Buying a Duplex with existing tenants.

[Joseph Rushing]

I'm in the process of buying a duplex and a single family home in MS.  They're both already being rented and have been for almost 3 years.  I live in a pretty low income area so most rental amounts are around $500-$600 a month with $100 deposit.  Most renters in my area are on some form of government assistance so while they're not going to be the most ideal tenants,  Uncle Sam will essentially be paying most of the rent.  My question is how to keep these tenants who seem to be settled in but enforce a new standard of "Expectations"?  I have absolutely no plans on being a slumlord but understand the market in my area also.  There are plenty of slumlords here who let their properties waste away and that is not my intention at all.   

[Jacob Sampson]

If they are in a current lease then that will stand until it ends.  If they are reasonable leases they probably have things you can begin to enforce that just haven't been being enforced in the past.  Once the lease duration is up you can have the tenants sign a new lease that has everything you want in it.