Unauthorized Tenant

by Tim
(Toledo, Ohio)

My Renter just moved in an unauthorized Tenant. This is against his rental / lease agreement as he was the only one who signed the lease. Now he moved in his friend!
Can I evict my renter for breaking the lease?

ANSWER:

Yes, you can evict your Renter and his unauthorized Tenant for violation of the terms of the rental agreement.

On the peaceful side, send a notice to your Renter that you may be willing to add their guest to the lease if they intend to stay more than a week.

Adding the additional person could get you additional monthly rent. Have the "guest" fill out an application as you would for a new Tenant, do the background check as usual, and add that person to the lease.

I would rather increase the rent than evict when possible!

If adding the guest as a new Tenant is not wanted, send a Tenant Violation Notice to your Renter and explain...

... For instance, my lease allows visitors a 1 week period per month, as stated in the lease.
That's to provide for an out of town visitor to stay with them as anyone would like to have the right to entertain a guest or relative.

Your Renter moving in additional Tenants on a permanent basis, without approval of the Landlord,
without adding that person to the lease,
would be a violation of my rental / lease agreement,
and I would evict the renter and the unauthorized Tenant.

Note: Be sure to include the name of the unauthorized Tenant in the eviction papers and or, "all occupants".

Unauthorized Tenants are a Liability for the Landlord.

Not only should your Renter be responsible for his guest's actions, you as the Landlord become responsible for the actions of their guest as well.

If your occupants are not on the lease and you haven't did the background check, you won't know who you're doing business with!
That could become a problem if they were to have a criminal history.

Hope that helps,

Joe Trometer

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