Many of you who are doing property management in Phoenix, AZ on your own may or may not know there is a Landlord Tenant Act to pay attention to, and fair housing laws involved whenever you get into a landlord situation. The tenant has rights, just as you do. Their rights may supersede yours in certain cases.

Unlawful Entry

The Landlord Tenant Law addresses when it’s permissible for you to enter the property. A lot of landlords who do this on their own think it’s okay to walk into the house, to knock on the door, or to go in the backyard. You may say you’re doing maintenance or fixing something, but you cannot do that. A 48-hour notice is required any time you want to come onto the property. Give them a call, but send an email too so you have it in writing. Landlord entry without notice is one of the biggest landlord violations, and you want to avoid making this mistake.

Screening and Applications

When you’re running an application or you’re deciding who you want to take as your tenant, you need to be careful about discrimination. You need to know the fair housing rules and be familiar with protected classes. It’s important that you know what you can and cannot say when you’re talking to prospective tenants. In a previous blog, we talked about new HUD rules and how they apply to criminal background searches. You have to be clear on these new laws before you make a decision on approving or denying a tenant.

There is a lot to talk about when it comes to the legal requirements of property management. Usually, the problem is when you stop by without prior notice or send someone over to the property without informing the tenant.  

If you have any questions about rental housing laws, or you’d like some help with Phoenix property management, please contact us at HomeQwik.