What happens in Washington when the lease ends?
At the end of the lease term in Washington, either party can opt to end the tenancy. The landlord could choose not to renew the lease or the tenant could choose to not to renew the lease. If the owner wishes to end the lease, or end our management services, please send us written notice as described in your management agreement.
When we don't receive such notice, we will strive to make choices that will keep your rental property producing the highest possible net income. This means that we will often contact a tenant 6 to 8 weeks before the end of the lease in order to renew the lease.
At that point we give the tenant two options:
- Month-to-month --- This will include a large rent increase.
- Renew the lease --- This will lock the rental property up for another year with a small rent increase.
When tenants break the lease
Sometimes things happen which make a tenant to break the lease. If this happens, Nesbitt Realty tries to minimize the impact of this event on the owner. If a tenant leaves with little or no notice, this will surely cause the renter to lose the deposit but this is never a windfall for the property owner. That money is consumed by paying for vacancy and the cost of acquiring a new renter .
Readying the property
We will have the carpet professional cleaned upon renter move-out and the actual cost of carpeting will be deducted from the renter 's security deposit, per your lease.
We recommend that the landlord replace the carpet every 5 to 7 years. We recommend that the rental investor paint every 5 to 7 years.
Utilities
During vacancies we will either put the utilities in our name or in the landlord's name.
Landlord Reference
a useful archive for landlords in Washington
- Before you rent out your rental property in Washington
- Collections and evictions
- Communications with the tenant
- During tenancy
- End of tenancy and what happens when a renter breaks the lease
- How does the property owner get paid?
- How your property management company handles the association and your community
- How your property management company handles utilities
- How Nesbitt Management finds renters
- Insurance matters for landlords using our rental management
- How Nesbitt Management handles keys
- Washington rental investor responsibilities
- Maintenance, repairs & inspections for your rental investment in Washington
- The move-in inspection
- Property management information form
- Selling a 1031 tax exchange & more
- Starting our management of your property
- When property owners don't yet know their new address
- Vetting tenants in Washington