Zaraki KenpachiLandlords need good tenants to continue to run their property businesses successfully. At the same time, they need tenants who respect the facilities provided to them and are responsible enough to take good care of them. On the other hand, tenants need to feel like landlords care about them as people and not as a source of income. At the core of every relationship lies respect, and the landlord-tenant relationship is no exception.
So, when your tenants move into their rental rooms, how will you make them feel wanted and welcome? We have put together a list of seven landlord tips to help you remain in your tenants’ good books.
1. Gift basket for new tenants
When you’ve successfully rented out your room to a tenant, take the initiative and start your business relationship with a thoughtful gesture such as a gift basket. It can contain a list of restaurants, local vendor coupons, and affordable cleaning and home necessities to help them get through the first day without any hassles. It doesn’t matter what items you gift them or how much they’re worth. The real intent is to let your tenants know that you’re excited to build a long-term relationship with them and are willing to go the extra mile to meet their needs.
2. Birthday or holiday cards
Ask your tenants for their birthdays and make a note of them. Consider sending them holiday cards when the time is right. Besides birthday and holiday cards, a hand-written note, something you hardly see these days, will go a long way in creating a positive impression on your tenants, and in letting them know you’ll be there to help whenever the situation arises. Again, it’s not about the expense but the thought that counts, and is likely to bear fruit in your future interactions with your tenant. It’s a given that when you reach out to someone with a gesture, they’re bound to reciprocate at some point.
3. Create warmth in every room
Warmth is associated with friendliness and comfort, and when you’re comfortable, you feel joyful and at peace with yourself. One of the best ways to warm up your rental for your tenant, especially during the winter months, is to use rugs and textiles aplenty. Textiles are a great fit for rentals because they’re portable and can be changed according to season and mood. A suggestion is to replace high-pile rugs with flat-woven ones since thinner textiles tend to cool down interiors.
4. Bring in the outdoors
Plants work wonders in adding life and color to any space. Moreover, they don’t cost you much. Adding plants to your rental is an excellent way to keep your tenants happy and make them feel welcome and wanted. Plants also have long-term health benefits and lead to low stress and blood pressure levels.
5. Give local guidance
Your tenants may be new to the neighborhood and feel a little lost in the initial days of settling in. Here’s where you can step in and ease their anxiety by sharing a few suggestions or tips to help them navigate their way around the area. Share information on the notable restaurants, cafes, shops, and grocery stores in the area. Conversations such as these help you to connect with and build a rapport with your tenants.
6. Respond to questions and complaints quickly
While this may seem like an obvious thing to do, it doesn’t always happen that way. Responding to your tenants’ questions and complaints timely is the perfect way to let them feel respected and valued. If you’re unable to deal with the issue right away or within the timeline that your tenants prefer, drop them a message and let them know that you’ll address the issue soon. Share a doable timeline with them that you can stick to. Responding to issues helps build trust, and trust goes a long way in ensuring your tenants’ extended stay. Finally, if your tenants are aware of your response time for a problem, they’ll update you about a minor issue, such as a leaky faucet, before it turns into a bigger problem like months of water wastage once the faucet breaks completely.
7. Form a community
If you’re an apartment owner or have multiple properties in a neighborhood, take the extra step and throw a block party for your tenants to make them more included. Such events also help sociable tenants know and interact with more people while allowing introverted tenants to open up and take a greater interest in the community they live in and be more involved. Tenants will appreciate your thoughtful gesture and may even end up making more friends than they ever expected to. In the end, you’re likely to face fewer tenant squabbles.
No relationship can be built overnight and takes time and effort. The same rule applies to landlords and tenants. Investing a little time, effort, and money a few times a year on your best tenants yields long-term results that will benefit you the most. Most importantly, check on them occasionally and let them know from time to time, that you’re ready and willing to listen to their concerns and resolve them.
Hugh Hay
