Beware of Criminal Activities of Tenants Part I: Landlord Liability

When illegal activities occur on your property, it negatively impacts the value of your rental property and, more importantly, you could be found liable for your tenants’ criminal behavior.

One of the most problematic and common criminal acts to occur in rented space is drug production and dealing.

There are a number of ways you can be held responsible for illegal drug activity engaged in by your tenants.

• Neighbors or other tenants who are injured or disturbed by drug-dealing tenants have the right to sue the landlord. The landlord will be sued on the grounds the property is a public nuisance, which threatens public safety or morals.



• The landlord may be charged heavy fines by local, state or federal authorities for allowing any illegal activity to continue on a rental property.



• A landlord can be held criminally responsible, by law enforcement officials, for knowingly allowing drug dealing on their property.



• The government has the right to confiscate your rental property if the presence of drug dealers is discovered.

There are important measures that should be taken by all landlords to limit liability for criminal activity on their property. Landlords need to attract and retain quality tenants to reduce potential issues at their properties.