They say that you can’t over-communicate with someone. In the case of rental tenants, it’s perhaps even more true. So whether by e-mail, phone, or carrier pigeon, staying in contact with your tenants makes everything else with managing your rental unit easier. Here are 6 communication tips from a leader in Brevard County (from Palm Bay to Titusville) property management.
Take the emotion out of it — Whether you have great tenants or more challenging tenants, you need to see the owner-tenant relationship as a business venture. Treat your residents professionally, and don’t get attached or too personal. Communication should be honest and clear.
Do more. Lots more — From property management from Palm Bay to Titusville, your tenants deserve to hear from you often. E-mail, call, mail – it doesn’t matter, just make sure you’re staying in communication. With regular inspection and maintenance needs, your tenants need to always know what is going on around their home.
Be clear about expectations — Nothing sours a relationship faster than unmet expectations. Be clear with your expectations. You and your tenants will have a much better experience. Clear communication of expectations can start at the time of the lease signing.
Don’t hover — Allow your tenants to figure out how they want to live in the house, they do not want or need your advice on how to set up their household. You can focus on making the experience as streamlined and as easy as possible. Just keep yourself available should they have any questions.
Hard copies — The idea of “nail and mail” has been around for a long time for good reason – it works; especially with legal issues or financial matters. Its’s best to give your tenants hard copies of official paperwork and documents. Word of mouth and cyberspace aren’t always the best documentation options for official communications.
Certify your mail – many property management companies here in Brevard County certify every piece of mail that goes out to a client. That way they can ensure the communication was received or refused. Either way, a record is kept, and you can prove what has or hasn’t been done.
Tenant communication when managing your own property can be an overwhelming experience. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be that way. If you find a good property management partner, many of these issues can be easily taken care of for you.