Being a landlord is challenging, and so is being a tenant. Both need to stay interested in keeping themselves secure. However, landlords have the upper hand in the relationship because they are the owners and agreement initiators. You will find most landlords creating a one-sided agreement. If the prospective tenant agrees, they come to occupy the rented premises. The agreement is not an assurance that problems will be absent in the future. There will be issues and complaints from either of you, but handling things and finding a middle way out should be the primary concern.
Good tenants are hard to find. A good tenant keeps your property in top condition while paying your rent on time. There is nothing more that you can ask from them. Having a tenant in your rental property can lessen your woes considerably. Otherwise, you may have to hunt for them through referrals or advertisements. Moreover, both are a waste of time and money for you. Besides, an empty house or bad tenants also calls for repair and maintenance headaches. So if you are lucky to have a tenant who maintains the home, keep them happy. How? Here are a few ways that may help you with that.
Be Transparent From the Beginning
If you want to keep all things nice between your tenant and yourself, you should keep your intentions clear from the very beginning. Make all points clear in the agreement. However, you should keep the points reasonable enough for both parties. Before you print out the contract and get it notarized, it is better to get your prospective tenant to read it once. Once they read it and sign it, they will know what you expect from them. An agreement helps record the dos and don’ts in writing so that no one can deny the terms.
Deal With Maintenance Issues Fast
There might be circumstances where something might break down in your apartment. It is often a result of normal wear and tear. You should have this clause set out in the terms and conditions. Usually, both parties can be seen arguing over such issues. Frequent bickering can poison the relationship, so you should act instantly over such things.
Leave your direct number with the tenants. Discuss it over the phone if you can’t go to the rental property at that very instance. Either the tenant repairs it and deducts the amount from the rent, or you get someone to attend to such issues on-call. Be alert and avoid blaming the incident on each other without surveying the damage. Old houses will often have such problems, in comparison to new ones.
Visit With Prior Information
The worst thing to do is drop in at someone’s place without an announcement. You have let out the space for private occupancy, so you need to respect your tenant’s privacy. You do have the right to inspect the property. However, do it at a mutually decided time. Give at least 48 hours of notice before a visit.
It is standard practice to inspect the house at six months to check that nothing is out of place, but you do not have to be exacting. Your tenants also get the opportunity to bring some issues up, if there are any.
Answer Your Tenants’ Calls
It is also crucial to take your tenants’ calls promptly. There are chances that they could be highlighting some urgent issue. There could be some accident theft attempt, or they may be locked out of the house. You are the one who would have an extra set of keys, so the tenants will likely call you for help.
Getting a locksmith to break the lock and repair the door may be expensive and an unplanned expense for your tenants. You would not want to deal with something like this had it been you. It also tends to put the house’s security in jeopardy. So help your tenants when things are related to your home.
Discuss Before Raising Rent
Under standard practices, the rent increases upon renewal of the said premises. Rental agreements are renewed every year. You have to give a reminder to your tenant at least three months in advance so that they do not get a nasty surprise all of a sudden. It is always good to negotiate and arrive at a common ground than lose a good tenant.
Troublesome tenants are easy to find, but not the good ones. A hike of $100 may be a loss than losing a good tenant if you are asking for double the price. You can retain them by lowering the rent, and it also saves you the extra work of hunting for another occupancy.
So these are the pro tips that can make your tenants happy. You can also check the place and offer help with replacements from time to time. It is, after all, your investment. This is a good gesture that will positively impact your reputation.