Blog Post

What You Should Do Every Time a Tenant Calls

Dustin Edwards • January 29, 2022

A Tenant Call Should Always Be Logged

Tenant calls are a part of managing your rental property and are the foundation of a good tenant-landlord relationship. The calls could be from anything as simple as the tenant forgot their keys or as complex as a water pipe breaking. Because of the variety of calls you may get it’s always a good idea to have a checklist to follow every time you receive a call. 


The checklist you follow should have the following items:


  • Log the Phone Call
  • Identify the Need
  • Document the Action Item
  • Communicate with Vendors
  • Log the Follow Up
  • Communicate and Thank the Tenant


Logging the Phone Call

While logging phone calls from your tenant may seem strange at first, it is important to remember that many new renters may be coming from apartments where there is a building manager onsite, meaning they are used to having access to help regularly.


Whenever a tenant calls with regards to your rental property be sure to log the tenants name, address, date and reason for the call. The primary reason for this is to maintain a log of which tenant you will be communicating with and which rental property is being discussed, especially if you have multiple rentals.


Identify the Need from Your Tenant

Once you have logged the tenant's call, the next step is to identify what is needed. There are several levels of needs that your tenant may have and depending on the situation it could be something that’s immediate but not severe, or it could be something that could hold off until a little later on.


For example, if your tenant calls because they forgot their keys then their need is immediate and must be addressed promptly. A simple enough task but if it is not addressed quickly it could become an inconvenience. On the other hand, if your tenant calls because an outlet doesn’t work, then you need to hire a third party vendor to address it in the near future.


Document the Action Item

After identifying the tenant's needs, be sure to document the action(s) required. Take notes on any information that may seem relevant for future needs such as the date and time, a brief description of the action and if it's required to contact a vendor in case of repairs.


Communicate with Vendors

If the call from the tenant was for a repair, it is important to communicate with your vendor(s) in a timely manner. Keep in mind both the vendor as well as yourself want to get to work as quickly as possible. Be clear and responsive to the vendor, let them know the purpose of your call and any other relevant information previously logged from your tenant’s call.


Finally respond to any questions the vendor may have about the situation and schedule a date for the repair to take place that aligns with the availability of your tenant.


Log The Follow Up

Keeping records of work done to your Long Beach rental property is helpful to have a complete maintenance history. Log the follow up date as well as the event that took place with the tenant. 


We recommend communicating with your tenant via email or on our portal to easily keep track of dates and times. This would also provide your tenant with security and peace of mind knowing the issue is being logged in case of future need.


Thanking Your Tenant

Showing appreciation to your tenant is a fantastic way to make them feel comfortable if any future problems arise with your rental. Remember that keeping your property well maintained is a great way to retain long term tenants and that it is in both you and your tenant’s best interest to make sure problems are dealt with in a swift manner as this can lower the overall cost of maintenance in the long term.


Keeping this checklist as a guideline for when tenants call is one of many ways new landlords can stay organized. If you have any further questions on what to do when tenants call, please call us today at (562) 888-0247 or fill out our
free rental analysis to see what your rental could yield today.


Share this post

By Dustin Edwards January 17, 2025
A new year is a new chance to start new ideas to bring in prospects to your property. Consider the following 5 ideas to engage prospects and get new tenants.
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 .
By Dustin Edwards January 2, 2025
Keeping tenants safe, translates to happy and long-term tenants. Read to discover 5 Inexpensive ways to keep your tenants safe.
Show More
Share by: