Communication should always be an integral element between you and your tenants. Having effective communication will ensure minimal conflicts and will build a harmonious partnership. Here’s how:
Avoid delays with responding to requests or queries.
There are many kinds of tenants and that would mean that they would have different preferences and needs. Requests are expected and responding immediately to them will give them a good impression of you. It will be your responsibility to contact someone to get the job done and do it as soon as possible.
As you have several tenants, you may experience handling a lot of requests at the same time and it can be a bit overwhelming. Prioritize the requests based on the urgency of the need. Make sure to let them know if there will be delays. Update them daily to let them know that you are on top of things.
Make sure that they can reach you through different forms of communication.
People tend to be impatient when they need something done or if they have questions that need to be answered, that is why they should have access to you. In this age of technology, sending messages is easier as there are many means to communicate nowadays, such as emails or SMS. Provide your tenants with your mobile number or email address so they can contact you for any problems that may occur. Make sure that they can reach you easily. This would imply that they can approach you and that you will be willing to assist them.
Consider giving them a contact number that is not your personal number. That way, you can organize your messages more and separate business from pleasure. You can either use two phones: one for personal use and another for business.
The tone of your messages should always be formal but polite to avoid misinterpretations. Respond to them as soon as possible.
Let them know the availability of your time.
It is important to set limitations to maintain a professional relationship with them. In reality, you can’t always be available 24/7 for your tenants and they should be considerate of that. You may have given them your contact number but you should inform them of the specific time that they can message you unless it is an emergency. This is also to avoid them from taking advantage of you.
Only entertain messages related to your business.
Although you personally contact your tenants, it is best to keep it strictly about business. Do not entertain messages that are not related to rentals, building concerns, etc. It would be easy for them to assume that you have a friendly relationship if you respond to personal messages, which may result in them using that advantage to get what they want. Again, set limits or ground rules.
Mistakes happen. Own up to them.
With you taking care of a lot of things with your tenants, mistakes are sometimes inevitable. This could cause the tenant to lose their trust in your capabilities. However, when handled correctly, that trust can be regained.
It is normal to make mistakes and the best thing to do is to own up to it. Denying it would just lead to arguments and conflict and you could potentially lose a client because of it. Of course, it is not enough to admit your mistakes. You also have to fix them to diffuse the situation and regain their trust.
Keep them posted.
Always inform your tenants of any activities inside the building especially if it can cause hassles and delays to them. Inform them of any repairs or maintenance scheduled in your building. You can distribute a printed reminder to every tenant. One suggestion would be to put up a bulletin that is accessible to them. Not everyone will keep track of these reminders and it will be your job to update them at least one day before the schedule. That way, they can anticipate and prepare for it.
Now that you know how to foster good communication with you and your tenants, you are more equipped to manage your rental units. Create your listings using Padleads.com now to showcase your properties. Use these tips to get a good lasting impression on your future tenants.