The 10 commandments of a bad landlord
1
Thou shalt screen telephone calls.
Does your tenant want to tell you about their problems with an excessively noisy neighbour? The miracle solution is obviously to screen their calls. That way, you will have some peace and quiet. Whether they do is another matter, but everyone has their own problems, after all.
→ Although the law does not require you to answer every single one of their calls, it seems obvious that turning a deaf ear will not ensure the best possible relationship with your tenant… who is, after all, the person paying you every month.
2
Into the tenant’s home thou shalt enter unannounced.
And several times a month, while you’re at it!
→ The law clearly states that a landlord’s right of access is limited (approximately once a year, unless circumstances justify otherwise). It is therefore not a right to search the property! In all cases, the tenant must therefore agree to the visit. Violating their home could land you straight in court… best avoided.
3
Problems thou shalt let slide (and the water too, while you’re at it).
We cannot see the urgency in an overflowing toilet cistern or a leaking shower either.
Just wipe it up and the job’s done.
→ Be aware that an official list exists summarising which costs are legally payable by whom.
4
General meetings thou shalt avoid.
Because if there is a problem, it is far more convenient to know nothing about it.
→ You are required to
5
The paperwork thou shalt lose. Because ‘too much paperwork kills paperwork.’
So, to avoid mixing everything up, you might as well throw it all away. It is quicker, especially if filing is not your forte.
→ Should the idea of selling your property ever cross your mind, be aware that you will be legally required to provide a complete file concerning the property in question. Otherwise, your sale could quite simply be blocked.
6
The deposit thou shalt keep at all costs.
You might as well hold the tenant responsible for the scratches on the parquet flooring, even if they had already been there for months before they moved in. Even if the tenant has taken excellent care of your property and always paid their bills on time, you might as well do everything possible to keep an extra 2000€. For your sake, we hope they do not resort to this kind of solution… you have been warned!
→ You are required to prepare an inventory of fixtures when your tenant moves in so that you can prove their liability for any damage caused during their occupancy. Obviously, this will also prevent you from having to pay for any repairs for which they should be liable at the end of the tenancy, if necessary.
7
The statement thou shalt not prepare.
Refund the tenant’s excess advance payment? Why bother if they have forgotten that detail?
→ A regular service charge statement (generally prepared annually) is necessary in order to refund, or be reimbursed for, the difference between the advance paid each month and the tenant’s actual consumption (except where a fixed amount is paid).
8
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9
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10
A bad landlord you shall remain.
Because, yes, it is understandable that you would not want to deal with all these obligations when you already have tons of other things to do.
→ You are not legally required to do anything. But if you want to make your life easier and dispense with the previous nine commandments, simply call 02 899 77 00. Relax, we manage!
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