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Best Practices for Effective Landlord and Tenant Communication

Dustin Edwards • October 5, 2021

Communication is Essential for Success with Rental Properties

Effective Landlord Communication
Communicating well with your tenants is essential to being a successful landlord. If you can relate to your tenants, they will feel comfortable with you and will appreciate having a landlord they can rely on and trust. This trust will cultivate respect toward you and your Long Beach rental.

However, fostering strong and successful connection can be challenging, especially for new landlords. To help alleviate this difficulty, here are some of the best practices for effective communication between landlords and their tenants. 

Identify a Preferred Contact Method
One of the most important steps toward effective communication is finding a contact method that both parties are comfortable and proficient in. The most common contact methods are texting, emailing, or calling. All three options are fairly easy and require little transfer of information other than a phone number or email address.  

Since everyone has different preferences when it comes to communicating, you should have a conversation with new tenants about how they would prefer to contact you. Using their preferred contact method will better guarantee a response if you need to contact them. 

Additionally, it may be helpful to place a list with your phone number and email address on the rental’s fridge, calendar, or bulletin board. That way, if your tenants ever forget how to reach you, all they have to do is reference the list. This can be especially helpful in emergencies. 

Set Expectations on Response Time 
Once you establish a preferred contact method, it is important to set expectations on when your tenants should respond to messages. That being said, as their landlord you should hold yourself to the same expectations. Tenants will not respect a landlord who makes them follow a set response time but responds haphazardly. 

For starters, provide a realistic time frame that you and your tenants can use to voice minor inconveniences or inquiries, such as 9 AM to 5 PM. Furthermore, set a response time of one to two days. This gives you and your tenants plenty of time to curate a sufficient reply. Conversely, there should be no time frame for emergencies, and response times should be almost immediate. Emergencies can come up at any time, day or night, and you need to be available whenever they occur. It is your responsibility as a landlord to look out for your tenants and protect them from danger (such as fires or water main leaks), otherwise, you could be held liable for any injuries. 

Document All Communication
Whenever you communicate with your tenants, you should keep a log of the entire conversation. This is especially easy with texts and emails since they stay saved unless you take the time to delete them. Nevertheless, even when it comes to calls, try to jot down notes of your conversation. 

There are many benefits to documenting all correspondence between you and your tenants. For one, it can protect you from any liability if tenants try to twist your words or falsify incidents. Second, it can act as a reminder for you to complete a task or schedule a repair that your tenant requested. 

Moderate Word Choice
Moderating your word choice and avoiding harsh speech is important to bridging effective communication between you and your tenants. If you are rude and hostile toward your tenants, then they will stop coming to you with rental problems, and they will also stop respecting you. 

To better recognize bad behaviors in the future, it is best to first acknowledge and understand them:
  1. Accusatory tone - saying the word “you” (i.e. “What were you thinking?” or “You need to stop this.”).
  2. Foul language - cussing out your tenants or yelling expletives at them.
  3. Dismissive response - accusing your tenants of being overdramatic or brushing off their requests for repairs. 

These actions are some of the common bad behaviors that will prove unproductive when communicating with your tenants. They will act as nothing but a communication barrier, preventing your tenants from trusting you or feeling comfortable in your Long Beach rental. Respect is not earned by belittling or yelling. Rather, it is earned by being respectful. 

Understanding the best practices for effective communication is a complicated but necessary process to be a good and favorable landlord. If you would like further assistance with conversing and relating to your tenants, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or you can fill out our Owner Application online. 

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3 Common Issues That Cause Heaters To Go Bad

By Dustin Edwards • December 19, 2024
If you're properties are suffering from lack of heating this winter, these 3 common issues could be the cause.

Do These 3 Things To Help Tenants Stay Warm During Winter

By Dustin Edwards • December 12, 2024
Although Southern California’s winters are typically mild when compared to other parts of the country, tenants still value a warm home during the cooler months. Taking steps to maintain a comfortable living environment shows your tenants that their needs are being prioritized. This is crucial for tenant satisfaction, especially during the holidays. Below are three methods to help keep tenants warm during the winter season. Maintain Heating System It's required for landlords to provide rentals with a working heating system, however, it's not uncommon for these to fall into disrepair either because of lack of maintenance or negligence. Scheduling regular inspections and maintenance before the coldest weather can help to ensure the heating is reliable and efficient. Cleaning air filters, and checking for cold spots, or irregular noises can help prevent small issues from escalating into expensive repairs. Preventative maintenance can help to reduce the chances of inconvenient calls for emergency repairs. Being proactive with your maintenance can also help you protect your investment while earning goodwill from your tenant. Another factor that can affect your heating system is drafts around windows and doors. These drafts can cause your heating system to overwork which makes the system less efficient, and reliable and ultimately reduces the lifespan of your heating system. You can address this by inspecting the seals around doors and windows for gaps or cold spots. Replace worn-out seals and caulking where it's needed. Offer Smart Thermostats Consider providing your tenants with a smart thermostat for energy-efficient heating. This can not only give tenants control over their comfort, but it's also a great tool to reduce energy usage. By providing this upgrade to your tenant, you show a commitment to your tenant’s satisfaction which can in turn result in a long-term tenant. These kinds of devices definitely benefit your tenants, though they can also contribute to the longevity of your rental property as well. Additionally, you can give your tenant a smart thermostat as a holiday gift . This can show your tenant that you’re not simply collecting rent while protecting your investment. Reverse Ceiling Fans The direction in which a ceiling fan rotates is oftentimes overlooked, and it can have a great effect on the temperature of a home. A ceiling fan is typically seen as a way to cool down a home during the hotter seasons without using the air conditioning . Reversing the spin of a ceiling fan can help to circulate warm air more efficiently during the cold season . This is because warm air rises, and a fan rotating clockwise will push the warm air back down helping maintain warm temperatures. Most fans have a switch on the motor and it is easily accessible for most people with a step ladder. This easy adjustment helps reduce the need for your tenant to use the heating system. Tenants will notice a more consistent and comfortable temperature indoors. This should also help reduce costs on their energy bill. Reversing the rotation of the ceiling fans also takes some of the strain off of the heating system. This helps to ensure it operates efficiently for years by reducing the wear and tear on it. Taking proactive steps this winter season to ensure your tenant’s comfort demonstrates a landlord’s commitment to their tenant’s comfort. A comfortable tenant is a satisfied tenant , which can lead to a long-term tenant and steady rental income. Consider it a small investment for long-term success. If you need help keeping your rental warm or managing Beach City rental property, we invite you to call us today at (562) 888-0247 or complete our Owner Application online .

Top 3 Gifts For Tenants

By Dustin Edwards • December 5, 2024
Discover 3 Gift Ideas for your tenants this holiday season.
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