Owning a business is not the easiest way to earn a living. Even the most stable ones do not run out of problems. Issues with customers, partners, and management are inevitable. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with all of them.

The rental industry is also not exempted from having problems too. I will not deny that fact to anyone because managing rentals is challenging. Anyone who would want to invest in properties should know what to expect. For instance, tenant complaints.

During their lease, some complaints may come up, and it is up to the landlord to handle them. My question for landlords is, do you know what to do about those complaints? I know you think learning about these things is exclusively for property managers, but as a leasing agent, you may want to read on anyway. Some tenants may hesitate to approach their landlord and may turn to you instead. When that happens, you can give them solutions.

Prevention is better.

Although landlords should be on their toes for any complaints, it does not mean they cannot do anything to avoid them. They may not entirely evade issues, but they can minimize them.

Landlords may try to avoid tenant complaints by doing their job well. If a landlord is competent, it will result in having happy and satisfied renters. But how should they do it? Good landlords are those who are around when the tenants need them. They are people who think about the tenants’ comfort and safety all the time. If the tenants are happy, they will stay longer.

Common complaints

Here are some of the most frequent problems that tenants may have:

Maintenance

Landlords should encourage tenants to report any maintenance issues immediately. And in return, they should respond to the concern as soon as possible. Once the landlord shows any delay in addressing the matter, it will lessen the renters’ trust.

Neighbors

Sometimes tenants experience noisy or offensive neighbors. Landlords may encounter this from multi-family rental properties. Property managers should stress the rules in their lease agreement about unacceptable behaviors.

Lease agreement

A strict and ironclad lease agreement will help landlords avoid tenant complaints during their stay. They should include all the details about how to report issues and how they will address them.

Cleanliness

Our environment can affect our moods and disposition. If the tenants see an unkempt and dirty area, they will not be happy with it. Thankfully, landlords can undoubtedly resolve this complaint.

Inadequate communication

Tenants will appreciate landlords who they can approach easily. They want someone who will respond to their messages and give them updates regularly. Landlords must always let their tenants know if there are inspections or repairs to be done on their property.

Tenant Screening

As a leasing agent, you will go over the applicants and screen them. Always remember to do it thoroughly because it will also help the landlords steer clear of unreasonable tenants. Include looking at their rental history and asking their past landlords about their experience with the tenant.

How to handle complaints

The first thing landlords should do once they receive complaints is to acknowledge the problem. They should not ignore or invalidate the tenants’ unpleasant experiences. For example, their neighbors offended them. Even if the landlord does not find any offense in the neighbors’ actions, it may not be the same for the tenant.

Second, landlords should make sure to document everything. It will become their reference should the same problem arise again. They should record their responses with specific details such as the date and time.

If the landlord disagrees with the complaint, he should not become defensive. He must explain his side politely and amicably. Giving the tenant time to cool off is also a good idea.

Lastly, landlords should inform the tenants about their plans to address the issue. They should investigate the complaint and compromise. It will show the tenants how much the landlord wants to satisfy them.

Tenant complaints are a part of the business, but if landlords can handle them, they will have a successful lease. Your job is to offer a helping hand and recommend good tenants. And where can you look for them? You can try posting your property listings at Padleads and syndicating them to other websites for one. But you have to make sure that you make them noticeable so that the right people will see them.