Do you give your tenants more leeway due to eviction ban?

[Calvin Lin]

So I am wondering if any other landlords are giving their tenants more leeway for non-rent related transgressions during the pandemic eviction ban we are currently facing in various states and the recent CDC order?  For example, I am 6 months in on a first year tenant at a new townhouse who turned out to be very, very messy inside (but outside looks OK) but pays rent on-time every month so far and she gave me 2 months of rent as security deposit.  My lease specifies that she has to maintain a sanitary and habitable condition for the property, however you define that.  During normal time, maybe one would think about going the eviction route because maybe fear of pest situation developing, or longer term issue down the road in case some damages occur as a result of the mess.

But reading all the struggles other landlords are having at the moment due to non-paying tenants and no way to evict them, even if I could evict for non-payment reason (not sure if judges are also giving tenants more leeway for such things) I am thinking I should not be doing that and count my lucky star that I don't have someone who hadn't paid for many months and won't be able to evict for many more months, and I just tolerate the mess for now and when the lease expires in 6 months make a decision then, no reason to make a big fuss about it right now.

Wondering if other LL's are thinking the way I am?

[Theresa Harris]

Talk to her and tell her she needs to clean up and give her a hard deadline. Then do another inspection.