For landlords and letting agents the importance of keeping tenants happy cannot be overemphasised. Happy tenants make life easier and ensure the profits keep rolling in. Such tenants will decide to stay beyond the expiration of their original tenancy, ensuring you don’t have to deal with months of lost rent as you wait for new tenants. You will also avoid dealing with the uncertainty and potential problems that new tenants may bring.
If you have tenants that pay as at when due, keep up with their own side of the maintenance bargain and are generally problem free, you should do your best to keep them happy. Here are some of the things you can do.
Maintain Your Property Regularly
Tenants are more likely to stay if they are proud of their property. A tenant in a house with stained carpets, broken light fittings, dirty and cracked tiles will likely have less guest than one living in a house where there are no such concerns. You need to keep up with preventative maintenance to improve your tenant’s experience. It will improve their social life as they invite more people over and make them happier in the long run.
Present All Rules And Regulations Before Contracts Are Signed
A tenant should only sign an agreement if they have gone through terms stated and can live with them. To avoid conflict down the line, therefore, you need to make sure that every single rule they are expected to live by is discussed at the very start of the agreement. Some of the rules you should go over specifically are what constitutes damage to property and costs to repair such damage. Repairs are some of the most likely causes of conflict.
Tackle Complaints In A Timely Manner
From leaking pipes to disruptive neighbours, your tenants will most likely present different complaints over the course of their stay in your property. You need to make them feel that they are a priority by taking all their concerns seriously and addressing them in a timely manner. What constitutes a timely manner should be determined by the nature of the complaint. You need to differentiate between concerns that must be addressed in less than 24 hours and those that can afford to wait a few days. For the best results, however, never let a complaint remain unresolved, or at least unanswered, for more than a week.
Add Incentives
In an area where there are many properties to choose from the incentives you are offering may be what will sway tenants decision your way. The incentives could be anything from providing a moving day essentials package, offering to re-carpet or repaint a room, to letting them know you won’t increase rent yearly. Additionally, you need to create a human face and encourage loyalty. Sending a Christmas card may appear a small gesture but it could go a long way.
Don’t Be Inconsiderate With Inspections
A rental property is yours to manage, but you cannot visit tenants without giving them proper notice. You have the right to inspect the property from time to time but you need to keep in mind that the property is someone’s home.
We all hate being caught unawares by visitors, especially when there are dishes in the sink, or a pile of laundry waiting to go in the wash. You need to therefore give at least 48 hours’ notice to your tenants before any visit from you. Include this in your tenancy agreement so the tenant can decide ahead of time if this is enough for them. The best tenants probably won’t mind two or three inspections per year. Avoid visiting at strange hours too!
