Blog Post

5 Unexpected Tenant Calls that Property Management Companies Handle

Dustin Edwards • February 28, 2022

Unexpected Calls and How You Can Help Manage Them

When renting out your first property in Long Beach, your first instinct might be to manage the property yourself. This decision can be more expensive in the long run compared to having a property management company, as they may have more experience in dealing with tenant calls that you may not expect.

 

When a tenant calls there can be a number of reasons as to why. Some are as simple as a noise complaint or they have lost their keys, while others can be more serious like there is water pooling under the sink. There are many different calls that property management companies deal with, below are just a few unexpected calls that we take care of.


I Have Misplaced My Keys or Locked Myself Out

While this is a common call, you would be surprised at the different hours this call comes in. Remember that accidents can happen at any time, day or night. Perhaps your tenant locked themselves out while taking out the trash or lost them after a night out. Be sure to always have an extra set of keys in case this situation arises.


Lights Keep Turning Off

Usually when lights go out, the response is to check the circuit breaker and reset it. In

situations when this has happened a number of times the root cause may be more serious. Especially in older properties that were not built to accommodate all the electronics being used today. This means that the circuit breaker controlling the lights may be overloaded due to it being shared with other outlets in the rental or the circuit breaker is faulty, either way for a job of this magnitude you may need to contact an electrician.


My Window has Been Broken

Kids will be kids, and unfortunately that means that sometimes a stray ball or something similar can find its way to your rental properties window. In these cases cleaning the shattered glass and calling a window repair service is the priority. If your local window service can’t immediately come to repair the window, temporarily secure the window opening to prevent hot or cold air in or out. Securing the opening will also keep wild critters from entering through the broken window. 



Water is Coming Up the Bathtub/Shower Drain

Having a backed up tub, shower, toilet, or sink is rather common and often can be fixed with a plunger. Sometimes a backed up tub, especially if the water smells like sewage, can indicate a serious problem. It could be a blocked main line, but could also be a clog in a plumbing vent. These vents allow sewage air escape out of the roof of the home. They are used to regulate air flow in your plumbing and assure waste and water flow through your pipes. When they become clogged usually by leaves from neighboring trees the sewage air and water may come up from the drains.

 

Water Stain or Leak from the Ceiling

When a tenant calls about a water stain or leak from the ceiling it is important to address immediately. As a stain can be the symptom of worse problems. This can be caused by a leak in the roof and if water has already leaked into the ceiling it means that you’ll need to send someone to inspect the roof and remove any wet insulation in the attic. Delaying this can cause mold to grow and in a worse case the ceiling can come crashing down.

 

If your Long Beach rental has multiple units, having water leaking through the ceiling can also mean the tenant in the unit above has a leak they may not be aware of.

 

These are only a small number of calls we handle for you when you have your rental properties managed by Beach Cities Property Management, if you have further questions about unexpected tenant calls feel free to call us at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.

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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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