Being a landlord can be stressful as you are essentially always “on-call” should your tenants need you. If there is a major leak or a fire in your property, for example, you can be sure that your tenants will be in touch right away. However, for many landlords, it’s not these emergency calls that become frustrating, it’s tenants complaints.
While some tenants can be a little more difficult to deal with than others, it’s crucial that you handle any complaints you receive properly and deal with them effectively. Ignoring issues that your tenants are having could not only result in a problem in your investment property getting worse over time, but it could also land you in legal trouble. Reacting correctly to complaints will help you to maintain a good relationship with your tenants and ensure that your rental income is not affected.
Let’s take a look at a few useful tips that landlords should keep in mind when they are dealing with tenant complaints.
Clear Communication
If your tenants raise an issue with you, it’s important that you listen carefully to what they have to say. Instead of being dismissive of their complaint, make sure that you follow it up and take the necessary action to rectify the problem. Not only will this approach help you to keep your tenants satisfied but it will also ensure that small problems don’t become bigger issues. For example, if a tenant complains of dripping noises, you should take it seriously and call an emergency plumber on the Sunshine Coast to investigate further. This could be a sign of leaking pipes which could cause serious damage to your property if left untreated.
Stay Calm And Relaxed
Every property will have an issue of some kind at one point or another. While dealing with these issues can cause a lot of disruption to your day and be frustrating, it’s important to remember that it’s not always the tenant’s fault. Even if the tenant did cause the issue, you should still keep calm and avoid being confrontational. Be civil with your tenants and encourage them to tell you about any problems with the property so you can get ahead of any potential problems and fix them early before they become bigger issues. Being friendly and approachable, rather than angry and aggressive, will always work in your favour as a landlord.
Be Honest And Realistic
When your tenants get in touch with a complaint, they will typically be looking for a resolution as soon as possible. In this instance, it’s important that you are honest with your predictions for solving the issue and that you are realistic with your plans. If your tenants know they will be waiting a week for the issue to be resolved, they might not be happy but at least they can work around that. Telling them that you will be there to fix it in an hour and not turning up for a few days is not helpful to your tenants, who have lives of their own to lead.
Handle Tenant Complaints With Compassion And Find A Resolution
Tenants will have complaints from time to time and there’s no way to avoid having to deal with these communications. While it can be frustrating to learn that there is an issue with your property, it’s important to remember that it is your tenants who are living with the problem and have to deal with it every day. Whether it’s the hot water not working or the internet being down, it is their life that is affected, not yours as the landlord. Show some compassion to your tenants and make every effort to resolve the issue as quickly as you can so you can maintain a positive relationship with your tenants and ensure that your property is well-maintained.