This residential rental business will include a lot of documents. And I mean, a LOT. There will be so much paperwork that a landlord will need a systematic way of filing, or else, he will get swamped with papers on his desk. Unfortunately, it is not that easy to run a business without these documents because all of them are important.
It’s not only the landlords, though. Rental leasing agents, like yourself, will have to deal with paperwork as well. There are no exemptions. The difference is that landlords or their property managers might only have more paperwork than you. I will list down the tips on how to manage your documents. You can share these tips with landlords and other agents too.
· An easier way to fill up documents
Technology has been making things easier for us in the past years. There are a lot of things you can do faster and more efficiently with technology. It includes documentation and handling paperwork.
Suggest that the tenants can have an option to fill up their application forms online. It’s easier than having to write it all down because most of the time, people are on their phones and computers. They can do it anytime and anywhere. By having online access, they do not have to meet up to get a form, making the process faster.
· eSignatures
Another contribution that technology gave us is electronic signatures. You might not have heard about it yet, but it is getting more common in signing documents. They are as valid as handwritten signatures and are still legally binding.
Electronic signatures may be used for any legal documents, including rental documents. Utilizing this can offer tenants a more simple way of signing paperwork.
· Compose rent agreement templates
The lease agreement is one of the documents that is used frequently in residential rentals. For this type of file, it is better to have it readily available. I suggest that landlords will compose a template for a standard contract.
Every time they will need a new lease agreement, they can access the file on their computers and customize it depending on the agreed-upon terms of both parties. Having a saved template will help them save time and avoid having to think about what to include in the contract.
· Utilize data validation
One of the things that can cause difficulties in paperwork is checking each application form and verifying the information given by the applicants. It is adequate if the details are complete and accurate, but sometimes, that is not the case. Some tenants will submit an incomplete form, with some questionable details. You will have to wait again for the revised document. It would have been easier if they were not wrong in the first place, right?
That is now possible through data validation. It is used when the applicants fill up forms using their gadgets. The landlords can also customize it according to what is being asked. For example, they can only encode numeric characters in the contact number field. That way, they can easily avoid mistakes and wrong information.
· Store your documents online
Store digital versions of your files online. Some may prefer to utilize this instead of the old-school way of using filing cabinets and arranging everything in alphabetical order. If you are not completely comfortable with storing online, you can still use both ways, and the online storage can be your back up.
You can also help your landlords apply the same practices so that they can also enjoy the advantages of filing their documents online, like accessibility and faster availability. They will appreciate the convenience it will bring.
As you may have noticed, these tips make use of technology and the internet. It is not a secret that these things make our jobs easier. On that note, when you market properties, do it by creating property listings online too? Use Padleads so that you can also syndicate the listings to other web pages.