What should I expect from my tenant?

Question

I am a new landlord with a single family home LTR in HTX. I recently did an inspection and while there was no damage like holes in the drywall, it didn't seem like the tenant had ever cleaned. There were roaches, debris behind the dryer which could be a fire hazard, and the sink had been unable to drain for a month because the tenant had put debris down the garbage disposal and didn't say anything about it until I asked if there were any concerns. So there's not so much malicious damage as there is just carelessness. I'm concerned the longer the tenant lives there, the more expensive it'll be for me in the long run because they're not paying attention to things that need maintenance. This is my first ever tenant and I'm not sure if this is just the standard or if there are real red flags here. Thoughts?

Mark Cruse · Answer

I have had filthy tenants who lived lower than the apes at the zoo. In my experiences, there is nothing you can really do to change their personality. You can't make a hoarder not hoard. A nasty and funky person will not change their personality because you want them to. Now, you can send letters and do monthly inspections, but that is sort of like a band aid. Many can't, but if they do get up to your expectations during your inspections, it will stay that way a day to two after the inspection. Yea, it will smell like beech over the stink when you get there but will come back soon. If you pay someone to inspect or run there every week/month, no one can give you your time back. Your time is an expense. For me, the ones I had I just let it ride out until the lease was done. That was in the early days. Now, I will just terminate the lease. Some of my places stunk so bad, ammonia, bleach and high-end cleaners had to be poured all over floors several times for many days. Again, this is in general. Every last incident will not play out identically, but this has been my general experience.

Janice Carter · Answer

Lauren, while this may not be malicious damage, it is still a red flag, especially the failure to report maintenance issues. Poor housekeeping, carelessness and lack of communication can become costly over time. Be sure to document everything, address the concerns in writing, reset expectations and schedule more frequent inspections. If there is no improvement and the lease is nearing expiration, do not renew. If they are only a few months into the lease, you may want to seriously consider lease termination, if permitted under the lease.

Adam Bartomeo · Answer

Having roaches and an inoperable sink is not normal behavior. This type of tenant will continue to destroy your property. We would give this tenant a 7-day curable notice to get rid of the roaches and clean up the property. If they do not comply after 7 days then we would give them a 7-day non-curable notice and get them out. Either way, we would not renew them.

Drew Sygit · Answer

Understand, you're NEVER going to change this tenant's behavior:(

Tenants watch TV/cable and they see how "normal" people live, so why are they okay living in squalor - some in filth?

Because they have other issues, not worth getting into here.

You only have two logical options to protect your property:

1) Start doing quarterly inspections and charge the tenant for any housekeeping and repairs.- Good luck getting them to pay for them though:(

2) Get rid of the tenant ASAP! - Your lease should have enough requirements in it that this tenant is violating, allowing you to start eviction. If not, improve your lease!

@Leroy K. Williams you're usually spot on with your advice, but this time...?- Talking to S8 tenants that don't know/care how to live respectfully in their rental homes is a waste of time. - How you going to collect cleaning & repair fees from an S8 tenant? All the Metro Detroit Housing Commissions gave up requiring tenants to repair the damages they cause, found during Annual S8 Inspections and put that on the landlords.

Now the landlord has to fix them to pass & avoid abatement, then charge the tenant. What percentage of all this are you collecting from S8 tenants?

James Jones · Answer

This is a really good question, and you’re not overreacting. What you’re describing isn’t malicious damage, but it is a management issue that needs to be addressed early.

A few important distinctions to keep in mind:

Cleanliness vs. property damage

Tenants are not required to live the way you would live. Some people are messy. That alone isn’t a lease violation.

However, when cleanliness crosses into health, safety, or preventable maintenance issues, it becomes your problem if you let it slide.

Roaches, blocked drains caused by misuse, and debris near appliances are not cosmetic issues. Those are legitimate concerns.

The biggest red flag here isn’t the mess.

It’s the lack of communication.

A sink not draining for a month because debris went down the disposal should have been reported immediately. Small issues become expensive when tenants don’t flag them early.

That’s the behavior you want to correct, not necessarily how tidy they are.

What I would do next:

Document everything from the inspection with photos and notes.

Send a written notice that clearly outlines tenant responsibilities:

Promptly reporting maintenance issues

Proper use of fixtures and appliances

Keeping the property in a safe, sanitary condition

Fix the issues once, but make it clear that future damage caused by misuse will be charged back.

Schedule regular inspections going forward. Quarterly is reasonable for a first-time tenant situation like this.

You’re not looking to punish them. You’re setting expectations.

Is this “normal”?

Unfortunately, yes. Many first-time landlords assume tenants will treat the home the way they would. Most won’t unless expectations are clearly defined and enforced.

The good news is you caught this early. If you address it now, you can usually correct the behavior. If you ignore it, costs compound.

This isn’t grounds to panic or terminate a lease yet. It is a signal to tighten your systems, communication, and documentation so the property doesn’t slowly deteriorate on your watch.

Managing people is harder than managing properties. This is part of the learning curve, and you’re handling it the right way by asking questions now instead of after real damage shows up.

Colleen F. · Answer

@Lauren Kilburn Also include key items in your lease on pest control and maintenance. House was delivered pest free and you will charge for pest control if they are negligent then issue lease violations if needed.  It won't help with this tenant but I have had many tenants where you had to go through basics on move in, you think they would know. Flushable wipes aren't flushable. This is a plunger. These are things I should hear about immediately. plumbing/heat/safety hazards.  Also, if you have a disposal remove it, explaining what to put down it is not worth the trouble.  Unless this is someone who responds to your feedback you probably don't want them as a long term tenant.  Nothing will be super clean but they should put the trash out, report clogged drains, not attract pests minimum.

Theresa Harris · Answer

You should expect them to keep the house clean (not hospital clean, but clean such that it doesn't attract pests).  I would start doing regular inspections every 3-6 months during which time you can also change the filter on the furnace and check batteries in smoke alarms.  If there are problems, the tenant should be calling you to let you know so you can fix them.

Generally speaking, tenants will not care for the home as well as you would as an owner.  As Leroy said, you need to talk to them about the condition of the home and tell them they need to clean it up as you noticed pests.  Then deal with the pests once the home has been cleaned.  If they ignore that, when their lease is up, simply don't renew it and deal with everything then.

Marcus Auerbach · Answer

Exactly. We would do the same thing as @Adam Bartomeo. Periodic inspections are key to manage tenant behaviour. I somewhat disagree with the sentiment that you have zero influence over how they treat the house - not day and night, but you can certainly move the needle.

It's like managing employees: if they don't clean up their workplace before they go home, you can chnage that behaviour. Make it clear that is the expectation and follow up. Most will comply and make it part of their routine. Or look for a new job.

Mike Dymski · Answer

Send notice of lease violation and reinspect.  If they don't comply, non-renew.  Everything done respectfully.

What should I expect from my tenant?

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