9 Landlord Tips to Have Better Relationships with Your Louisville Tenants

Establishing a good relationship with your tenant is beneficial in more ways than one. For a landlord, it may mean a high tenant retention ratio and minimum vacancies. In turn, this will directly affect your passive income in a positive way. 

Also, your tenant can prove useful in the tenant search process should they move out. They can provide you useful referrals and recommendations that can help you find a great tenant to rent to but they’ll only do this if there’s a solid landlord-tenant relationship. For your tenant, a good relationship may mean having their concerns addressed quickly. As a landlord, there are a couple of things that you can do to better the relationship you have with your tenant. They are as follows:

Set Proper Expectations Early

Let your tenant know what is expected from them when they rent your property. This can go a long way in reducing potential issues and conflicts down the line. For example, when it comes to maintenance, let your tenant know what exactly they are responsible for. You’ll also want to keep open communication with them. In other words, have an “open door” policy. Make it clear to them that you’re available to talk to them and solve any issues they may have. Whether they need clarification on a term on the lease or need a repair made, let them know that you’re available for contact. 

responding to maintenance issues

Respond to Maintenance Requests as Quickly as Possible

With all your responsibilities as a landlord, it may not always be easy to respond to every maintenance request on time, nor schedule emergency repairs. That said, being an unresponsive landlord is one of the primary causes of tenant dissatisfaction. When a tenant is dissatisfied with their living conditions, it means that they will be looking to move out as soon as an opportunity arises. 

To better your relationship with your tenant, you, therefore, have to be responsive. And, specifically, you’ll need to prioritize their repair requests. Ideally, have two lines in this regard. That is one for less critical repairs and another for emergencies. They can use the emergency hotline to report things like plumbing problems, water damage, broken windows, and gas and utility issues. For non-emergencies, they can use the line to let you know about things like repainting, fixing holes in walls, and other primarily-aesthetic issues. 

Notify Your Tenant Before Entering their Unit 

The last thing your tenant wants is to be surprised by contractors and handymen, or agents who are showing the unit to prospective tenants. In the state of Kentucky, you must provide your tenant with a two days notice prior to entering their unit. The law, however, doesn’t specify which hours landlords may enter the rented property. That said, schedule visits during working hours or during a time that the tenant has agreed to. 

sending notice to tenants

Be Honest

Begin doing this from the moment you establish a point of contact with a tenant. This is usually during the property showing. Let the prospect know your expectations from the outset. 

For example, if you allow pets into your rental property, let them know about your pet policy. Let them know about any restrictions you have in regards to the breed, number, or size of pets allowed. You’ll also want to communicate other important policies including:

  • The rent amount, when it’s to be paid, and how they are to pay it
  • Their responsibility in regards to maintaining the property to expected standards

Use Multiple Communication Channels 

Different tenants will have different communication preferences. While others will prefer communicating over the phone, others may prefer communicating via email and text messages. Therefore, you should have different communication channels that tenants can use to get in touch with you. Include email, a text messaging number, a phone number, and a full mailing address to make it easy for tenants to reach you. 

Make Regular Visits to the Property

Regularly inspecting your property is also key to establishing a good landlord-tenant relationship. It’ll show your tenant that you care for their well-being and are interested in engaging them. Regular inspections will also help you notice issues early on before they become serious and potentially costly. And again, remember to notify your tenant prior to the intended entry. 

inspections of rentals

Treat Your Tenant with Respect

Property management is part of the service industry. How your treat your tenant has a direct correlation with the success of your business. If you treat them well, they will be more likely to renew their lease. However, if you don’t, then they will look for another rental. 

Update Your Property and Maintain it

Updating your property will help make it desirable to prospective tenants. You’ll have an easy time filling your vacancies and improving your tenant retention ratio. The following are some of the routine updates you’ll want to make after every tenant turnover:

  • Repaint faded the rental property
  • Re-caulk bathtubs and showers
  • Check for pests
  • Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors 
  • Replace HVAC filters
  • Check for leaks
  • Replace worn-out carpeting

These are a couple of things you can do to reinvigorate the look and feel of your property. 

Make Their Life more Simple

This is where technology comes in. The right technology will help make your tenant’s life easy and convenient. For example, you may want to create an online portal for your tenants. This can help simplify many things including payment of rent and submission of maintenance requests.

Bottom Line

Having a better relationship with your tenant can help make your experience as a landlord better. By putting time and effort into establishing these relationships with your tenants, you'll see a more steady income and experience less stress. If you would like help managing your rentals, contact the trusted experts at Alltrade Property Management today!