How do you handle problem tenants?

Questions that we are frequently asked as property managers in South Florida:

Q--What do you do when a tenant doesn’t pay the rent?

Also, how do you handle problem tenants?

      A-- When the tenant doesn’t pay rent on time we contact them to find out why. The law is very specific about what steps you need to take and how to take them. We are advised by the premier landlord/tenant law firm in the State of Florida (and we follow their advice). Most tenants do not want to be evicted, but they may need help solving their problem. This is where experience and judgment come into play. The same thing goes with “problem tenants”. There is no way to accurately predict whether or not an otherwise good tenant with a good prior history is going to become a problem. This is another situation where experience and mature judgment are valuable assets to have on your side.