One question you are sure to get asked frequently is whether or not you allow pets in your rental units. As of 2020, 70% of American households have at least one pet, and due to the COVID-19 pandemic pet ownership has skyrocketed. As a landlord, you will definitely want to consider allowing pets. At the same time, it is always a good idea to look at both sides of the equation to decide if the arrangement will work for you. Are pets worth the hassle?
Many landlords underestimate the importance of cybersecurity, as they do not believe they are amongst the most vulnerable for a cyber-attack. However, it is safe to say that as a landlord, your email inbox is packed with sensitive data such as your tenants’ full names, social security numbers, places of employment, credit history, addresses, and much more. This information is known as personally identifiable information, which is any data that could be used to distinguish one person from another. This information alone is all a cyber hacker needs to do damage to one’s life. Now, think about the several financial transactions a landlord engages in each year, from rent payments to security deposits, and imagine what could happen if a hacker got their hands on a landlord’s database.
As a landlord, if you do not take cybersecurity seriously, you leave yourself vulnerable to a cyberattack that could wreak havoc on your tenants’ lives, your life, and your business.