If your relationship with your tenant goes sour or become combative, your ability to work productively together will decrease. The good news is, there are many things you can do as the property owner to foster a positive relationship with your tenant.
Perchance the most critical thing you can do to create a positive relationship with your tenant is to develop strong communication skills. Establish and maintain open lines of communication with your tenant. That way, when the tenant contacts you, respond quickly to their inquiries and address their issues. If you are unable to personally field tenant calls, then it is important to hire someone who can do it for you.
A quality property manager should be able to communicate effectively with your tenant on your behalf. Though it is not significant who will be communicating directly with your tenant, be sure to give your tenant plenty of clear information, explain why things are happening, and provide advance notice in case anything changes.
Another key factor of a positive tenant relationship is trust. As the Canoga Park property manager, you can encourage your tenant to trust you by following through on your promises. If you tell them that you will be somewhere at a specific time, show up at that time. If you inform your tenant about plans to fix or update certain parts of the property, give them a clear timeline for those repairs and then complete them as promised.
When a tenant begins to feel a sense of trust for their landlord or property owner, they are more likely to work cooperatively to keep the property in good condition and tell you about minor repair issues before they become big problems.
Additional components of a positive tenant relationship include respecting boundaries. As a landlord, it is imperative to set clear boundaries for yourself and your tenants. If you need to visit the property, be sure to give advance notice and set up a time that suits your tenant’s schedule. The last thing you want is for your tenant to believe that you have violated their privacy or their quiet enjoyment of the property to fulfill your interests.
Finally, you can foster a positive relationship with your tenant by listening to suggestions and documenting everything. Come up with a plan for your tenant to give you feedback on your rental property, and show them that you are considering those suggestions. It can be as simple as an email exchange, which would also provide you the opportunity to clarify your discussion directly with your tenant and provide documentation of your conversation.
It doesn’t make a difference in how you choose to communicate with your tenant, just make sure to document everything. Keep all emails, letters, notices, and voicemail messages related to your rental property and your tenant. When a dilemma or dispute occurs, this paper trail will be an invaluable resource for settling the matter swiftly.
As a property owner, it is in everyone’s best interest to keep things friendly and professional. Your success as a real estate investor depends upon good tenant relations. Keep your tenants happy and satisfied so they can assist you to increase your rental income for many years to come.
At Real Property Management West San Fernando Valley, we treat your renters and property with the utmost professionalism and respect. Call us at 818-727-0100 today, or contact us online to see what we can do for you!