How to deal with Tenant?

[eddymvp]

If everyone goes well I will be officially a landlord next Thursday. This is my first time being a landlord and I don't know how to deal with the tenant that is currently living there. She wants to stay living there and that's fine with me as long as she pays her rent. The property was forclosure and she has been living there for a few months without paying rent. She was paying 1,050 for rent and I would like it to drop it to 1,000. 

I want her to give me a $1,000 deposit and pay the first month upfront. Do I have to get a notarize letter for this?

[Anonymous]

I would get a whole new lease agreement drawn up and signed by this tenant !!!

[Anonymous]

Tenants that have not paid rent in the past are likely to not pay rent in the future. I'd evict and start over if it were me.

[Anonymous]

I think the Op means that the tenant stopped paying rent becuase the property was being foreclosed upon.  The banks are not set up to be rental agencies and will sometimes let a renter stay just to keep the property occupied and in good standing as it more likely the home will not get vandalized and is often as cheap or cheaper then going through evicitions process.

[Anonymous]

I'm with mel, I'd do an entirely new lease and start over. 

[SonorityGenius]

If It were me, I would also evict the present tenant. Inspect the unit, make any "modifications" (paint, insulation, perhaps carpeting) notate the overall condition AND draft up a brand new lease and put a FOR RENT sign up! A new tenant, a new lease.

First of all, this tenant knows the flaws of the house. It was foreclosed upon and continued living there rent free= care free... I wouldnt trust them living there......

[Anonymous]

Definitely start a new lease at whatever rate you are comfortable with. 

[eddymvp]

How do I do a lease agreement?

[llecs]

I'm in VA and you can easily get copies at your local office supply place like Staples or Office Depot. I've also used ones found via google. If you go that route, make sure any specific state references within the rental agreement apply to your state. For example, don't send one to your tenant with Cali's codes listed if you live in Utah.

[Anonymous]

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@llecs wrote:
I'm in VA and you can easily get copies at your local office supply place like Staples or Office Depot. I've also used ones found via google. If you go that route, make sure any specific state references within the rental agreement apply to your state. For example, don't send one to your tenant with Cali's codes listed if you live in Utah.

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I too would say get a new lease.  I wouldn't say get rid of the tenant, because at this point, the tenant didn't do anything wrong.  If the bank won't take rental payments, should the tenant have paid the former owners, who weren't paying their mortgage so what would they have done with the money?  Especially when they no longer owned the property.  

However, if the tenant won't sign a new lease, make sure you know what your legal options are.  In other words in most states you can't tell the tenant to just leave, you need to at a minimum give them some kind of notice, and at a maximum start eviction proceedings in court.  If you make the wrong move, the tenant could end up suing you, even if they've never paid you any money at all.