So you just signed a lease with a new tenant. What are some of the things you can do as a property manager to help ensure that your relationship with your new resident starts off and runs on the right foot?
The signing of the lease
To get started, take your time as you sign the lease with your new tenant. Don’t look at the lease signing as another “boring” event, where you’re going through the boring process of reading your lease with another new tenant so you can focus your day on doing “more important” things. . Lease signing is a very significant event, especially for your tenant. After all, you are getting ready to move and move all your belongings, and possibly your family, to a new place: your property! Normally this is an extremely important and likely emotional event for your new tenant. It should be just as important to you! Read the entire lease with the tenant and take the time to fully answer any questions you may have. Welcome them aboard! If the tenant is moving into an apartment community, take time to discuss the amenities of your complex or community after you discuss the lease.
Tenant greeting and tour
Meet your new residents in person in their new living space and take a tour to ensure there are no questions or concerns. Make sure you have a pad of paper and a pen to write down anything that comes up for follow-up. Get on those follow-up articles immediately! It wouldn’t hurt to have a maintenance person on hand to immediately address any outstanding concerns.
Just as you are screening your new resident to make sure they have done a good job evaluating your application, the tenant will be screening you as their new landlord. They want to make sure they don’t just move in with a “winning” landlord. How you handle any initial concerns will quickly set the stage for the relationship you can look forward to with your new tenant.
welcome gifts
Think about budgeting between $25 and $50 for some type of welcome gift for new tenants. This little thought will go a long way toward getting you and your business some great word-of-mouth publicity from your new tenant. Think about it for a minute. Suppose you yourself are moving to a new place and going through all the hassles of that new move, including worrying about whether you’ve made the right decision. You walk into your new place and there on the counter is an unexpected welcome gift. Suddenly, those moving worries are gone. You immediately feel at ease. You have made the right decision and you have a great owner for taking the time to do such a thing. Budget money for welcome gifts for new tenants! That money will come back to you many times over! Again, initial impressions will go a long way toward developing a strong relationship with your new tenants. How about these cute but inexpensive housewarming gift ideas?
- Tenant’s toolbox (hammer, screwdrivers, tape measure, plunger, pliers)
- wine bottle
- Personally signed simple welcome card and/or letter
- Gift certificate to a local restaurant, supermarket or gas station
- Toiletries
moving kits
Along with your housewarming gifts, include moving kits that contain useful information about the community and the neighborhood as a whole. This could include area guides, discount coupons for area merchants, and key contact numbers. Incorporate your moving kit with your welcome gift.
If you’re renting apartment communities (as opposed to single-family homes or other types of independent rentals), try using some of the following tips to help build a strong relationship with your new residents:
Moving Checklist/Survey – Within the first few weeks of the tenant’s move-in, provide them with a “new move-in survey/checklist.” Ask several questions about the move and the housing units, leaving room for open-ended responses. You may want to offer residents the opportunity to complete the survey anonymously. This little tip will be beneficial to both you and your resident. The new resident once again appreciates your interest in their move. You get valuable insight into handling your new moves that can be acted upon and improved upon.
be receptive – It is very important that you and your company process tenant maintenance calls in a timely manner. Owners are evaluated by tenants based on their responsiveness to maintenance requests. Being responsive isn’t limited to your handling of maintenance calls. Be sure to return any phone calls and/or emails you receive very promptly.
Resident interests – Learn about the interests of residents in your rental community. You may have a simple questionnaire for your new residents to fill out at lease signing. Knowing the background and interests of your tenants will help you plan programs and services that will be enjoyed by the majority of your community.
set rewards – Provide your residents with incentives for timely rent payments and lease extensions. Rewards can include rent payment credits, gift cards, or tenants’ apartment improvements, for example.
Why not quiz your tenant base on what they would like to receive, or offer each tenant the opportunity to choose a rewards offer? If you have some high paying tenants and you can entice them to pay on time and better yet reward them for extending their leases, you will reward yourself too!
Try these and other tips with new tenants. They will both be happy about it!