Not only is the process of finding and securing new tenants anything but cheap, but finding the perfect tenants for your property can be a ‘needle in the haystack challenge’. Which is precisely why if you were to speak to any leading landlord anywhere in the world, they would gladly tell you of the critical importance of keeping your perfect tenants happy at all times.
According to the experts at www.mus.co.uk, far too many landlords (particularly those who are new to the industry) assume that just as soon as quality tenants have been found, that’s really all there is to it. Unfortunately, taking quality tenants for granted represents a surefire recipe for disaster. The simple fact of the matter is that it is a two-way street when it comes to succeeding as a landlord – they have to do their bit, but you also have to do quite a lot yourself at the same time.
So for those who would prefer not to have to go through the process of finding outstanding tenants once again, here’s a quick look at a few tips for keeping them happy and content long-term:
1 – Housewarming Gifts
To say that first impressions count for a lot when it comes to landlords would be an enormous understatement. Chances are, it’s during the first few days that their overall impression of you will be formed – so too will whether or not they give a damn about following your rules. As such, you might want to think about leaving a very simple yet thoughtful housewarming gift to welcome them to the property. Anything from a box of chocolates to a bottle of wine or even some flowers to spruce up the place will definitely get things up on the right foot.
2 – Keep Your Distance
It can be extremely tempting during the first weeks and months in particular to keep a particularly close eye on your tenants and see how they are getting along. Not necessarily for the purposes of snooping, but simply to see how it’s going. Once again however, these will also be the weeks and months during which first impressions are solidified and you really do not want to come across as the kind of landlord that is in the habit of harassing tenants. Give them plenty of space and consider a friendly e-mail every now and again, just to see how they are settling in.
3 – Pets Or No Pets?
Try to remember that when it comes to allowing pets or otherwise, this can be an enormous deal breaker in the eyes of tenants. They may not have had a kitten or a puppy when they moved in, but if they decide they desperately want to extend their family after six months, you might want to consider amending your policy. More often than not, pets don’t cause even close to the kind of damage landlords seem to assume they will, but can certainly be effective bargaining chips when it comes to keeping your tenants happy.
4 – Don’t Be A Scrooge
If you have made the decision to leave any appliances, furniture or accessories of any kind around the property, it is of the utmost importance that you don’t come across as an absolute cheapskate. If for example the washing machine in the kitchen hasn’t been replaced since 1982 and is bordering on useless, this really doesn’t say a great deal about you as a professional. You cannot expect simply leaving bits and pieces of the property in its own right to convey you as a generous and thoughtful landlord – you need to think carefully about everything you include.
5 – Special Occasions
Try to remember that some people take it very personally if they don’t receive things like Christmas cards or birthday cards. Realistically, remembering the birthdays of your tenants or being sure to send a card at Christmas really isn’t a great deal to ask, but is absolutely guaranteed to convey a winning impression of you as a landlord.
6 – Priority
Last but not least, it’s important to ensure that when and where your tenants get in touch with you with any kinds of problems to be addressed, you treat them seriously and with a sense of priority. The fact that one of the taps in the downstairs bathroom is very slightly loose may be the kind of thing that you personally don’t think warrants a phone call at 7:00 PM on a Saturday night. Nevertheless, if it’s important to your tenants, it needs to be important to you…end of story!