Experienced property managers like Martin Feinberg know that one of their responsibilities is to keep tenants happy. Happy renters tend to stay longer in a property, which results in lower rate of tenant turnover and saved money for the rental property owner. Property mangers also have a duty to preserve the income flow for their owners as well, sometimes at the expense of their tenants’ desires. Keeping tenants happy, while maintaining the best interests of the property owner, can be difficult, but a good property manager will be able to do it most of the time. One way a professional property manager can maintain a relationship of trust with a renter is with good communication.
Good communication with tenants is not always easy to accomplish but it is essential. When professional property managers implement strategies for building and maintaining professional relationships, everyone wins.
Read below for three ways to improve communication with tenants:
CREATE CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
Property managers should make sure that all tenants know the best times to reach them, including knowing the property management company’s office hours and when texts or phone calls are appropriate. Some managers are o.k. with 24/7 communication and some are not. Property managers should not expect tenants to know their preferences without being told.
Regardless of what the office hours are, all tenants should be provided an emergency number for any problems that occur outside normal hours.
Finally, property managers should establish multiple communication options in case a tenant is difficult to get a hold of or works best with one specific option. If a personal visit becomes necessary managers should give as much notice as possible.
BE RESPECTFUL AND KIND
Living in someone else’s home can leave some tenants to feel powerless or at the mercy of a property manager. The tenant/landlord relationship doesn’t need to be contentious or imbalanced though. When managers approach tenants with respect, and show empathy for unique situations, shows tenants that the power differential needn’t cause problems for the relationship.
If conflict occurs, property managers should continue to treat renters with respect, regardless of the renters’ actions, while enforcing the rules of the lease.
BE TRANSPARENT FROM THE BEGINNING
Misrepresenting a listing or lease requirements helps no one. Property managers need to be very clear about what the listing offers and what terms are present in the lease so that perspective tenants understand what they are getting into. Finding out after the fact that something isn’t what was expected can hurt the tenant/landlord relationship, sometimes beyond repair.