Landlords: Creating The Best Rental Experience
By Paul Esajian on January 20, 2014
For some, being a landlord is not all that it is cracked up to be. The job requires a careful attention to detail and a willingness to put out constant fires. At the end of the day, the cash flow must be worth the headaches. However, many landlords are not aware that their tenants happiness is dependent on their service, and the other way around. It is up to a landlord to provide the best service they can so that the tenant feels inclined to reciprocate their appreciation. Between the screening process, the actual property and how a landlord takes care of their tenants, there are many things that can be done to ensure the best possible renting experience.
Bad landlords pay little attention to their tenants. In other words, they do not expect to hear from or see the tenants for the duration of the lease. If you want to do everything possible to ensure you get rent on time every month and that your tenant treats your house as if it were their own, you need to be in constant contact with them. This does not mean that you have to show up at the house unexpected every week, but you should have an open line of communication with them. They should never be afraid to tell you if something is wrong with the house or if something needs fixing. The quicker you can take care of these small items, the more your tenant will appreciate you as a landlord and value the situation they are in.
Little things are important in every aspect of life and business. If you can take the time to provide your tenant with a shovel, batteries for the smoke detectors, light bulbs and other seemingly small items, they will appreciate it. You certainly don’t have to do these things but if your tenant is having a party, they will probably be sure to tell their guests to respect the house. If you go the other way and take three days to return a phone call and another three to fix something simple, there is no way to tell how they will react. Their disdain may take the form of a late rent check or neglect to inform you of a broken appliance that will cost more in the future.
Simply put, the little things go a long way in the eyes of a tenant. Many landlords will freak out and panic if the rent is a few days late. You certainly don’t want to set a precedent for late payments, but instead of calling and screaming, find out what the problem is. It could have been an oversight, it could be mailed already or there could have been some other emergency that caused it to be a few days late. A few days could turn into a week or it could just be a one month thing. Either way, if you push too hard, you can lose your tenant and have to worry about a vacancy and eviction rather than getting your rent a few days after the first of the month.
How you treat your tenants can reveal a lot about you as a landlord and the success you may come to experience (or not). Keep this in mind the next time they call to tell you the bathroom light is out or the toilet is clogged. Taking care of these items is a minor inconvenience compared to finding a new tenant.