It is a common practice for landlords to neglect tenants as soon as they occupy the rental. However, this should not be the case! As a landlord, it’s extremely important that you do your job well and show your tenants that you care for them.
If you’re a new landlord, you may not be familiar with some of the things you can do to make your rental property more appealing and to make your tenants happier.
So, in this article, we’ll give you a few tips on how to be a good landlord. These tips will go a long way in ensuring that your tenants feel seen and appreciated.
1. Be Approachable
If you’re approachable, tenants will feel comfortable coming to you with their issues or concerns.
You can give your tenants an email address that they can use to reach you if you are not comfortable with them having your personal number. Let your tenants know that they can reach you whenever they have concerns.
2. Promptly Respond to Tenant Requests
When tenants reach out to you regarding an issue that requires your attention, it is important that you act as fast as possible and make sure that things are handled promptly. And, if for whatever reason, you can’t tackle the issue right away, be sure to notify the tenant that you have received their request and you will be working on it shortly.
Do not ignore or overlook issues!
3. Meet the Safety Standards
As a landlord, it is your duty to ensure that your property meets all the required safety standards. This is to protect you from being legally liable for neglect. It will also protect your tenants from accidents that could occur in the building.
If you’re struggling with us, you could hire legal personnel, such as a property lawyer or a property management company, as they understand real estate laws.
The following are some of the things you may do to ensure you are following common safety criteria in your rental property:
- Conduct routine inspections of the gas and electrical equipment
- Ensure fire alarm systems work well
- Install CCTV cameras
- Make sure you have accessible fire extinguishers
4. Create a Personalized Tenancy Agreement
Your lease should clearly outline the responsibilities and duties of both parties to avoid confusion and misunderstandings. That said, when creating your tenancy agreement, you may also consider curating it to be more personalized to your property and tenants.
You may need help with the personalization of a lease agreement. If that’s the case, the property professionals at East Bay Property Management are here for you. Our team will offer a curated service just for you.
5. Electronically Store your Documents
All property related documents should be well stored for reference. Using technology to store your documents is a great idea. It will allow you to easily share information with your tenants, it will help to prevent loss of important documents and it’ll allow for easy tracking when needed.
Storing your documents electronically will provide back up for the hard copies that could be easily damaged. Also, ensure that your documents are well backed up and stored on a safe platform.
6. Carry out Renovations from Time to Time
Having small touches done to your property every once in a while could give your property that sparkle it needs. It can also help the tenants feel cared for and appreciated.
Carrying out small renovations will also make the property attractive to current and prospective tenants which will help reduce property vacancies.
Some of the renovations you may carry out include:
- Repainting worn out walls
- Replacing old appliances
- Upgrading interior fittings and fixtures
7. Help Tenants Adjust to the Property
Another way you can be a great landlord is by helping your tenants on move-in day and during their tenure.
It’s a good idea to interact with your tenants from time to time. Here are some of the thing you can do:
- Give new tenants a tour of the property
- Send tenants information about the area, such as good food spots, shopping areas and grocery stores in the neighborhood
- Introduce the tenants to one another in hopes of breaking the ice and fostering a ‘small community’
Conclusion: How to Be a Great Landlord
Tenants will appreciate a landlord who implements the suggestions mentioned in this article. And, happy and satisfied tenants means they will be likely to continuously renew their lease.
That said, being a landlord and self-managing your rental properties is tough. That’s why, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, consider working with a property management company.
At East Bay property Management, we can offer you quality services at an affordable price. Contact us today!
