Finding and keeping great Tenants is one of the most important things Landlords can do to get the most out of their rental property, building relationships with tenants is a critical part of this. The first step towards doing this is having a thorough Tenant Screening process that ensures you’re only renting to qualified Applicants.
Once you’ve found a great Tenant, you want to make sure that they stay in your property as long as possible. This will reduce your vacancy and turnover costs and make your job as a Landlord easier.
As a Landlord, you want your Tenants to be happy so that they’ll stay longer, consistently pay rent on time, and take care of the property. One of the best ways to do this is by proactively building and maintaining a good relationship with them.
Here are some tips from Pro Landlords about the best ways to build strong Landlord-Tenant relationships.
Communicate Well From Day 1
Good communication is one of the keys to good Landlord and Tenant relationships. There are a few things you can do to ensure that you establish good communication with Tenants from the outset:
- Use a comprehensive Lease Agreement that clearly outlines all rules, policies and responsibilities and leaves no confusion about who does what.
- Create a complete Lease Package to make sure Tenants have answers to all of their questions before move-in. This should include things like a welcome letter, information about parking, trash and recycling details, who to contact for maintenance issues, and other information that Tenants need before moving in.
- Take the time to talk with your Tenant at or before move-in to make sure that the Tenant understands all roles and responsibilities.
- Share with your Tenant your vision for the property, for example, a desire to make sure the Tenant feels comfortable and the property stays in good condition.
- Make sure that your Tenant knows how to contact you with questions, concerns, or maintenance requests. Encourage your new Tenant to contact you whenever necessary.
- Check in regularly with your Tenant and make yourself accessible.
- Listen to questions or concerns that the Tenant has.
Good communication is essential for strong Landlord-Tenant relationships, so it’s worth taking the time to set up systems and habits to make sure you and your Tenants effectively and consistently communicate.
Timely Respond to Tenants’ Requests
Another key to building a good relationship with Tenants is by keeping the property in good condition. Doing this not only helps build trust with Tenants, but also sends the message that you value them as Tenants, care about their comfort and safety, and prioritize keeping the property well maintained.
To do this, it’s important to promptly respond to maintenance and repair requests. As a good rule of thumb, on the same day as receiving a maintenance request, you should respond to your Tenant and let them know that you received the request. In the next couple of days, you should follow up and let them know when the repair will be done.
Respect Your Tenants’ Right of Privacy
Respecting your Tenants’ right to privacy is another effective way to build trust and a good relationship. It can be tempting to think that you can swing by for a quick repair or inspection without notice. However, keep in mind that once Tenants are in place, they have legal possession of the property.
It’s critical to always give Tenants adequate notice before entering. Some states have specific notice periods that Landlords must give before entering, so it’s important to know the notice requirements in your location. As a general rule, you should give at least 24-hours notice before entering for non-emergency reasons.
Always Be Professional
Whether you have one unit or 200 units, you should view your rental property as a business and consider the Tenant to be a valued customer. With this in mind, you always want to treat Tenants well and maintain a calm demeanor when interacting with them, even when dealing with difficult issues.
Part of being professional also means following through on things that you say you’ll do and always complying with set policies. Doing so will help set clear expectations for Tenants and will avoid conflicts that can damage Landlord-Tenant relationships.
Balance Firmness and Empathy
While it’s important to follow policies and to be firm when dealing with Tenants, it’s also a good idea to be reasonable and empathetic. This is a fine line because you don’t want to be taken advantage of as a Landlord and you need to run a profitable business. Nevertheless, the best Landlords are able to strike this balance and be firm yet empathetic.
This means that if a Tenant makes a request that is reasonable, do your best to accommodate them and to be flexible when appropriate. A little bit of flexibility and kindness can go a long way towards creating strong Landlord-Tenant relationships.
Leave a Welcome Gift
Finally, a welcome gift is a simple but effective way of building a good relationship with a new Tenant. Leaving a welcome gift in the unit is another way to show your new Tenant that you value them and that you want them to be comfortable in their new home.
This doesn’t need to be anything fancy – it could be as simple as household supplies, a gift card to a local restaurant, or a welcome basket with treats to make moving day a little more fun. It’s a small gesture but oftentimes these can have a big impact.
Set Yourself up for Success
In addition to the above tips, the best way to build and maintain strong Landlord and Tenant relationships is through good Tenant Screening and a thorough Lease Package. These tools ensure that you only work with great Tenants and that Tenants understand all rules, responsibilities, and policies before they move in.Visit ezLandlordForms.com to get all the tools you need to build and maintain good relationships with your Tenants.
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