New Landlord - Can I end the Lease Early?

[Peyton Culberson]

Hi everybody! I am a new ish landlord in Arlington. I own a property that I rent out by the room. I originally lived in it, but just bought my second property and moved out, and had someone move into my room (4 bed, 3 bath, all 4 bedrooms are rented out individually). 

This new person who moved in is already causing issues. It is day 3. She is being loud, keeping the roommates awake (like 4am late), inviting guests over and leaving them in the house by themselves, etc. The roommates have issues with this, obviously. Luckily, it is only a 3 month lease. But, my question is, is there a way I can end her lease early without potentially putting myself in a bad situation? 

She has been loud in the backyard way past noise ordinance times. I can do cash for keys, but I would like to stay away from that if possible. In my lease, noise ordinances are a reason to end the lease early. I just want to see if there is a way I could get her out of there, before pissing off the other 3 tenants, but also something that is legal and would not open me up to a lawsuit type of situation. 

[Nathan Gesner]

Yes, you can terminate a lease based on their violations. 

I would start with a written violation and demand they clean up their act or move out. If they violate the terms again, demand they leave. If they refuse to leave, start the eviction process. If you don't know how to do any of this, I recommend you hire an attorney to help you with the process.

Do yourself a favor: buy "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" by NOLO. Written by attorney investors, it's full of practical advice about the management of investment property, has sample forms that can be edited, and - most importantly - tells you what your primary state laws are and where you can read them. It's updated yearly and is the best $40 you'll spend as a Landlord.