Hello, Happy New Year to everyone. My question is regarding snow cleaning from my properties. How do you get your tenants to do the snow shoveling. I have 3 unit home with a two car driveway and two family home with a two car driveway. I want them to clean the snow. How do you structure your lease for snow cleaning? How do you avoid getting fined by the city if the tenant doesn't do it. State Specific Question About: NEW JERSEY (NJ)

I would send out a reminder after a snow that it is their responsibility to clear the snow.

If I where fined, I would pass the fine onto my tenants. Hopefully there is a clause in you lease addressing the application of payments. So any monies collected are first applied to fines, repair costs, etc. and last rent. That way if they only pay the rent amount, you can take them to court for non payment of rent. For example lets say the rent is $1000 & there is a $250 fine the tenant is responsible for paying.

You can word your rental agreements anyway you wish regarding who's responsible for shoveling snow, but for your city, you will remain the responsible party for clearing snow from common city properties, like sidewalks.

Be sure to check your local law. As a generalization, the landlord is responsible for snow removal in multis.

Possibly, tenants can be responsible in a multi only if each unit has a separate sidewalk and drive for their exclusive use.

" You can word your rental agreements anyway you wish regarding who's responsible for shoveling snow "

But the sidewalk is Common Area property and NOT part of the rental premises (and is dedicated to the city), and thus it is NOT the tenants' responsibility to keep clear regardless of what is in your lease.

You can write it into your lease. For a duplex, one way to do it is for the tenants to alternate months that they are responsible. With a three-family it gets trickier. You might just want to include the service and charge a little more for rent.

You will never be able to make your tenants work together to get something done. No sense in making your life difficult by trying it. You will be on the hook with the city and you will be responsible if someone hurts themselves.

I give tenants with separate entrances and driveways a $100 per month credit for PAYING someone of their own choice for doing this chore during the months of December through March. And it seems to have worked well for almost ten years. Have I just been lucky?

You stated you have a 3 unit home. I stopped right there and also skipped the responses. Quick and only answer: Hire out the snow removal.

John