Your Actions Dictate The Future
Just a quick potential revelation for you to think about when it comes to your tenant relationships. Think carefully about this next statement.
How you deal with your tenants when
issues arise sets the precedent for future interactions.
This applies to both sides of the interaction. My first example is how you react if the tenant has a problem like a broken appliance or problem with the property.
If you stall dealing with it, avoid getting back to the tenant, drag out the repairs or take shortcuts in dealing with the problem, the tenant will see this. That sets the precedent and in the future they believe you don’t care much about the property and by association them.
Be A Professional, Not An Amateur
Contrast this with reacting immediately, getting someone in to deal with it as quickly as possible, getting it resolved fast and keeping the tenant updated as to the progress or if there are delays. You have set the stage as someone who is professional, concerned about both the tenant and the property and you stand out from the crowd.
My second example will likely hit home to many of you who found me due to having to deal with problem tenants.
How you deal with excuses, missed payments and tenant issues sets a huge precedent. Telling tenants a late payment is ok sets a horrible precedent! Getting notice of a returned check from your bank and not immediately contacting the tenant is bad for your future!
Issues like these need to be addressed, penalized where necessary (and legal) and shown how they are an issue. Or they will reoccur!
To show you are serious, if this occurs with one of your tenants in the future, you need to write or type up a notice to the tenant explaining to them the issues. You don’t need to be a jerk, but you need to set the precedent that late, missed or NSF checks are unacceptable and if the practice continues you will take action.
Now sometimes these incidents just happen and they may be out of the tenants control, that’s why you shouldn’t be a jerk about it, but you have to set the precedent!
Good Tenant Relationships Help You
Long term, by establishing good tenant relationships you get rewarded with loyal long term tenants. And referrals. And less headaches.
Any of those bonuses are always great so setting yourself up for all three really can make your job as a landlord easier.
Here’s another article showing what happens when you have great tenant relationships, Thank You For Being Such an Awesome Landlord