While many landlords and tenants are on good terms with each other from the start, a landlord-tenant relationship can take work. There can be an incompatibility in opinions and expectations, and several barriers may exist before a positive working relationship can happen. With enough time and effort, a good relationship can be facilitated even with tenants you might find difficult to work with at first!
Landlords have a lot of control over creating a professional and friendly relationship with their tenants, and the ability to accomplish this is advantageous. Below are a few suggestions that can help landlords build and strengthen ties with their tenants!
1. Making Time to Communicate
It’s helpful to talk regularly with tenants. Periodic check-ins will provide you with the chance to serve your tenants better. You’ll be able to understand their needs and develop solutions. You can also prevent certain issues from spiraling when you’re able to address the root of their concerns.
For instance, your tenant may love cooking, but the oven is outdated and they’re having trouble with it. By speaking to the tenant, you will have the opportunity to hear their wishes, and you can then consider replacing the oven with an updated model.
On top of improving your landlord-tenant relationship, this may limit the tenant’s desire to move out and find a more suitable space for their needs, giving you the benefit of having a long-term tenant.
2. Providing a Tenant Portal
In this age where convenience is prioritized, having a tenant portal is necessary. Your tenants can perform most tasks in one place. They can report maintenance issues, check the status of the requests, and pay their rent.
Efficiency is part of boosting the success of your rental business. If you’re able to maximize the technology available, then it will help retain long-term tenants. Tenants will be happy to know their time and energy are being valued when you offer simplified solutions like online resources.
3. Respecting the Privacy of Your Tenants
While you may own the rental space, this doesn’t mean you can come and go anytime you please. This can be disruptive for tenants. Your tenants are entitled to peace and quiet in their space, given that they pay monthly rent.
As a landlord, remember that tenants must be given privacy in their homes. Be sure to give notice before visiting and keep your visits at a reasonable frequency. It’s also nice to ask what time is convenient for your visit. They might have a lot of things scheduled, so it’s best to work out an arrangement first.
4. Performing Continuous Property Improvement
If you make improvements to your rental when needed and add some amenities, this will be a big boost to your landlord-tenant relationship. Showing genuine care for the comfort of your tenants has an impact. You can change fixtures and repaint the rooms, for example. Paying attention to small details can go a long way.
One way to be effective in property improvement is to put yourself in the tenants’ shoes. Would you be happy living there? What type of changes would you appreciate? Don’t always wait for the tenant to come to you. Showing initiative is great for improving your relationship with your tenants.
5. Thinking of Tenants Outside of a Business Mindset
Although you started your rental investment to generate income, being a landlord still means dealing with people. Prioritizing profits over making fair decisions can create a backlash.
For example, there might be instances that a renter has a family emergency. They might only be able to pay part of the rent. If they’d consistently paid their rent for 3 years, then perhaps you can accommodate the request to pay late this one time. Otherwise, you can lose a good tenant who just happened to undergo a personal crisis.
Try to be understanding when certain situations ask for it, but don’t be too flexible, either.
6. Prioritizing the Well-Being of Your Tenants
Your tenants are your customers and taking care of them is your responsibility. As a landlord, it will benefit you to find ways to keep your property a healthy and safe place to live in.
If issues with mold or pests come up, be quick to fix the issue. On top of treating your tenants respectfully, you’ll be keeping your property in line with the Fair Housing Laws.
Additionally, you can consider installing security features on your property. Tenants will be grateful for the added feeling of safety in their home and will appreciate you looking out for them.
7. Using Several Communication Channels
As we’ve mentioned, communicating with your tenant is vital in running your rental property smoothly. However, limiting yourself to a single channel to get in touch with tenants can cause problems.
Consider the flood of information that reaches us daily, from emails to messaging apps to phone calls. You want your tenants to see vital information you pass on while also having options for how they can get in touch with you.
As a landlord, there will be significant updates on policies, reminders, and notices to send. Consider calling, interacting face-to-face, emailing, and sending messages via apps. The more important the information, the more channels you should utilize.
8. Adopting Responsiveness and Approachability
Even the most experienced landlords have to expect issues to crop up while managing their rental. Adopt a responsive management style. Be accountable and address problems promptly when they come up.
Tenants trust landlords who can resolve problems quickly. They also value those that are approachable and flexible. They want someone who they can call on when troubles occur.
The more tenants can sense your sincerity in responding to their needs, the more loyal they’ll become. Why would they move out and go through an adjustment period when the landlord is receptive to their needs?
Bottom Line
Implementing these tips can be a great start in building an excellent landlord-tenant relationship. Become a landlord that’s easy to work with. Prioritize being on good terms with your tenants by applying these recommendations. Not only will your tenants be happy, but you’ll also benefit from keeping tenants long-term due to your management style!
If you need help with any aspect of property management, contact Evolve Nevada! Over the years, we’ve perfected our property management services to best suit the needs of both landlords and tenants. We’d be happy to speak to you about how we can help your real estate investment succeed!
