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How to Keep Your Tenants Happy

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Category: Property Management

Published 08/04/2017

As a property owner, you’ll find your tenants a main priority – and occasionally a source of stress. Given that you’re counting on your tenants in many ways – primarily to pay the rent so that you can in turn make the bills – it’s key to keep your tenants satisfied. Here are a few tips on doing just that. Maintain Open Communication Swing that door wide and allow your tenants to communicate freely with you. Address all problems quickly – that includes repairs – and don’t hesitate to answer the phone and/or respond to emails promptly. Your or your property manager should make it a priority to respond to tenants within 24 hours at latest. Don’t Dilly-Dally with Deferred Maintenance Tenants should know that you’re committed to keeping your property in good shape – and, in fact, this will often entice them to stay longer. Make yourself available for maintenance requests and handle them in a timely manner, while at the same time making cosmetic improvements such as a paint job and professional carpet cleaning on a reasonable schedule. Finally, take your time getting the right furnishings for your property – in the end, this will cost less than having to keep fixing old ones. Maintain Professionalism Think about the qualities you’re seeking in a tenant – respectful, responsive, and mature – and know that they’re likely looking for the same in you. A little friendliness and flexibility will go a long way in establishing professional demeanor and a good landlord-tenant relationship. Promptly Deal with Disruptive Tenants There’s always that one rotten apple. If you’re a landlord long enough, you’ll find it – but you can mitigate the damage from a difficult tenant. Nothing pushes away good tenants more quickly than an obnoxious neighbor who stomps on the floor, yells incessantly, and thinks nothing of playing the drums at three in the morning. Don’t let that happen. Let Tenants Know They’re Appreciated Without overstepping boundaries, it can be touching for one’s landlord to be considerate and thoughtful. A holiday card, for example, is a small sign of appreciation that will be remembered.

1600 MacArthur Blvd. Oakland, CA 94602
Tel - +510.250.7918
Fax - +800.507.6593

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Tel - +415.347.5658
Fax - +800.507.6593

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