Yeehlow

It’s what every landlord and tenant dreams of – an open and pleasant relationship where both parties feel comfortable chatting to each other. As, when a landlord and tenant have good communication, you are far less likely to have problems during a tenancy agreement and you’re less likely to have a high-turnover of tenants.

The problem is, as a landlord, how do you build that great line of communication? All without feeling like you’re harassing your new tenants.

Only Remind Tenants in a Polite and Friendly Way

Yes, when signing a tenancy agreement, you tenant should take the time to read through every little detail. However, in most cases, even if they read everything in that agreement, it would be extremely difficult to remember everything. Which is why it’s so important that you never assume that a tenant is purposely going against your agreement.

Take, for instance rental payment, you might have agreed that your tenant pays in full on the 28^th of every month. So, when your payment is late, you will be concerned. However, that tenant might have been in another rental property for a number of years, where they sent over their rent on the 1^st of every month. Which means, it could easily be a genuine mistake.

By taking the time to contact them in a friendly way reminding them of your agreement, you’re far more likely to keep a tenant happy. You can even send over a copy of your signed agreement, so that they can refer to it in times of confusion.

Keep it Professional – Not Emotional!

When you have a tenant that is going against the rules you outlined in your tenancy agreement, it’s easy to let your emotions get involved. Especially if this is a property that you’ve previously lived in yourself, meaning it has a lot of sentimental value attached to it. However, you should keep your emotions in check when it comes to renting!

For one, you shouldn’t send strongly worded emails or messages full of emotive words, as this is likely to receive an emotional (and often rebellious response). Instead send over a friendly and professional message referring to specific sections in your tenancy agreement or to appropriate legal legislation.

You should also keep your emotions out of your property decisions, particularly when it comes to creating unnecessary rules or blocking your tenant from making changes to the property. Yes, that flowery wallpaper might have been your gran’s pride and joy – for a tenant looking to make a house their home, though, it is often a deal-breaker and will lead to resentment and your tenants looking elsewhere.

Be Responsive to Your Tenants

If a tenant has taken the time to contact you over an issue or request, it is both polite and professional to reply to them ASAP. You should also be open to any requests they make, rather than shutting them down.

Also, be mindful of quiet tenants, as they might just be too nervous or anxious to ask you anything. So, make sure you touch base with these tenants every once in a while, to check everything is okay in the property.

Overall, when it comes to your tenants, always consider how you would like to be treated in a similar situation and act accordingly. You’ll find that your tenants are much happier and will want to stay with you longer.