What about hoarding? I’ve heard that seniors hold onto everything. I don’t want to have nuisance on my property.
It isn’t only seniors that suffer from hoarding disorders. Studies have projected that one out of twenty Americans suffer from hoarding disabilities. The exact number of hoarders is difficult to determine since hoarding behaviors can remain undetected for months or years. It is often only discovered when a complaint is received from a neighboring tenant or a maintenance request for entry is refused by the tenant that hoarding behaviors can become evident to property managers.
Any tenant who suffers from hoarding disorder can cause serious problems in property management. As examples, hoarding behaviors can cause:
- Risk of injury to others or to themselves,
- Damage to the rental unit, other units, or common grounds,
- Fire hazards,
- Blocked emergency exits,
- Pest infestations,
- Unsanitary living conditions, and
- Other habitability issues.
If you are concerned about nuisance, be sure to follow your rental policies and practices for regular property inspections for health and safety, maintenance inspections, and respond to tenant requests and complaints in a timely and appropriate manner.
You could consider adding language to your lease agreement that is covered with all tenants that clearly states your housekeeping standards, the tenant’s obligation to keep the rental unit in a clean and sanitary condition as provided at move-in, and the provisions for landlord entry for regular inspections for health and safety.
Fair Housing Act
Hoarding is a disability protected by the federal Fair Housing Act. Landlords must comply with the Fair Housing Act provisions for reasonable accommodations to try to help tenants with their disability. While reasonable accommodation is customarily requested by a tenant, a landlord or property manager should proceed with caution in dealing with a tenant hoarding situation. If the landlord or manager knew or should have known about the hoarding disability, there is a fair housing case to be made for the landlord/manager’s duty to accommodate the tenant to help resolve the issue. Care should also be taken to not extend special or extraordinary help that would not also be extended to other tenants as protected by the Fair Housing Act or your lease agreement. Legal advice may be appropriate before taking any action.