Points to Remember
Preparing the Property for Showing
Make the Environment Part of the Solution
Make sure your property meets habitability standards. If applicants can't tell it is legal, they may already know you may look the other way. They may also know you have surrendered most of your eviction rights.
Keep the property visible. Cut back shrubs and trees, make sure entrances are well lit, and use fencing that can be seen through.
Get rid of all graffiti immediately to help combat gang activity.
Applicant Screening
An Ounce of Prevention
Reinforce the message that you are an active manager, committed to housing honest tenants, while keeping dishonest tenants out.
Establish written criteria. Communicate those criteria to the applicant. Communicate your commitment to complete applicant screening.
Thouroughly screen each applicant. Most landlords don't. At a minimum check photo ID and Social Security cards, run a credit check, independently identify previous landlords and verify income.
Do it! Don't cut corners. Don't believe it won't happen to you. Don't trust an innocent looking face. And don't accept an applicant on your gut reaction.
Apply your rules and procedures equally to every applicant.
Locate the warning signs of dishonest applicants.
Watch for extreme inconsistencies.
Rental Agreements
Minimize Misunderstanding
Use a contract consistent with current law or you will lose options.
Point out key provisions that address "loopholes" and assure the tenant knows you take them seriously.
Get signatures on property condition, smoke detectors, and other issues to protect against later false accusation.
On Going Management
What to Do to Keep the Relationship Working
Don't bend your rules. By the time most drug houses are identified, they have a history of evictable behavior which the landlord ignored.
Know your responsibilities as a landlord.
Conduct periodic inspections.
Watch for utility problems and keep a paper trail of all activity.
Open communication channels, so you hear of problems early.
Trade phone numbers with neighbors.
Encourage shared decision making by establishing a volunteer leadership council to interact with management.
Warning Signs of Illegal Activity
How to Recognize Typical Crime Situations
Little or no mail or newspaper delivery to the house.
Little or no furniture moved into the house.
Guard dogs: rottweiler, pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, or German shepards.
Blankets, sheets or foil hung in the windows instead of curtains.
Different vehicles arriving at the house and staying for only short periods of time.
Short, regular visits at all hours by people in expensive cars.
A willingness to pay rent months in advance, particularly in cash, or to pay large deposits.
A tendency to pay rent in cash, in addition to a lack of visible means of support.
Heavy fortification of individual rooms.
Unusually sophisticated weight scales (accurate to gram weights and smaller).
Large amounts of aluminum foil, baking soda, or electrical cords.
Utilities that are never turned on.
Unusual odors emanating from the house.
Eviction
Resolve Problems Quickly and Fairly
Don't wait. Act. If a tenant is not in compliance, address the situation immediately. Don't let it fester.
Know how to evict. Get a copy of landlord/tenant law and read it. If you're not sure about something, don't guess, get an attorney experienced in landlord/tenant relations. Cases are often lost on technicalities.
You should know and understand: the type of eviction notices available to you; the process for serving notices; and the eviction process from beginning to end.
If a neighbor calls with a complaint, know how to respond.
Working With the Police
Know the System
Know how to work with the police, but don't expect cooperation when your civil concerns and their criminal concerns conflict.
If a neighbor calls you about possible drug activity on your property, know how to respond.
Know how to report suspicious or criminal activity.
The Section 8 Program
Understand the Differences
Before renting under a Section Eight program, learn about the program's benefits and drawbacks.
Recognize that publicly subsidized renters tend to have broader knowledge of their rights and, for compelling reasons, are more likely to fight eviction.
Read your contracts carefully--there are significant differences from private rental contracts.
Rental Housing Ordinance
Do Your Homework
Rental units are inspected annually by a firefighter. The inspection checks for housing code violations which must be corrected before a follow-up inspection.
You may apply for a rental license at City Hall or online. A firefighter will inspect your property within 10 days of your initial application. A license will be granted if and when your property complies with applicable building codes.
It is unlawful to rent any dwelling (room, house, or apartment) without a rental license.
From the Rental License Holder's Handbook 1996
Contact Information:
Mankato and Blue Earth County Housing Authorities
P.O. Box 3368
Mankato, MN 56002-3368
Phone: (507) 387-8636
Email: cdhse@city.mankato.mn.us