An issue I always run into in my landlord-tenant practice is the do-it-yourself owner who wants to maintain a landlord-tenant relationship and do everything from another state. This is often a huge problem for landlords who live quite far away. If a problem arises, they may have to travel long distances to handle their rental business.
For example, many landlords who own property in California are not happy when I tell them they have to appear personally in California for unlawful detainer/eviction trials when their tenant has failed to pay rent and a court appearance is required. Many landlords say, “I hired an attorney, why do I need to attend? That’s why I hired you.” Here’s how I respond. Although an attorney can present your case to the court, an attorney cannot testify to the facts of your case. Because you decided to maintain your properties yourself and do everything, from entering into the lease agreement to collecting rent, you are the chief witness I need to present your legal problems to the court. I need evidence to proceed in evicting the problem tenant.
Landlords can save themselves the hassle of dealing with tenant problems and flying to out-of-state hearings by employing good property managers to handle the properties on their behalf. Many full-service property managers will not only rent out your units but they can also appear in court on your behalf. This is because the entire landlord-tenant relationship is established with the property manager and not you, the owner. If you have other business ventures or just want to live out of state, think twice about managing your own properties!
