Start By Making Life Easy For Tenants
Tenants really just want a place they can call home and a landlord they feel will look after them. By portraying yourself as a professional landlord, part of this can easily be accomplished.
If you come across as proficient and prepared it will help allay many of the fears tenants have, so here is a handy tip to help you with that.
We have an Emergency Call Number list that we install in every property inside the kitchen cupboard closest to the phone jack. This list has your standard emergency numbers like 911, the local police, non-emergency ambulance, fire department, poison centre, gas and electrical troublelines and of course our contact numbers listed at the bottom.
It’s a simple thing, but it’s just a little bit of comfort for a tenant and is incredibly easy to do. It’s also no accident that we are at the bottom of the list. If there is a fire, or emergency, we want to be called after the appropriate emergency people are called.
Advanced Professional Landlord Tip(s)
If you want to take this to the next level, print these sheets up and take them to Staples or Kinkos or an equivalent office place and have them laminated. We do this and then attach velcro to the backs and in the cupboard so we can easily change them out later if needed. This way they look more professional, they are more durable and it creates a better impression.
Also, if you have certain contractors you deal with all the time, such as a plumber or appliance repair person, include their numbers on there as well. All our tenants have access directly to our plumber and he even has a master key to all of our properties in case of emergencies.
You may want to have an arrangement in place ahead of time, but our plumber knows that if it’s general wear and tear causing the plumbing issues he bills us, if it is a tenant issue (ever had a child’s toy clog a toilet?), he bills the tenant directly.
Can You Be a Professional Landlord?
Do you think this is something you can implement immediately to help establish yourself as a professional landlord? Tell me your thoughts and if you have any additional suggestions or improvements let us know!!
Having contractors you trust makes a huge difference in your landlord business. It’s not always the best price, but it’s always the best relationships that help you succeed.