From a business perspective, it makes total sense for landlords to have a good relationship with their tenants, however, this is often not the case. Having a good relationship with your tenant is more likely to result in their longer term commitment to renting from you and problems and issues are less likely to arise. In this guide, we’ll provide some tips for improving your relationship with your tenants.
One option for many landlords, however, is to use a company, like Pat Robson & Co, which specialises in property management services. This means landlords can rest assured that experienced professionals will be on hand to maintain a good relationship with tenants on their behalf. But for some landlords, they prefer to privately deal with tenants without a third party and therefore the following tips may be particularly useful.
The importance of a good tenant-landlord relationship and how to achieve it
There are many benefits of establishing a good relationship with your tenants. Below are some of the key principles to help achieve this.
Communication
Good communication is the hallmark of any good relationship and it is especially important when it comes to landlords and tenants. For landlords, it’s important to be responsive and available, but you don’t want to come across as overbearing or invasive, therefore, it’s all about getting the balance right.
It’s important for your tenants to feel at home in your property, so you don’t want to be checking on them constantly and be intrusive. Checking up on your tenants every often is a safe bet and getting in contact every six to eight weeks is probably a good idea and shows that you care. Of course, you should always exchange contact details for updates and advise them to ring you in case of an emergency.
Listen to feedback
Listening to and acting upon feedback can help you make improvements that will benefit you in the long run. It’s important that tenants feel like they are being listened by their landlord and that they can express their observations and highlight any issues they may have. If there are any changes you can make from tenant feedback, it’s important to do so as this will likely have a positive impact on the future.
Put yourself in the tenant’s shoes
Whilst a rental property may be a great investment for landlords, it’s important to remember that for tenants, the property is a home – somewhere where they will be living and creating memories. Being able to emphasise with your tenants is more likely to result in a stronger relationship.
Being understanding of any issues they may be having and being compassionate will likely build up more trust. It’s always a good idea to try imagining how you would feel if you were in the tenant’s position.
Make your tenant feel wanted
Showing appreciation for your tenant and making them feel wanted should be something all landlords do. After all, you should be thankful for them as they are the ones paying you.
A few small gestures can go a long way in making your tenant feel wanted. Tokens of appreciation such as Christmas and Birthday cards can go a long way and these gestures can be memorable for tenants who may have had bad previous experiences with landlords.
Understand the tenancy agreement
Having a good understanding of the tenancy agreement in place is always recommended for both tenants and landlords. Understanding the tenancy agreement means it’s less likely for issues to be drawn out and any problems can be sorted out quicker.
Be proactive
Being open and honest about issues and actively trying to sort them out is likely to help strengthen your relationship with your tenant. Addressing any issues with the property and proactively trying to sort them out before they are even mentioned by the tenant, shows that you are keeping on top of the property maintenance and care about the tenant’s living environment.
Having a strong relationship with your tenant can make a huge difference to how smoothly the letting period runs. It can also make it more likely that your tenant decides to extend their agreement with you, providing they are happy with the property and there are no changes in personal circumstances.
If handling everything seems like it might be too much for you or you think you might not have the time, you can always choose to use a property management company. At Pat Robson & Co, we provide a dedicated service for landlords and will manage your property whilst maintaining a professional relationship with the tenants.
