CRM Tenant Relations & Leasing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A prospective tenant asks if the property is in a flood zone. What is the property manager's best course of action?
- Decline to answer since it is not their responsibility
- Provide accurate flood zone information and direct them to FEMA resources (Correct answer)
- Tell them to check with their insurance agent only
- State the property has never flooded and leave it at that
Correct answer: Provide accurate flood zone information and direct them to FEMA resources
Property managers must disclose material facts, including flood zone status, and can refer prospects to authoritative sources like FEMA flood maps.
Question 2: Which lease clause protects a landlord if a tenant installs unauthorized alterations to the unit?
- Quiet enjoyment clause
- Restoration clause (Correct answer)
- Subordination clause
- Indemnification clause
Correct answer: Restoration clause
A restoration clause requires the tenant to return the unit to its original condition, protecting the landlord from costs associated with unauthorized alterations.
Question 3: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which residential property type is most directly covered regarding accessible common areas?
- Single-family rentals
- Properties with 4 or fewer units
- Multifamily housing with 4+ units built after March 1991 (Correct answer)
- All rental properties regardless of size or age
Correct answer: Multifamily housing with 4+ units built after March 1991
The Fair Housing Act requires that multifamily dwellings with 4 or more units built for first occupancy after March 13, 1991 meet accessibility design standards.
Question 4: A tenant on a month-to-month lease wants to terminate. How much advance notice is typically required from the tenant in most US states?
- 7 days
- 30 days (Correct answer)
- 60 days
- 90 days
Correct answer: 30 days
Most US states require a month-to-month tenant to provide 30 days written notice to terminate, though state laws vary.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of a co-signer on a residential lease agreement?
- To take over the lease if the primary tenant moves
- To provide additional security by guaranteeing rent if the tenant defaults (Correct answer)
- To share equal occupancy rights with the primary tenant
- To satisfy local occupancy permit requirements
Correct answer: To provide additional security by guaranteeing rent if the tenant defaults
A co-signer (guarantor) is financially responsible for rent and damages if the primary tenant fails to meet lease obligations, reducing the landlord's risk.
Question 6: When a tenant reports a habitability issue, what should the property manager do FIRST?
- Notify the owner and wait for approval before acting
- Document the complaint and schedule an inspection promptly (Correct answer)
- Remind the tenant they accepted the unit as-is
- Offer a rent reduction in lieu of repairs
Correct answer: Document the complaint and schedule an inspection promptly
The first step is to document the complaint and promptly inspect to assess the issue, ensuring compliance with the implied warranty of habitability.
Question 7: Which of the following is an example of illegal steering under the Fair Housing Act?
- Showing a family all available 3-bedroom units
- Directing a minority applicant only to units in a specific section of a complex (Correct answer)
- Requiring all applicants to complete the same application form
- Offering a move-in special to all new applicants equally
Correct answer: Directing a minority applicant only to units in a specific section of a complex
Steering means directing prospective tenants toward or away from certain units or neighborhoods based on a protected class, which violates the Fair Housing Act.
CRM Tenant Relations & Leasing 2
A prospective tenant asks if the property is in a flood zone.
What is the property manager's best course of action?