Managing and renting out properties can be a stressful task. Property law sees many different types of disputes arise, and a lot of them revolve around issues with leases, whether it’s a breach of contract or a disagreement between a tenant and the landlord. A lease dispute lawyer can be called in extreme cases, but you can fortunately reduce the chances of a lease dispute occurring by taking a few steps.

As the landlord of a property, here are some of the considerations and precautions you need to take in order to reduce or prevent disputes before they become bigger issues that require assistance from a lease dispute lawyer.

Form a Better Relationship with Your Tenants

People are often scared of having open discussions with their landlords or tenants, but the truth is, if both parties commit to interacting with each other in a better and more open minded nature, any lease issues can be handled more smoothly. There are a number of real estate agreements and documents that benefit both the landlord and tenant, so if you’re the owner of the property, it’s a good idea to prioritise building a positive relationship with your tenant and reminding them that your ECR (Entry Condition Report) is a way to protect both of you. This way, when it’s time for routine inspections, or if any damage to the property arises, you won’t have to have a volatile or awkward discussion with your tenant.

There are many times when tenants don’t even realise that inevitable wear and tear to a space is occurring, so routine checks are a great way to stay on top of these things, meaning minor issues can stay minor. It’s a good idea to make note of any issues encountered so that you can refer back to them later in the instance that a lease dispute lawyer needs to be contacted.

Speak with a Lease Dispute Lawyer

Anybody that owns and manages a property should have regular contact with a lease dispute lawyer to better protect themselves from any unexpected disputes or disagreements. A lawyer that specialises in such disputes will be able to talk you through some of the precautionary measures you can take to ensure both you and your tenant are protected. For example, it’s important that you take photographs of the property’s condition when the tenant first moves in, as this way there’s complete transparency if a disagreement ever turns into a legal dispute. These images can be given to your tenant to protect them as well, helping to build trustworthiness.

A lease dispute lawyer might also suggest implementing better ways for your tenant to alert you of any issues around maintenance or the condition of the property. Maintaining a close relationship with a lease dispute lawyer is the best way to calm any of your concerns revolving around a lease dispute, as you’ll feel secure knowing you’ve taken the necessary measures to stay protected and reduce the chances of a dispute occurring.