It is natural for some tenants to ask requests from their landlords from time to time. It comes with the job of a property manager to accommodate their needs. However, there will come a time that a landlord has to say no to a tenant. It might be because the request is unreasonable or impossible to fulfill.
Even though the landlord has to cater to the tenants’ requests, it does not mean he should cater to EVERY whim. There is a need to satisfy them, yes. But saying no does not have to result in tenant dissatisfaction. There are ways to say no, which will not hamper a tenant-landlord relationship.
Gestures
Sometimes it is not enough to say no. The landlord’s body language must also be consistent with what he says. A tenant may think that they can change the landlord’s decision if it seems that the landlord is hesitant.
For example, looking down and not making eye contact will convey a different message. If a landlord fidgets during the conversation, the tenant will know that the landlord is not a hundred percent sure of his decision. They might have a chance to convince the landlord to accommodate their request. Gestures must support the verbalization.
Focus on the request only
Even though the tenant has a history of violations, the landlord must not hold that against him and use it as a reason to reject his request. The tenant might catch on and accuse him of taking things personally. The landlord must say no because the appeal is unreasonable. He must stay focused on the request alone.
One example may be a tenant who asks for an extension for his payment. Sometimes this is okay. It does not become okay if the tenant has done this several times before. To avoid any accusations, the landlord must stress the importance of the rental payment, and it is not easy to maintain a property without finances.
Offer other options
To soften the blow of rejection, the landlord can offer other solutions to their problem. Some people will insist on what they want and will not accept a no. Offering alternatives can help the landlord avoid unreasonable requests while addressing the tenant’s needs. Doing this will show them that the landlord is willing to find other solutions but is still adamant about not granting the original request.
Explain clearly
Issues arise because of misunderstandings and misinterpretations. A lot of problems start with using the wrong words that might convey a negative message. I do not suggest saying no without telling them the reason for it. The landlord needs to explain the reason for his decision. If the tenant acknowledges the validity of the reason, they will likely accept it without grudges. Moreover, it will help avoid conflicts between landlord and tenant.
Recognize the complaint
The tenant has likely thought about their complaint before approaching the landlord. Before saying no, the landlord should make the tenant feel that their complaint is acknowledged. Giving an outright no without considering their concerns will leave an unpleasant impression. The landlord can thank the tenant for airing out his concerns then get back to them a little later.
• Positive way to say no
Having a “no” response might come across as off-putting, but it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to say no without offending the tenants. For example, a landlord can reject a request but doing it politely. Offering alternatives can make them feel like the landlord acknowledges their concerns and will assist them in some other way.
Sometimes lack of proper communication can become the cause of relationship strains between the landlord and tenant. Landlords should know how to deal with these situations. It is crucial to keep the tenants satisfied, but unreasonable requests might compromise some things.
New landlords should know these things to avoid being manipulated by tenants. But hopefully, you’ll find them good tenants who will not take advantage of their naivety. You can do this by using Padleads. You can register now and start posting property listings. After that, you can syndicate them to other popular web pages, because well, you can do that with Padleads.