Did you know most landlord lawsuits don’t start with bad tenants?
They start with missing documentation, outdated leases, or unclear communication.

It’s not the dramatic evictions that cost owners the most — it’s the simple, preventable mistakes that happen in daily management.

At Colonial Property Management, we recently analyzed dozens of landlord disputes and found three consistent warning signs before every legal issue:

🔹 1. The “Handshake Lease” Trap

A landlord uses an old or borrowed lease template. It’s missing key local clauses—like renters insurance rules or inspection access rights.

🔹 2. The “Verbal Agreement” Problem

A repair request is made in text, approved verbally, but never documented.

🔹 3. The “Missing Paper Trail”

Notices, photos, or inspection reports exist… somewhere. But not where anyone can find them when needed.

Whether you’re a broker guiding investors, an attorney reviewing leases, or an owner managing your own portfolio, our goal is all the same: avoid preventable risk.

Do it the way we do:

At Colonial Property Management, we document, timestamp, and store every inspection, notice, and tenant interaction.

So if questions arise, our clients don’t panic—they pull a report.