Landlords: How to Keep Your Tenants Safe and Happy
Being a landlord can go one of two ways: it can either be incredibly rewarding and bring you great pleasure, or it can be a hassle and make you miserable. Generally, the best way to make your job of land lording easier, is by keeping your tenants happy.
Happy tenants will often be more understanding if there’s an issue, give great reviews and build your reputation as a landlord. It’s also much more pleasant to deal with happy, satisfied tenants than unhappy ones.
If you’re looking for ways to be a better landlord and make life easier for everyone involved, this post is for you.
Provide decent appliances
Depending on your situation, the responsibility of providing appliances may very well fall on your shoulders. If this is the case, you want to make sure that you invest in decent, yet affordable, appliances.
While it may be tempting to grab the cheapest appliances you can find, this may lead to many issues over time, as the quality is likely sub-par and more susceptible to damage. The best washing machine for landlords will be sure to please you and your tenants.
Be welcoming
It’s important to build a good relationship with your tenants, and that means being friendly and welcoming. Keep in mind that a change in living arrangements can be quite overwhelming for many people, so try your best to put them at ease and help them settle in.
You can help them by letting them know where the nearest shops are, of even by suggesting fun family activities that they can try if they are new to the area.
Be prompt
If your tenant has a compliant or something has been broken, doe your best to tend to it sooner rather than later. You might not necessarily want to, but it’s important for your tenants to know that you have their best interests at heart and that they can rely on you.
Focus on safety
You want your tenants to be safe, and part of that responsibility falls on you as landlord. You need to make sure that the premises where your tenants are staying is safe and secure against possible danger. You don’t need to break the bank, but by putting a few affordable safety measures in place, you will be doing both yourself and your tenant a favour.
Be professional
This probably goes without saying, but it’s important. No matter how frustrated you get or how little you like your tenant, you need to stay professional. Be polite, and always listen to any complaints or suggestions your tenant might have.
Have a legal agreement in place
Setting up a contract or lease agreement is vital in order to protect both you and your tenant. By doing this, you’ll make sure that everything is legal and binding, and that no party can back out without some form of consequences.
It will also detail the expectations and responsibilities of both parties, which is important information to ensure that no one feels taken advantage of. Even first-time landlords should be able to set up the basic details of such an agreement.