accumulation of any kind of waste that would damage the property. If the agreement allows for pets, the renter should vacuum regularly and dispose of pet excrement, which might cause bad odors and grime.
Adhere to Housing and Building Codes
Housing codes enforce minimum health and safety standards in a rental unit. They typically refer to plumbing and heat appliances in bathrooms and kitchens. It is a tenant’s responsibility, for instance, to keep plumbing fixtures from clogging and prevent insect or rodent infestation for their overall health and housing safety.
The tenant should use the unit for its legally intended purpose as per the rental agreement. They should alert the landlord of any additional activities they intend to perform on the property and get the landlord’s approval.
Tenants are not allowed to use structures that are not included in the rental agreement, even if they are on the rental property.
There are also building codes in place, which generally refer to the required minimum standards when maintaining existing facilities. They may include maintaining smoke detectors and keeping the fire escape and other emergency exits free of clutter and debris.
Operate Fixtures Properly
It is the responsibility of the tenant to operate plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and all electrical fixtures in the unit properly and for their intended use. It serves as a safety precaution for both the tenant and other occupants on the property.
Maintain Appliances
This is a critical tenant obligation that requires them to use the provided appliances reasonably. Good usage helps keep the appliances safe from damage. These include plumbing fixtures, showers, stoves, refrigerators, washers, and all other appliances provided in the unit.
While normal wear and tear are typical, the fixtures should not suffer damage due to tenant negligence or carelessness.
Fix Damaged Items
A tenant should fix items that break or get damaged due to their actions. Such items may include broken light bulbs and window panes. They can agree with their landlord to call in a professional or make the fix themselves as long as it meets the property standards.
Prevent Unit Damage
This obligation typically encourages a tenant to avoid damaging any part of the property, including the fences, the backyard, or any other common areas, either through negligence or deliberate destruction. The liability also extends to any damage caused by their house guests.
Before removing any part of the property or performing a remodeling job, consult your landlord. You do not want a legal dispute with your landlord cropping up on you.
Respect Other Renters’ Rights
It is the responsibility of the renter and all their guests to conduct themselves in a manner that upholds other renters’ rights to a peaceful and quiet environment. This could include refraining from playing loud music, hosting unruly parties, yelling, disturbing children, and having confrontations with neighbors.
Report Defects or Dangerous Hazards to the Landlord
Tenant responsibilities also include timely reporting of urgent repairs and hazardous conditions, such as a fallen tree, to the landlord. If a tenant delays the alert, the landlord may hold them liable for further damages that otherwise would not have occurred.
Benefits of Upholding Tenant Obligations
Staying in the good graces of your landlord may afford you the following benefits:
- You may enjoy favors such as the extension of the rent payment grace period
- You may get a good rental reference from your current landlord
Tenant responsibilities are a summary of the conduct that the landlord expects from a tenant. They include keeping the unit clean through regular cleaning. Other responsibilities are discarding garbage properly, using and maintaining the appliances provided, and preventing property damage.
Respecting other renters’ rights to peace and reporting urgent issues on time sums up all tenant’s responsibilities. Adhering to these standards promotes safety for the renter, protects the rental property, and creates a good landlord-tenant relationship.
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