TEMECULA, CA. – Do you have one or more hoarding tenants? If so, most rental finding andProperty Management companies will agree that dealing with hoarders can be one of the most complicated problems an owner can deal with but the good news is that there is a way to do it correctly if you follow these tips.
How to Deal with Hoarders
Step 1 – Move forward with caution – One important thing to remember about most hoarders is that hoarding can be classified as an obsessive-compulsive disorder and people who have this disability should be handled with caution because they are also protected under the Fair Housing Act.
Step 2 – Determine if the hoarding violates the Warranty of Habitability – As a landlord, your primary responsibility is to make sure that you provide your tenants with a property that’s in habitable condition.
This means that it has working plumbing, electrical, heating, is pest free and move in ready for your tenants.
Your tenants must also do their part to keep the property in habitable condition and if they’ve violated their lease responsibilities or made it difficult for other tenants in your building to enjoy their rentals then you should take action.
Step 3 – Offer to help your tenant – Last of all, but most important, you should offer to help your tenant clean up their rental by bringing in a dumpster and offering to hire someone to help them clean.
If the tenant refuses to take action and clean up their rental property then the next step that you should take after consulting with an attorney is to begin eviction proceedings.
Johana Williams is a Regional Manager at Utopia Management with more than 20 years in property management and operational leadership. She writes about property management, landlord-tenant rules, and the rental market for Utopia Management.
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