Tenant has substance abuse issues. Can I help?
Tenant has substance abuse issues. How do I help?
Of course, it goes without saying if you have any concerns for the tenant’s safety, you should never hesitate to contact a local support agency.
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Acting solely as a landlord, when you and your tenant signed the tenancy agreement, you agreed to allow them a right to quiet enjoyment of the property. This means that they are entitled to live in the property as their home, without undue involvement by you.
Unless your tenant’s lifestyle choices doesn’t breach agreed terms of contract. Potential actions for a breach include but are not limited to :
- causing undue suffering or nuisance to any persons living in or around the property,
- causing damage to the property
- failing to pay rent or otherwise breaching the tenancy agreement
You have no grounds to issue any eviction notices, and it would be difficult to justify intervening.
That said, if you have concerns that lifestyle choices are having an impact on your tenant’s ability to manage the property safely, a maintenance visit may be a wise idea so that you can ascertain if there are any areas of concern that may be a risk for either the tenant’s ability to safeguard themselves, or your property. If there are any concerns, you have every right to raise these worries with your tenant – however it would be wise not to highlight that you feel this is due to any personal choices. Simply raise the concern and ask your tenant if there is any way you can work together to rectify the issue.
This may open the door for a conversation.
