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8 Things That Make You a Bad Tenant

Cedar Park Tenant Smoking a Cigarette in Her Rental HomeAre you a lousy tenant? We’ve listed eight things that might make you one if you’re not certain. Getting evicted, having your security deposit withheld, or even being prohibited from renting in the future, can be the result of being a careless tenant. Keep away from these behaviors if you don’t want to deal with any of those consequences!

  1. Not paying rent on time. This is arguably the most crucial matter that contributes to your being a bad tenant. Falling behind on your rent can cause your Cedar Park property manager to evict you since they have every right to do so. You can also harm your credit score if you are unable to pay on time.
  2. Making too much noise or disturbing other tenants. Your landlord will have a lot of complaints against you if you’re always making noise or disturbing other tenants. The more problems your landlord hears, the less likely they will renew your lease when the time comes.
  3. Damaging the property or not taking care of it. This is another frequent characteristic of a bad tenant. Your landlord will have to spend money to repair the property if you damage it or do not take care of it. This can cost them a lot of money, and they may decide to keep your security deposit or, worst-case scenario, evict you.
  4. Not reporting maintenance and repair issues. If you do not promptly report maintenance and repair issues, you risk costing your landlord a lot of money. You also run the risk of causing damage to your personal property in addition to the house (think water leaks that turn into a flood!). This is why it is critical to notify your landlord immediately of any problems.
  5. Having pets when you’re not supposed to. You may hope that your landlord will forget about the fact that you own pets when they are not allowed, but they won’t. If your lease legitimately prohibits pets, this is a direct violation of the terms of your lease and may lead to your eviction from the premises.
  6. Bringing in unauthorized guests. Unauthorized visitors or residents are treated the same way. Your landlord needs to know who lives in your rental home for liability reasons, such as family members who stay for extended periods of time. Illegitimate guests might create legal headaches for you and your landlord if something gets out of control.
  7. Smoking inside or using drugs. Here is another sign of a bad tenant. If your lease states that you are not permitted to smoke or use drugs inside, and you do so anyway, your landlord will be irritated, and you may be arrested (if the drugs are illegal) or evicted – or both.
  8. Ignore your lease terms. If you disregard any of your lease terms, including those discussed previously, you may believe it will make little difference in the short term. Nevertheless, your landlord will learn of it – and that will make them very displeased. This may result in a warning or even eviction from the property.

Now that you’re aware of how not to be a bad tenant, avoid the mentioned behaviors! Receiving lousy recommendations or being blacklisted, which makes renting another home quite complicated (if not impossible), is the last thing you need. If you are in the market for a new rental home, browse our listings. We can help you find a quality rental home in Cedar Park.

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