Tips for Landlords

Welcoming your tenant could be great for you.

Why? Because if people feel good about you, they care more about what’s yours, and it doesn’t have to be very hard. What’s the old adage? You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar?  Here are just a few ways to make your tenants feel positive about your property and their home.

Ensure your Property Management team are respectful to your tenants.

I was once renting a unit.  I was really excited about the gardens, and keeping the place nice. Trimming the trees and keeping them from clogging the gutters. I was really motivated. I wanted to speak with the real estate on good terms, let them know of any issues for the benefit of the owner, and it was all going great.

Then I started receiving communications from the property manager’s assistant. They spoke to me as if I was some kind of sub-human underling. Their tone and manner was disrespectful and I completely lost my enthusiasm for the property.

I felt devalued. Any occasion requiring me to speak to the real estate first had me preparing to protect my dignity. Don’t let that happen. That’s not good for anybody. Your tenant won’t look out for you if you let them be treated with contempt.

A Welcome Pack.

Wouldn’t that be nice.

The main premise of this article is that being pleasant towards your tenants is a practical decision which could save you money, stress, time and turmoil.

Imagine a single mother or working family, they have just gone through the always stressful experience of moving houses, they finally get the keys to what could essentially be their new lives, they walk into the kitchen and there on the bench is a little reward for them, a welcome card and something sweet, a chocolate. What is their reaction? Probably a mixture of pleasant surprise and relief. Things have gotten off to a good start.

Their first impression of you will be positive and in future, in case of any unfortunate disputes, the foundation of your relationship is hinged on a simple act of kindness and that is priceless.

Hand Written Card.

Have a hand written card on the kitchen bench at the beginning of a new tenancy. Put something nice and genuine on it. Help set a pleasant tone for their new home and help set their associations with you to something positive. E.g:

Welcome to your new home…If you see anything falling apart, please let your Real Estate know. We might not be able to get it all fixed but we would really appreciate knowing how the house is going while it is your home.

 

Why not ask a favour in a friendly way?

In an upcoming article we will go through some specific recommendations to pass onto your tenants for general maintenance items to look out for.

In our office we are about to film a series of videos explaining simple tasks like unblocking drains, refilling hot water systems, checking the safety switch and other simple tasks to save tenants and landlords from common unnecessary costs of sending out tradespeople.

If you have any questions, feedback or recommendations about this article, be sure to send us your comments via email or  facebook.