Kerry from Florida had a tenant pass away in the middle of a fixed lease term. How should she handle the remaining unpaid rent with the estate, and who should pay for all the extra marketing fees to find a new tenant?

Ask Lucas 034: What’s the Best Way to Calculate Income for Joint Applicants?

Jan 6th, 2017

Joanne from Seattle is asking how to calculate the income requirement when you are screening multiple joint applicants. Do you use gross or net income when comparing to the rent amount, and what deductions do you look for?

Ask Lucas 033: Am I Allowed to Collect Double Rent?

Dec 23rd, 2016 5m 36s

Kelly asks "am I allow to collect double rent on a property when one tenant moves out early?" It's a question that all landlords ask themselves at one point or another. Learn what Lucas recommends, and why.

Ask Lucas 032: Must I Give the Landlord Access to Show the Property?

Dec 16th, 2016 5m 40s

Trudy from Colorado is asking about the landlord's right to access the property in order to showcase it to prospective applicants. Does she have let him in or can she force him to wait until after she moves out before showing the property?

Ask Lucas 031: Should I Charge a Pet Fee or Pet Deposit, and How Much?

Nov 19th, 2016 6m 4s

Sharon from California wants to allow pets in her rentals. However, she's not sure what kind of pet fees or pet deposits she should ask the tenant to pay. Lucas gives his recommendation, and some additional tips for handling pets.

Ask Lucas 030: How Do You Perform an Annual Property Inspection?

Nov 11th, 2016

Brenda from Oregon is asking how to perform a yearly property inspection, and what to watch out for when communicating with tenants.

Ask Lucas 029: Are Bedbugs a Landlord’s Responsibility?

Nov 4th, 2016

Gwen from London is asking about her obligations as a landlord to eradicate bedbugs from her rental in New York City. The bedbugs appeared after the tenant moved in, and she suspects the tenant brought them in to unit. What should she do?

Ask Lucas 028: What is a “Holding Deposit” and How does it Work?

Jul 22nd, 2016

Jenny is wondering what is the best practice for a "holding deposit" or "good faith deposit", and can it be non-refundable? How does it work?

Ask Lucas 027: A Property Management Q&A Marathon

Jun 30th, 2016 1h 26m

Q&A Summary:A recording from our latest live Q&A webinar. Listen to Lucas Hall answer over 20 questions about landlording and property management.Landlordology and Ask Lucas are brought to you by Cozy.

Ask Lucas 026: What are the Best Digital Signature Tools for a Rental Lease?

Dec 1st, 2015 9m 41s

Blake from Maryland is wants to sign a lease with a remote applicant who is currently living in Texas. Will a digital signature hold up in court and what are the best tools to digitally sign a lease?

Ask Lucas 025: How Do I Handle a Short-Term Squatter?

Nov 6th, 2015

Ben from California is asking if he can move back into his condo that has been highjacked by a friend, who is now a short-term squatter.

Ask Lucas 024: Do I Have To Fix That Window?

Sep 16th, 2015

Leah is asking about a landlord’s responsibility to fix issues that might affect habitability verses cosmetic issues.

Ask Lucas 023: Should I Add an Unqualified Applicant to an Existing Lease?

Sep 11th, 2015

Lindsey from Iowa asks about adding a very, very unqualified roommate to an existing lease. What are her options and what would I do in this situation?

Ask Lucas 022: Tenant Screening in Less than an Hour?

Jul 16th, 2015 5m 39s

Francie from Indiana asks about my methods to screen tenants quickly and effectively. Quality tenant screening requires reviewing lots of documentation and talking to other landlords. Learn how I do this in 1 hour or less.

Ask Lucas 021: Why Don’t You Collect Last Month’s Rent?

May 18th, 2015

Ryan asks about last month's rent, and why Lucas doesn't ever collect it. Is there a better way to provide security against a tenant who abandons the last month's payment?

Ask Lucas 020: Does the 3-Day Right of Rescission Apply to Rental Contracts?

May 13th, 2015

Jill from Key West, Florida was promised an apartment but it was rented to someone else instead. She's wondering if the landlord has the right to cancel the agreement with the other tenant within three days, and then sign a lease with her.

Ask Lucas 019: Can I Split Utilities by the Number of People in Each Unit?

Apr 6th, 2015 9m 13s

Danielle asks a follow-up question to episode 18. Wouldn't it be better to split the utilities by the number of people in each unit, rather than square footage, and what are the pros and cons of doing so?

Ask Lucas 018: What’s the Best Way to Split Shared Utilities in a Multifamily Property?

Apr 2nd, 2015 9m 22s

Elise from Utah asks about her seemingly high gas utility bill. The landlord manages the shared utilities, and it doesn't seem accurate. What's the utility responsibility of multifamily residents, and what is the best way to divide it among the

Ask Lucas 017: An Interview with Money Radio from Phoenix Arizona

Mar 26th, 2015 6m 41s

Lucas Hall is interviewed by Money Radio 1510 AM, from Phoenix Arizona. How did you get started, and why do you invest in buy and hold rentals, rather than flips? How can Landlordology and Cozy help a new Landlord? How is it free?

Ask Lucas 016: What are the Rules for Entering and Showing an Occupied Property?

Mar 18th, 2015

Michael from Fresno, California is a new landlord, and needs to show his property to a prospective tenant. Can Michael showcase the property while the dwelling is occupied by a tenant, and what are the rules for giving proper notice?

Ask Lucas 015: Handling Abandoned Personal Property and a 25-year-old Desk

Mar 10th, 2015 5m 38s

Sue has a tenant who is leaving behind a 25-year-old desk. What does she need to do in order to prepare the unit for the next tenant, while complying with laws on abandoned person property in California?

Ask Lucas 014: What Makes a Room a “Bedroom”?

Oct 29th, 2014 6m 38s

Larry from Massachusetts asks about the rules and regulations to create a bedroom or sleeping space in a basement or attic. What requirements help make a room into a "bedroom"?

Ask Lucas 013: Should I Include Utilities in the Rent Price?

Oct 20th, 2014 7m 50s

Amy is wondering if she should include the cost of utilities in the overall price of rent, or manage them independently and then bill the tenants separately. Lucas discusses the options and provides a third (and better) alternative.

Ask Lucas 012: Are Online Rental Applications More Secure than Paper Applications?

Sep 17th, 2014 7m 50s

Cynthia asks about Cozy and is concerned about online security. She is also wondering if she needs to collect paper versions of the rental applications before sending the applicants to Cozy to setup accounts.