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6 ways tenants violate lease agreements

On Behalf of | May 9, 2023 | Landlord/Tenant Matters |

A lease agreement ensures that a property owner and tenant understand each of their obligations and rights when renting an apartment. Tenants must comply with any terms in a lease agreement, otherwise, they would be in violation of their agreement.

Lease violations happen frequently, however. Here’s what you should know:

1. Unauthorized pets

Many lease agreements have no-pet restrictions or a pet limit. If tenants are allowed pets, they may be liable to pay one-time and monthly pet fees. However, a landlord may find that their tenant has unauthorized pets. Some pets may be allowed if the tenant has a service animal.

2. Smoking

Smoking can cause a lot of damage to apartments. Furthermore, tenants may disturb others who live in the same building. This is why many landlords prevent smoking indoors. A tenant who is caught smoking may be violating their lease agreement.

3. Property damage

Landlords put a large amount of trust in tenants. They expect tenants to respect and not damage apartments. But, property damage does happen and tenants may clarify that is a prohibited action.

4. Long-term guests

Many tenants have guests over. But, guests who overstay their welcome are practically tenants living on a property without authorization. Lease agreements may place limits on how long guests can stay with a tenant. 

5. Noise violations

No one likes waking up before work in the middle of the night because a tenant is making noise. Landlords often understand this is a possible issue and include quiet hours in their leases. 

6. Unpaid rent

The biggest issue that leads to tenant lease violations happens for the simplest reason: unpaid rent. There’s often no question whether a tenant violated their lease agreement if they haven’t paid their rent — unless they’re withholding payments and keeping them in escrow to force the landlord to make repairs or something similar. 

If you’re involved in a conflict between a landlord and tenant, then it may be paramount to understand your legal rights.