One thing that every rental property owner needs to understand is that being a landlord is not for the faint of heart.  Landlords need to deal with everything from the worst tenant horror stories and emergencies to every day problems that come with normal living.  This is why some rental property owners choose to hire a professional property manager. Property managers like Martin Feinberg are experienced with handling tenant issues and keeping both the relationship and the owner’s revenues intact.

Property managers understand that the owner’s profitability is usually directly affected by the choices they make when interacting with tenants. Experienced property managers will know how to provide excellent customer service to their tenants while balancing tenant wants with the bottom line.

Property managers need to know when to stick with a firm “no” and when to allow the tenant some leeway.  Property managers know how to be firm, but also kind and respectful.

Below are three situations when property managers should not feel guilty for not giving into tenants’ overreaching requests.

PETS:

If an owner has decided to limit their property’s exposure to pet damage and go with a no-pet policy, then it is prudent for property managers to stick to the lease terms even if a tenant asks for an exception to the rule. This is particularly true if the manager finds a pet hidden on the property.

DECORATING:

In some markets, allowing a tenant to make minor alterations to the property can attract better quality tenants. However, what a renter may consider an improvement will not always help a rental owner’s long-term investment. Property managers should not be afraid to tell tenants not to make permanent changes.  Paint might seem like an easy thing to change, for example, but fixing paint-spattered carpeting isn’t.  Saying no to some changes does not mean the tenant can’t make the space their own.

LATE RENT:

For most people, it is difficult to deny a person who appears to be struggling a little grace.  Still, this is one of those situations where property owners should rarely allow a tenant to pay rent late without some kind of consequence.  A late payment can cause problems with cash flow, and tenants can begin to take advantage of generous managers.  For all of these reasons and more, property managers need to uphold the late fee policy that is listed in the tenant’s lease.

Saying no to a tenant can be daunting sometimes, especially for inexperienced rental property owners who are new to the industry.  Sometimes it’s nice to allow someone else to be the bad guy. Property managers are skilled and making sure that perspective tenants understand the terms of their leases and follow them.  The answer doesn’t always have to be no, but property managers are not afraid to say it when necessary.