Some people are messier than others, but if your renters create a mess that’s extreme, you may need to send them a notice to clean up or quit the premises. Here’s what every landlord should know about using a notice to tenant to clean property and a sample letter you can use to ask them clean up.
Defining Cleanliness
Most communities require reasonable upkeep and sanitation for a given residence, so landlords have some legal standing to ensure their renters keep things clean. Before a problem even starts, you should try to make sure your renters know they need to keep the premises clean and properly dispose of trash to comply with local municipal codes.
Legally, a renter must take care of the rental property and keep it clean and undamaged. That means taking care of any repairs for damages caused by renters themselves or their guests. If neglected repairs or poor maintenance leads to your property violating your state’s local health and safety codes, your renter is in violation of their lease agreement.
Overall, renters must keep their unit clean, remove trash, and avoid creating conditions that attract vermin or rodents. Poor maintenance could include:
When To Get Involved
At some point, the thought “Can I evict a tenant for being dirty?” has likely crossed your mind. The answer? Well, it depends. Though you can’t constantly tell your renters how and when to clean, certain reasons to ask renters to clean do exist. You need a valid reason to confront renters, such as:
If you truly suspect one of these scenarios, you will need to investigate right away. If the state you live in allows landlord inspections, you might give proper notice to the renter and then schedule a unit inspection to investigate. Just remember that some states do not legally allow landlords to conduct general inspections.
Some signs of issues you will need to address include:
All in all, your renters have the right to a fit and habitable living environment. You are responsible for ensuring this for everyone living at your property. Renters are also legally expected to keep a property clean and free of unreasonable, permanent damage. So, if one renter threatens the safety of another renter or puts your property at risk due to their less-than-clean habits, you can and should step in.
How To Address Cleaning With Renters
The easiest way to ensure your renters keep your property clean to your standards is to include a cleaning clause in their lease agreement. You can include a simple, general clause, or you can specify areas renters need to keep clean and how they can do so. The latter can prove especially useful if you are renting out an older house or unit.
Of course, you will inevitably run into situations when a renter disregards the details laid out in their lease agreement. Your first step in these cases should be speaking with the renter — sometimes a simple conversation is all you need to make a renter realize their cleaning habits need more attention. When a conversation doesn’t get you the desired results, you can then send a letter to tenants regarding cleanliness.
Creating a Written Notice
Once you discover a renter isn’t keeping your property clean and habitable, you can proceed according to the law. You can issue a legal notice to the tenant to clean the property.
A legal comply or quit notice serves as a warning to the renter. To legally serve a comply or quit notice, you must deliver the letter by hand or using certified or registered mail. The comply or quit notice should state:
After receiving this legal notice to clean up the property, the renter will have a limited time period to resolve the issue. They can stay in the rental property if they do resolve the problem. If they do not comply with this written notice, you can start taking steps to start the legal eviction process. Make sure you check the laws in your home state, though, as requirements for notice time and more do vary.
Sample Notice to Tenant to Keep Property Clean
You can use this sample notice to tenant to clean premises, changing the details to fit your situation. Need a sample letter to tenant to clean up a balcony or a sample letter to tenant to clean up a yard? This letter works for those scenarios, too. It’s always a good idea to check with a lawyer for the specifics about clauses and dates.
This letter is in reference to the unit at (Address/Location) to inform you that I have noticed the condition of our property. Per your lease agreement signed on (Date), you must keep the property clean and well maintained. However, (describe issue in detail). This correspondence serves as an official request to correct the aforementioned deficiency within seven calendar days. You can correct the described problem by (describe steps the renter can take).
Thank you in advance for your prompt attention. Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
(Your Contact Information)
Though you can’t prevent every problem in advance, you can take certain steps beforehand to cut down the chances that you’ll run into a problem with renters later on. In addition to including details about cleanliness expectations in the lease agreement itself, carefully screening renters can go a long way.
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