Communication Tips To Ensure Renewals and Referrals

As a landlord or property manager, you only get paid when you have people renting space on your properties. This is why it is so crucial to take steps to ensure that your tenants want to live on your properties for the long-term, and hopefully they will tell others about their positive experience. One way to do this is to ensure communication is responsive and professional. Otherwise, you will not receive renewals or referrals. There are ways to communicate so that tenants stay on your properties and tell others to as well.

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Address concerns quickly

It is important that you show how much you care about your tenants’ concerns. You are responsible for helping with maintenance requests and addressing other problems that arise. Those who are quick to respond and do so thoroughly and professionally will get renewals and referrals. However, word travels quickly when people feel like their landlord is not responsive or does not take care of issues in a timely and professional manner.

Open communication

As a landlord, you need to be available for your tenants. Whether they have a question about their lease or a maintenance request, they need to know how to best get a hold of you and know that you will respond if they send an email or leave a voicemail. Some landlords set up office hours so tenants can call or come see them then. This allows them to get in touch with you when you are readily available.

Multiple points of contact

No matter how reliable technology may seem, there is always a chance that one aspect will go awry. Having multiple points of contact helps ensure that your tenants are able to reach you in case they have an emergency or a question. Having only a phone number that is disconnected or an email you do not check is not sufficient for your tenants. Have multiple modes of communication open and make sure you check them at least once a day to help keep communication flowing.

Reach out to residents

Even if your tenants are okay and do not contact you with any issues, it is still a nice gesture to check in with them to see how they are doing. You might find that they are doing well, but you might also find that they were nervous to reach out for whatever reason. Reaching out to them to check in shows them that you care and are there for them if anything should come up. This level of care will leave a mark and will be something they remember when it comes time to renew their lease.

Keep it simple

Communicating with landlords or property managers should not simulate jumping through hoops of fire. Your tenants have busy lives, and if an issue comes up, they need it resolved as soon as possible. Having a communication system that is straightforward and easy to navigate will make everyone’s lives easier, including your own. Your tenants will appreciate being able to contact you easily if something happens. When they hear of people they know struggling to get in touch with their landlord or property manager, they will be more inclined to tell them about you and will stick around.

Use an app or portal

If you have an app or portal already in place for things like rent payment and important documents, see if the app has a feature for sending messages between you and your tenants. You may also want to see if it has the option for maintenance requests. This way, everything is all in one place, and you can keep track of communication and maintenance requests. See if there is an option to mark maintenance requests as “done” once they are completed to help you stay even more organized.

Communicate when increasing rent

As the cost of everything continues to increase, you will inevitably have to increase your rent costs as well. This may upset your tenants, but if you communicate effectively and keep communication open for questions and concerns, they may be more willing to stay. Let your tenants know as soon as possible that rent is increasing by sending a letter. Use simple language and provide every detail necessary. Include the new rent price as well as the date the price will be in effect. Remind tenants of the ways to get a hold of you and invite them to reach out to you should they have any questions.  Your tenants may keep records of communication, and you should as well to make sure things are good. Be as open as possible to compromise, especially if you have tenants who have been living on your properties for a while.

Being a good communicator is crucial, especially when it comes to being a landlord or property manager. Keeping communication open and simple will encourage tenants to renew their lease and refer people they know to rent your properties.