Although you might have some great tenants in your property, there is no way to predict whether or not they will end up in rent arrears. If you are a landlord, then having a tenant in rent arrears can cause real problems, both financially and legally. Although you probably would prefer to let the tenant stay, without the income from rent you might need to eventually seek eviction. However, there are a number of steps you can take to make sure that any tenant in rent arrears is treated fairly, whilst also allowing you the opportunity to get the money you need and keep rent payments regular. Here are some tips to help you decide on the best course of action when your tenant falls into rent arrears.

Occasional late payments

Although it can be annoying, if your tenant is simply late a few times with rent then tenant eviction is probably a long way off. Anyone can have a few financial problems now and then, and so you should expect the occasional late payment. Although you shouldn't tolerate constant late payment, make sure you are understanding if this only occurs once or twice. Let the tenant know that you understand their problems, but that continually falling into rent arrears will not be allowed. This will often solve any small issues of late payments that you might have.

Speak to your tenant

If your tenant has fallen into rent arrears by a month or two, then you need to talk to your tenant face to face and try to remedy the situation. There may be a genuine reason for the lack of payment, and it may be that the problem can be sorted relatively quickly. However, you need to explain to your tenant that you will require the rent otherwise things will become more serious. Set a date for the tenant to pay the outstanding rent arrears. If they pay then great, but if they fail to find the money then you know that more action is required. If you are unsure about whether or not you are being too harsh or too lenient with a tenant, then you can get some great advice from an investment property forum.

Tenant eviction as a last resort

If your tenant has fallen into serious rent arrears and is unable to pay you the money you need, then it might be time to think about tenant eviction. Although tenant eviction can be a long and painful process, if your tenant is living in your property without paying rent then eviction is necessary. However, you need to make sure that you follow all eviction procedures laid out by the government exactly. Failure to do so will prolong the eviction process, and also damage your changes of receiving the rent arrears that you are owed. However, if you follow the law precisely and the rent arrears problem is serious enough, eviction shouldn't be too much of a problem. Once you have successfully evicted the tenant, then you can start looking for a new tenant who can pay the rent on time and stop you from losing money due to tenant rent arrears.