http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/13/category BiggerPockets Landlord Articles http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1328 Of the 20 to 30 emails I receive per day from landlords with tenants who owe them money, 5 or 6 are from landlords who did not screen their tenants before they rented to them and are now upset that the tenant burned them. I shake my head when I read these requests for help. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1328 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1286 I sometimes hear from landlords, "If it is in my lease and my tenant signed it, then it must be legal." Sadly, this is far from the truth. Just because your tenant agreed to whatever terms you put in your lease, does not make it a legal contract (lease) that will withstand judicial scrutiny. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1286 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1255 Often after a tenant signs the lease, the landlord immediately hands over the keys. At this point, many landlords miss a critical opportunity to gain profit and minimize the risk that the tenant will eventually leave owing money. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1255 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1224 Here are the top 6 objections collection agencies hear from debtors as reasons they will not pay. Many objections can be prevented by simply being a better landlord. Recovered debt means more profit! http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1224 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1228 An organized landlord is a more profitable landlord. I have reviewed many thousands of tenant debtor files, and one thing is certain; by looking at a tenant file after the tenant moves out, I can usually tell you fairly accurately how the property is being managed. A well-organized landlord who documents everything has less tenant debt, and, as result enjoys more profit. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1228 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1211 Today I reviewed over eighty tenant debt accounts and noted that the average balance due is significantly higher than a year ago. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1211 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1208 After 12 years of reviewing tenant debt accounts, I can tell you with certainty that landlords who seriously consider settlement offers recover much more money than landlords who don't. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1208 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1215 The answer is that they each owe you the full amount, until the full amount is paid. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1215 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1221 Screening a prospective tenant is more important now than ever. With the current economic climate, more people have credit ratings that fall into a gray area compared to just a few years ago. http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1221 http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1132 Evicting a tenant is a terrible, but sometimes necessary part of being a landlord. When your tenants are not paying their rent, are damaging your property or are otherwise breaking the terms and conditions of their lease http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/1132