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5 Uncommon Calls that a Property Manager Handles

Dustin Edwards • December 28, 2022

Property Managers Handle All Kinds of Calls

Property management companies often handle calls from tenants involving getting locked out or needing a repair to be made. Occasionally tenants can call asking for something a little different. 


Below are 5 uncommon calls that property managers handle.


Exotic Pet Requests

For the majority of tenants, wanting to keep a pet is normal. A cat, dog, or goldfish is incredibly common to be allowed in rentals nowadays. This keeps tenants happy, which in turn leads them to stay at your Long Beach rental property for a more extended period


What if your tenant has crazy pet requests?


Exotic pets can be as tame as a guinea pig, hamster, or rabbit, which can seem relatively unremarkable even though they are tagged as “exotic” pets. However, this can also include reptiles, birds, and large aquariums. Many landlords may feel uneasy about having animals that require live insects as food due to the potential for pest problems in the future. Birds, although smart, can be loud and bother neighbors, especially if the tenant shares a wall. Large aquariums run a risk of leaking and causing water damage to the walls, floor, and carpet. For this reason, many landlords reject renting their properties to tenants with exotic pets.


If you can justify the risks and allow exotic pets, it needs to be specified in your lease agreement. A detailed policy on exotic pets must be understandable for the tenant and yourself. The policy should cover cleaning messes. Limits on the pet relate to the number of pets, breed, and weight—a complete veterinary record disclosing disease prevention and vaccination requirements. If possible, a written reference from the previous landlord as to the behavior of the pet. As well as an increase to the security deposit in case the pet causes additional damage. 


Wanting to Change the Locks

If a tenant asks to change the rental property's locks, there may be something else wrong, as this is an unusual request. Though it’s probably in everyone's best interest to change them, as this gives them a reason to trust you, and you can avoid them changing the locks anyway. As unfortunate as it may sound, in California, if a tenant decides to change their locks, they can, even if stated otherwise on the lease agreement. Worse, they don’t need to provide you with a spare key. However, you can file an unlawful detainer action against your tenants if this occurs.


Wanting to do Paint Walls

Some tenants feel the need to make a rental feel unique to them. They may request permission to paint interior walls. Although this may seem innocuous, especially if they are willing to pay for the material and labor, it may cost you. It's no secret that tenants aren’t always very handy. If you allow a tenant to paint interior walls, you risk a poor job being done, meaning you’ll have to spend more time and money repainting it after they leave. Many landlords may outright reject this request or have the tenants pay for a professional job to paint it the color of their choosing and pay to paint it back to the original color after the lease has ended.


Install Security Cameras

Depending on the lease agreement, they may not even need permission if no damage is done to the walls. Many modern security cameras are wireless and rechargeable. The issue arises if they want to place cameras outside the rental where there are guidelines and privacy concerns.


For outdoor cameras, they will have to be mindful of where the cameras are pointing and turn off microphone features so as not to record neighbors if they choose to install a video doorbell.


Wanting to Change Fixtures

Your tenant may need more light in a room or a quieter fan if they work from home. They may request to be allowed to change their fixtures. Generally, landlords will deny this request as often a professional is required to do the work safely. 


What if the tenant is willing to pay to get the change?


Like painting the walls, if you allow them to replace fixtures, it's best practice to make sure they change them back before moving out. To keep the rental in its original form.


Property management companies are meant to deal with your tenant's calls. If your tenant has an unusual request or wants more details about our services, consider calling us at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.

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By Dustin Edwards • January 17, 2025
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Best 3 Things To Do During Tenant Communication

By Dustin Edwards • January 10, 2025
Having clear communication with your tenant is essential for maintaining a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. By being transparent in all relevant interactions, landlords can prevent misunderstandings while resolving repairs and disputes efficiently while improving tenant satisfaction. Having good communication with your tenant is beneficial for landlords too. Effective communication also protects your investment property. Remember that while your tenant is living in the property, landlords need to take care of the repairs. Below are the three best things to do during tenant communications. Prompt Responses Addressing tenant concerns quickly is essential for building trust and maintaining a positive relationship. Tenants feel valued when landlords respond quickly, knowing that their needs are being prioritized. Building this trust not only enhances your tenant’s satisfaction it lowers the possibility of conflicts or misunderstandings to arise. This ultimately creates a healthy and successful rental experience for you and your tenant. Some of the most common inquiries will oftentimes include repair requests, among others. As an example; if your tenant reports a leak under their faucet and the repair is delayed, this can be damaging to your landlord-tenant relationship, as well as your property. If left ignored, that leak can result in hundreds of dollars in water damage and a vacancy . Which can further affect our bottom line negatively. For landlords with multiple properties, this can become difficult to keep track of. A property manager can help with scheduling repairs and communicating with your tenant on your behalf. Document Everything Keeping a detailed record of all interactions with your tenant is an important element when managing a property. There are many choices for documentation including email, text, or written notices. Although many property management companies and landlords have opted to use apps or dedicated tenant portals to log communications. A great example, for instance, a tenant may claim they’d reported a repair issue that was never addressed, if everything is to be documented, both you and the tenant would have a copy of the request. Maintaining transparency with tenants. Having thorough documentation ensures agreements and requests between all parties are clearly tracked. Documenting communications with your tenant provides landlords with a foundation for addressing misunderstandings, or disputes if and when they arise. Provide Regular Updates Regular updates show tenants that their landlord is organized and has an attentive approach to managing their property. Giving tenants ample time for maintenance, inspections or policy changes is a simple way to build trust with your tenants while showing your professionalism. Giving tenants advanced notices reassures them that you’re aware of how changes can affect them and you understand that time might be needed in order to adjust. Surprises are best kept for birthday parties. Proactively notifying tenants of changes helps clear the communication channels and minimizes disruptions which helps tenants feel valued and satisfied. These small yet consistent efforts can contribute to a positive tenant stay, which can encourage lease renewals and long-term tenancy. Additionally, having a good relationship with your tenants can give you a great reputation which can provide you with leads when looking to fill a vacancy . It cannot be understated the importance of communication for a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. Even if your tenant may not agree with some of the decisions a landlord needs to make, by giving your tenants ample time to process the change tenants generally are more accepting of said change. If you’re having trouble communicating with your tenants or if you need help managing Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .

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