A landlord-tenant relationship is more than just a financial relationship. Landlords rely on their tenants to take care of their property and respect their neighbors, and tenants rely on landlords to provide a comfortable living situation. Tenants and landlords often have to deal with each other personally on a regular basis.
A positive landlord-tenant relationship is critical for the happiness of both tenants and landlords, and it can even be good for the property itself. This guide explains the benefits of a positive, respectful landlord-tenant relationship, and it gives you tips on how to build successful relationships with your tenants.
Benefits of a Positive Landlord-Tenant Relationship
A positive relationship helps tenants feel more secure with their living arrangements, and it reassures landlords that tenants will respect their properties. Here are the main benefits of having a positive relationship with your tenants.
Increased Profits
Happy tenants are more profitable tenants. They renew their leases and stay longer. This means lower turnover costs and less vacancy risk.
Improved Communication
Good relationships lead to better communication between landlords and tenants. Happy tenants tend to communicate more proactively about maintenance issues, and this allows you to address concerns when they are small before they become bigger and more costly issues.
A tenant who doesn’t like communicating with their landlord, in contrast, may wait to reach out about maintenance issues, creating more damage and costing you more in the long run.
Better Care of the Property
Tenants who have positive relationships with their landlords are more likely to take better care of the property. They respect you, and by extension, they respect your property. Tenants who don’t respect their landlords may get jealous that they don’t personally own the property and become more likely to neglect or even outright damage it.
Happy tenants are generally more pleasant to work with. They have fewer complaints, and they don’t leave bad reviews online. The renting experience is better for everyone when both tenants and landlords are happy.
How to Foster a Positive Landlord-Tenant Relationship
The benefits of a positive landlord-tenant relationship are clear, but how do you create one? You need to kick it off on a positive note and work hard to keep it positive. Let these tips guide the way.
1. Start With a Clean Slate
You can’t expect your tenant to respect you or your property if you provide them with a messy or damaged property. So make sure the property is clean and damage-free when you hand the tenant the keys.
Clearly communicate expectations to the tenant when this is not possible. Document the arrangement, for example, if you’re letting the tenant fix up the property in exchange for a reduction in rent.
2. Be Responsive
People typically treat others the way they’re treated. Ignoring your tenant increases the risk that they may ignore you by neglecting the property or refusing to pay the rent. Be responsive by answering your tenants’ concerns and returning their phone calls in a timely manner.
3. Resolve Maintenance Issues Promptly
Provide your tenants with clear instructions on how to report maintenance issues to you. Let them know if they should email, call, or reach out to a property manager. Commit to responding to problems as quickly as possible based on their severity.
You can delay fixing a broken garbage disposal for a few days, for example, but a plumbing issue that causes the water to be shut off should be handled immediately so your tenant doesn’t have to go without water.
Delaying maintenance often causes the issue to escalate and get worse. A leaky skylight, for example, is a fairly minor issue, but if ignored, it can lead to more extensive roof damage or water damage through the rafters. Ignoring maintenance also compromises your tenants’ happiness, and if they don’t have hot water or other essentials, they may become resentful.
4. Be Transparent
Don’t surprise your tenants with extra costs or responsibilities. Make sure they understand your expectations for taking care of the property before they move in — have the lease clearly state if they’re supposed to mow the lawn, handle basic repairs, or take care of other property maintenance concerns. Also let them know about additional costs for parking, storage spaces, and utilities.
Being transparent shows your tenants you’re an honest person who respects them, but it also protects your investment. Someone who isn’t aware of all the costs and responsibilities may not be able to pay their bills or take care of your property adequately.
5. Respect the Tenant’s Right to Quiet Enjoyment
You own the property, but it’s still your tenant’s home. Respect their right to quiet enjoyment of the property. Don’t drop by unannounced unless you are legitimately concerned about an emergency or a safety risk. Call your tenant and let them know you’re coming over, even if you’re not legally required to do so.
You can’t have a positive relationship with someone who doesn’t care about your property or who constantly pays the rent late. You may not discover these issues until the tenant has moved in, unfortunately. You need to screen prospective tenants carefully to ensure they’re capable of having a positive landlord-tenant relationship.
Do your due diligence before renting to someone. Don’t just trust your instincts about prospective renters. Find out as much as you can about them and their previous rental history through background and credit checks.
Improve the Tenant Screening Process With Rent Safe
Rent Safe can help you kick off the landlord-tenant relationship on a positive note. This app allows you to collect rental applications and run background checks on prospective tenants through our easy-to-use online portal.
Don’t choose your tenants in the dark — rely on Rent Safe to help you find the best tenants possible. Contact us at Rent Safe today to learn more about how our application can improve your properties.
