Should a Landlord rely on a Tenant to Pay their Bills?

As a Wellington Rental Agent I never recommend a landlord rely on the tenant to pay their bills especially if the bill is in the landlords name; mortgage, HOA dues, property taxes or even items that need regular maintenance like the pool or lawn.

Why? Because if the tenant doesn’t pay the landlords mortgage, HOA dues or property taxes THE LANDLORD will be the one held liable. If the tenant decides to forgo maintaining the pool or lawn because they want to save money THE LANDLORD is the one who may end up with a lien on their property, not the tenant.

While a Wellington landlord can take action against the tenant for failure to perform it will not erase the damage that was already done.

In my opinion a Wellington Landlord can avoid a possible headache by paying the bills and not relying on the tenant.

Should a Landlord rely on a Tenant to Pay their Bills?