When you work as a landlord, you have to do your best to maintain communication with your tenants. Proper tenant-landlord communication allows both sides to meet each other’s needs so that your tenants feel like they can depend on you for a secure and well-maintained property. At the same time, you can be sure that your investment is in good condition and the rent will be on time. Follow the tips below to streamline communication between you and your tenants.
Use Technology
Never underestimate how much technology can help you out as a landlord. It can be hard to communicate with tenants, but the right technology allows you to contact each other to address questions and problems easily. Try to offer multiple options to your tenants and let them choose the best way for them.
Contact methods could include phone calls, text messages, emails, and even social media. As you use these different pieces of technology, tenants can easily contact you, and you can also reach out to them. No matter what forms of communication you utilize, make sure that you check them daily so that you don’t miss anything important.
Discuss Things Upfront
When you first meet with tenants, you should discuss tenant-landlord communication with them. This discussion will allow you to inform them of your current communication methods while they tell you what works for them. This way, you can agree on how you will contact one another and avoid misunderstandings. Go over exceptional circumstances such as travel for work or night shifts to avoid disruptions during inconvenient times.
This allows them to let you know their nuances with communication as you let them know your best approaches. This should minimize confusion since you will know how to discuss concerns with each other. By talking about it immediately, you lower the chance of miscommunication.
Use Online Payments
Rent can get messy at times if tenants mail checks, and they somehow get lost in the mail system. On top of this, some tenants may worry that you might not correctly account for the money they’ve paid. You can lessen this concern by collecting rent online. Online payment platforms will show proof of every payment made and provide both tenants and landlords with a solid paper trail.
There are many options for making online rent payments. Landlord specific options usually allow multiple methods for making rent payments so that tenants can use bank transfers or a credit/debit card. Numerous payment methods offer more flexibility to tenants while making payment communication as simple as possible.
Give Notice
Miscommunication can happen when one side springs something unexpected onto the other. This situation can cause stress and unnecessary problems, so always do your best to keep tenants updated. If you require action on your tenant’s part, give them as much notice as possible with occasional reminders to avoid issues.
As you give tenants plenty of notice for different situations, they will appreciate it. This consideration will also set a standard for communication between you that encourages the tenants to do the same when reaching out to you. Both sides should keep the other informed about important upcoming events or changes.
Great tenant-landlord communication comes down to both sides working together to make the best of the situation. As you strive to communicate well with your tenants, you encourage your tenants to remain in contact and avoid problems. Your tenants will enjoy the living space that they rent, knowing that you’re a dependable landlord while you enjoy the financial benefits of a lucrative business.