(STL.News) Maintaining a positive relationship with your tenants is good business. The quality of that relationship can affect whether or not they renew their lease, how well they care for your property, and your long-term ability to collect rent.
When you work to build trust and treat your tenants as professionals, you are less likely to encounter unnecessary conflicts and will be able to better protect your investments.
Read this guide as we outline how maintaining open lines of communication, treating tenants fairly, and establishing and enforcing standards help you attract responsible tenants and develop and maintain financially successful rental properties.
How Can Landlords Build Trust with Tenants
Trust is built when the landlord communicates clearly and fairly about property management practices, as it demonstrates consistent performance and presents a level of professionalism and reliability.
Clear Communication from Day One
Establishing trust with a new tenant can be accomplished by establishing clear expectations before the tenant moves into the property. Explain all terms of the lease, including the policies and responsibilities, in simple terms, rather than in legalese terms.
Clearly explaining your expectations for the tenancy will help prevent miscommunication that could lead to future disagreements or disputes, and will show you value clarity over confusion.
Consistent and Fair Enforcement of Policies
If you apply your rules inconsistently, you are eroding trust between you and your tenants. If you treat each tenant differently, your tenants may feel that you are making decisions based on your personal feelings rather than strictly adhering to your policies and procedures.
As such, you need to ensure that you consistently enforce your lease terms and policies across all tenants. This consistency is one of the many things renters look for when finding accommodation.
Responsiveness and Follow-Through
The amount of time it takes for you to respond to your tenants is important. The longer it takes for you to respond to a request or concern, the less likely your tenants will continue renting from you.
When a tenant contacts you about a problem, let them know that you have received their message, and provide them with a timeline for when you plan to resolve the issue.
Providing regular updates on the status of the issue until it has been resolved can help reinforce your commitment to resolving the issue and demonstrate that you take concerns seriously.
Professional Representation
As a landlord, you have a lot to lose if there is a conflict between two of your tenants. A professional property management company provides an objective and impartial third party who can act as a liaison between you and your tenants to resolve conflicts and other problems that arise during the tenancy.
Aside from resolving conflicts, Northern Virginia property managers help investors navigate one of the region’s most competitive rental markets. These professionals ensure that your property remains legally compliant and profitable all year.
Landlords and Ethical Behavior: Best Practices for Fair Management
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Ethically managing your properties will protect your reputation as the property owner and your rental income. By complying with all laws, you reduce the number of disputes you experience, increase tenant cooperation, and therefore improve the overall performance of your rental operation over time.
Treat Tenants with Respect and Dignity
The way you interact with tenants in everyday situations will be how they perceive you. If you speak to them professionally, respond calmly to their questions or concerns, and treat them respectfully, they will understand that you value them as people, not simply as a source of income.
Through this type of relationship, you will have cooperative tenants, less conflict, and your tenants will treat the property as if it were their own home.
Maintain Safe and Habitable Living Conditions
You have a legal obligation, including an ethical obligation, to provide your tenants safe and habitable living conditions.
You can accomplish this by addressing needed repairs in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with local health and safety codes, and avoiding deferring necessary maintenance to save money.
Besides your legal obligation, maintaining safe living conditions shows a commitment to landlords and ethical behavior.
Use Fair and Consistent Screening Practices
In order to be considered fair and unbiased in the screening process, you will need to have an established set of rules and requirements that apply to each applicant.
The use of fair and consistent criteria in the application process reduces the likelihood of litigation resulting from discriminatory practice. It also builds confidence among prospective renters that they will be treated fairly and gives you peace of mind knowing that your decision to rent or deny an application was made based on legitimate qualifications, not bias.
Handle Rent and Lease Changes Transparently
The amount of rent you charge your tenant will depend on current market conditions. Therefore, as a landlord, it is also your responsibility to notify them with an adequate amount of time prior to any increase in rent or change in terms of their lease.
The more information a tenant has about any changes being made to their lease, the less likely they are to be confused or resentful of such changes.
Simple Tips to Maintain Respectful and Professional Relationships
A positive tenant-landlord relationship is built by how you treat them daily. What matters are the small but consistent actions, and when done right, can prevent conflict, strengthen boundaries, and make you look more professional.
Here’s how to maintain a respectful relationship with tenants:
Document All Communication and Actions
Documenting every communication or action taken by either party through lease, notice, inspection, or maintenance request will assist in reducing disputes between landlord and tenants. It will also clarify misunderstandings or serve as evidence when issues escalate to litigation.
Separate Business Decisions from Emotion
Emotional responses to rental issues create additional stress, which leads to bad decisions. Facts, policy, and documentation should be relied upon for dispute resolution. Maintaining a professional demeanor will help resolve disputes with your tenant in a calm manner, as well as maintain fairness and integrity.
Respect Tenant Privacy and Legal Boundaries
Before entering a tenant’s property, you have to follow the legal requirements of sending a notice to enter the property, and limit your entry into the property if it is not necessary.
Respecting the privacy and security of a tenant’s space helps establish trust between landlord and tenant, and limits future conflict, leading to a possible rent renewal.
Plan Preventive Maintenance in Advance
Emergency situations can be reduced by doing proactive maintenance. Regular inspections will help find problems before they become major repairs. This is an example of preventative planning that protects your investment, lessens your repair costs, and shows your commitment to providing a safe environment with good housing.
Conclusion
Building a good rental experience is about more than just getting paid. When you keep communication lines open and fair, treat tenants with integrity and professionalism, and create mutual trust, you can establish a stable relationship that will last in the long run.
Fairness is a major factor in reducing tenant turnover, maintaining the quality of your rental property, and creating a reliable source of income. The key to standing out in today’s competitive rental market is to show tenants you care about them and their needs, and to be consistent and safe.
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