As the owner of rental property, it can be both rewarding and difficult to keep your tenants happy. Although most of your renters will typically never make a complaint, if or when the time does arise, it is important to get the issue handled as quickly and as professionally as possible – regardless of how “minor” the complaint may seem.
Getting to a quick resolution can help you to better ensure a much more satisfied tenant, and in turn, a more solid relationship overall. Some tips for moving towards a solution can include:
- Document the issue or complaint immediately. Although everyone is sure that they will remember what they’ve been told, it is likely that issues can put in the back of one’s mind – particularly after a busy day and / or if you own more than one investment property and you have lots of issues to deal with. Therefore, be sure that you write down the complaint, as well as the date that the issue comes in.
- Address or solve the issue as soon as possible. Be sure that you get the issue addressed as soon as possible, too. This is important for several reasons. First, because small items can soon turn into major issues. For example, a small leaky toilet can soon turn into having to replace the entire bathroom floor, along with having a major possible plumbing issue. In addition, leaving the issue on the “back burner” can make you seem like a landlord that doesn’t care about their tenants. This could lead to high turnover in your units.
- Provide the tenant with a written response. Once the issue has been dealt with, be sure that you provide your tenant with a written response. This should be the case, even if you’ve spoken with the tenant in person or over the phone regarding the issue.
While dealing with complaints from tenants is typically never fun, doing so is a regular part of owning investment property. But there is a way to avoid having to take the time to worry about these matters – and that’s by hiring a property manager.
A professional property manager can allow you to still reap the benefits of owning a real estate investment, yet without all of the day-to-day dealings with tenants and maintenance. For more information on the benefits of using a property manager, Contact Us.