How To Simplify Communication With Your Tenants

Communication with your tenants is essential. You need to be able to reach them and they need to be able to reach you for various reasons. It can be tough to get a hold of each other, especially if you have different schedules. Mailing letters is still crucial in some instances, but tenants may not check physical mail as often as those in the past did. However, there are ways that you can easily get in touch with each other in order to communicate effectively.

Make sure they have your contact information

When you are in the process of signing the lease with your tenant, you likely have contact in order to set up a time a place to sign the lease and get them moved in. After this, it is still important that they know how to reach you. Leave your contact information, such as your phone number and email address. If either of these changes, be sure to let your tenants know so they are not struggling to reach you if they must. Simply leaving your contact information lets tenants know that you are willing and able to be reached if things come up and that you are not just in it for the money. If you have social media accounts or groups, make sure tenants are aware. Many property managers use apps for rental properties to collect rent, manage repair requests, and communicate with tenants. Be sure your tenants are able to access the app and know how to use it so they can take advantage of all it offers, especially if they need to reach you.

Reach out to residents occasionally

Even if there isn’t anything wrong, you may want to reach out every so often to check in with tenants. This is especially helpful if your tenants are college students who are renting for the first time or who you know have busy schedules. Reaching out first shows that you are approachable and that you actually care about residents as people and not just as a source of income. You may even ask if there is anything you can do to make things easier for them, especially in terms of communication. You do not have to call them every day or even every week, but checking in on them once or twice a month can let them know that you are there to assist them and that you care.

Use an app

You may already be using an app for things like virtual tours, digital documents, and collecting rent. Many rental apps allow for communication between tenants and their property managers. Most tenants have a smartphone, so being able to have an app for communication can simplify things, especially if it is within the same place they pay rent. This is also a great way to manage maintenance and repair requests. Tenants can simply fill out a request with whatever issue they need to resolve and submit it to be seen by you. This way, they do not have to worry about trying to call you or email you to get things done. They also will not have to worry about calling you at an inconvenient time of day. You may even want to see if there is a way to alert them of the status of their request within the app.

Image: Plann via https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-using-smartphone-application-4549408/

Video appointments

While things like texting and email can be useful, there is nothing quite like talking face-to-face. However, this can be difficult due to schedule differences. If your tenants are students, they may be at school or work and can only talk on a break. These breaks may not allow them to meet you where you are and then go back to where they need to be. You may not even live in the location of your properties, or you may be on a trip. In these cases, a video call allows for a face-to-face conversation without having to be in person. If your tenant has a maintenance request and you are unable to visit right away, you can have a video appointment where the tenant shows you what needs repair. It is not the same as doing this in person, but it is an easy solution until you are able to visit.

Social media

Most tenants, especially if they are college students, have various social media accounts. If you do not have a social media presence, now is the time to start. Not only will social media help you stay in touch with current tenants and alert them of important announcements, but it can also help you bring in new tenants and help fill vacancies when the time comes. Whether you create a business page, a tenants’ group, or both, social media is a great way to get information out there and help your tenants get in touch with each other as well.

Communication is so important, but it does not have to be difficult. Help things run smoothly for you and your tenants by simplifying communication.