What Are the Different Kinds of Tenant Services?
Not everyone is looking for long-term ownership owing to their circumstances. This could be due to any reason, which includes:
- Shifting to a new city on a short-term basis
- Study purposes
- Work-related requirements
What Are Tenant Services?
Services for tenants include all services provided to tenants by or on behalf of sellers/ landlords. Tenants are charged for the services they avail such as renting a portion, apartment, or an entire home. The services they pay for include maintenance for their personal areas but common area maintenance is not included in this.
Thec last for variable periods agreed upon by the tenants and landlord. Each service has its own clauses which are made clear to each party before the tenancy period begins.
Types of Tenant Services
There are three main types of tenant services that the tenants can look into according to their requirements. By understanding the difference between these services, you can choose to get into a contract that is the most suitable for you.
Fixed-Term Tenancy
Just like its name, this service for tenants has a fixed end and start date, though some confusion are caused in understanding it because of its alternate name “tenancy for years”.
Though the alternate name is confusing, the tenancy term can be for years to come or even as short as a few weeks at a time. The tenancy period is agreed upon beforehand and under special circumstances, the tenancy ends before time, such as the start of winter. The tenant has to find their new abode accordingly as they cannot live beyond the date that has been agreed upon at the start of the agreement. You have to think your time through and then agree on the term to fix as a tenant.
Periodic Tenancy
In this type of service, you agree on a tenancy period that can be renewed or discontinued as per the agreement between the tenant and landlord.
The tenancy period is usually automatically renewed from month to month or year to year. This tenancy is long-lasting with successive rental periods. Though it can be ended with prior notice by the tenant or landlord amidst the contract period. In most states, the notice period is a standard 30-day notice but in states such as Washington, it is a 20-day notice by either of the parties.
If you plan on long-term rental, this is the type of service you can opt for.
Tenancy at Will
This is the most flexible arrangement you would find in all of the services available.
There are no defined rental periods from start to end in this tenancy type. There are no lease or rental contracts, though a notice period is required by both the tenants and the landlord to end the arrangement. The legal obligations for the tenants remain the same, if there is a breach of law, the agreement stands void. The legal breach could be related to unlawful property use, property damage, or unpaid rent, or paying to a non-related individual. Out of all three of the tenant services, this is the most common form of agreement.
Conclusion
There is a fourth type but it is not a service, rather a liability known as Tenancy at Sufferance/ Holdover Tenancy. This is when the tenant remains living in the property without paying rent or with the consent of the landlord. Court permission is required to evict the tenant in this case.
We prefer you choose one of the three mentioned above because the fourth is unlawful and against the ethical code.
Which type of tenancy service agreement would you be choosing to get into? Let us know in the comments below.
