Providing exceptional customer service to your residents is important when you want to retain them and ensure that rent continues to come in on time. Remember that your positive rental experience depends on their positive rental experience.
At Real Estate Gladiators, we’re committed to ensuring our residents are happy where they live and with our services. Today, we’re sharing five simple tips that will keep your residents relaxed and enjoying their experience with you.
1. Be Clear about Your Expectations and Your Tenant’s Responsibilities
At the beginning of the lease period, talk to your residents about what you expect. Review the lease together and ask if they have any questions. Your residents need to know how they should pay rent and what they’re responsible for in terms of maintenance and landscaping. All of this information will likely be included in the lease agreement, but having a conversation about these things will allow you to answer any questions, reinforce the most important parts of your rental contract, and demonstrate your willingness to communicate.
2. Express Gratitude and Appreciation
The words “thank you” can go a long way. Maybe it seems unnecessary to thank your tenants for doing what you expect them to do. But, showing you appreciate on-time rental payments is a good way to show them that you notice when they’re doing what’s right. Expressing gratitude when they report maintenance issues promptly will show them that you really care about the way they handle themselves and your property. Send a brief text that thanks your residents for the rental payment every time you receive it. This lets them know it’s been paid and it shows them you’re a generally kind and grateful person. Your residents will appreciate that. They don’t want to hear from you only when something’s wrong.
3. Respond Promptly to Maintenance
Responding to repair needs with a sense of urgency keeps tenants happy. It also protects the condition of your property. Don’t make promises that you have no intention of keeping. If you say you’re going to fix something, fix it. You’ll want to make sure you use licensed, insured vendors who will communicate well with your tenants. Check in with them to make sure the work was done properly and don’t try to avoid making repairs. It makes you look like you don’t care about their needs or the property that you own.
4. Respect your Resident’s Right to Privacy and Space
Stay in touch with your residents, but don’t badger them with requests for inspections and constant questions. Your residents deserve to be left alone to enjoy the privacy and quiet of their home. While conducting an inspection during the course of the tenancy is reasonable, schedule it well in advance. Don’t be a difficult landlord or your residents won’t be happy.
5. Be Reasonable when you Raise the Rent
When you have a resident who is performing well and paying rent and taking care of the home, you want to keep that resident in place as long as possible. You don’t need the turnover and vacancy costs. Most tenants expect a modest increase when the lease renews, but don’t be unreasonable. Raising the rent 10 or 15 percent is a good way to turn a happy resident into an unhappy resident.
These are just seven of the ways we manage our relationships and keep our residents happy. If you’d like some help managing your Monroe area rental property, please contact us at Real Estate Gladiators.
