Are you "nice" to yout tenant?

Are you "nice" to your tenants?

  • I rarely raise the rent, fulfill every request and even send them a christmas card :)

    Votes: 2 2.3%
  • I'm diplomatic with rent increases, I usually fulfill their requests, I also show some appreciation.

    Votes: 65 75.6%
  • This is strictly business! I milk every rent increase & don't spend any unnecessary dollars.

    Votes: 16 18.6%
  • Other? please explain..

    Votes: 3 3.5%

  • Total voters
    86
  • Poll closed .
I'm interested to hear people's thoughts/opinions on how you keep a healthy & stress free arrangement between yourself and the tenant.

How do you let them know you appreciate the rent being paid on time, keeping the place looking good for a valuation, not bugging you with trivial matters etc.

Just relating to resi props thanks.

Although it's unlikely, a tenant that checks out great may look at rental increases unfavourably, may get upset with their requests getting knocked back, and end up concreting your toilet :(
 
We have received Xmas cards, invitations to tenant's baby christening and later have these same tenants stop paying rent, and somehow it is our fault they can't manage their paycheques, or keep their jobs because of their explosive behavior.

Other tenants upon their leaving have given us thank you cards for making their first time away from home a memorable one.These are ones I prefer to remember.Unfortunately it is the former tenants who making the lasting memory.

We always try to give our tenants respect along with a clean and maintained place to live at a reasonable rent.
We do not force anyone to rent from us.They see how the place looks when they apply.All we ask is that they honor their lease.

When they have a maintenance problem, we address it as soon as possible. What I do not like is when they accuse us of not providing an improvement which we never said we were going to do. This last one was a tenant who wanted new windows, and has even bent the window frame with her a/c in the hopes we will. Nope, but if it can't be fixed, she will be paying for it.
The mobile she is in, can be rented again at a moments notice.

We have offered free month's rent if you pay on time for 12 months consecutively.Out of 12 tenants at that time, we had one actually receive the free month. We had thought about giving a token Xmas gift such as coffee mugs and hot chocolate, but knew it wouldn't really make a bit of difference. Instead we gave it to our tradies, laywer etc.

Treat it like a business, and maybe they won't take advantage of you.Don't count on it.
We charge 1 % of the rent even if they are a day late. We charge $50 for a NSF cheque.We start eviction when they are overdue.
These people generally rent for a reason...they can't afford a house.(not counting the investors here who rent along with owning an IP..that is a stategy.)
Some, like us next year, will rent until we decide where we want to live.
 
I think you need another category.

I fall between 2 and 3 in that:

I keep a close eye on rentals and keep rent at fair market value, I consider all requests and if justified or economically beneficial I am happy to comply,
I keep the property in good condition and maintain a professional relationship with the tenant and PM.
Marg
 
I think Marg is right. Not enough categories.
I charge near full market rent, but I also make sure every maintenance issue is attended to promptly and tp a high standard.
They get a gift card at Christmas time and another when they let the valuer come through.
I find they all keep the place in great condition and always pay the rent on time (most pay early so as to ensure I get it on time).
Treating property investment like a business doesn't mean not building relationships.
My favourite coffee shop runs a business, but they give me a free coffee from time to time. So I give them my loyalty in return.
I've never had any damage by tenants and I'm about to have my first vacancy - a young girl who has been renting from me for nearly 2 years has just bought her own place courtesy of the FHB boost. Apart from her, my tenants dont' seem to want to move.
Who can blame them :)
It's a win-win arrangement.
 
I think you need another category.

I fall between 2 and 3 in that:

I keep a close eye on rentals and keep rent at fair market value, I consider all requests and if justified or economically beneficial I am happy to comply,
I keep the property in good condition and maintain a professional relationship with the tenant and PM.
Marg

Another vote for Marg's 2.5 category. This is exactly how I treat my tenants too.
 
I think you need another category.

I fall between 2 and 3 in that:

I keep a close eye on rentals and keep rent at fair market value, I consider all requests and if justified or economically beneficial I am happy to comply,
I keep the property in good condition and maintain a professional relationship with the tenant and PM.
Marg

Yep, I am with Marg here.
 
Fair point.. maybe the 4th option can now be for the grey area between options 2 & 3 :)

Do many others send the odd card/gift? I'm guessing there's a fine line between coming across a little tacky/creepy, and showing some appreciation for being a good tenant..
 
Do many others send the odd card/gift? I'm guessing there's a fine line between coming across a little tacky/creepy, and showing some appreciation for being a good tenant..

I only send gifts cards to the one's who haven't taken out restraining orders.
Gee, I'm not THAT stupid!
 
I think you need another category.

I fall between 2 and 3 in that:

I keep a close eye on rentals and keep rent at fair market value, I consider all requests and if justified or economically beneficial I am happy to comply,
I keep the property in good condition and maintain a professional relationship with the tenant and PM.
Marg

Yes second that.

It also depends on the tenant.

I have the most wonderful tenant in one of my properties that clearly goes out of her way to save me money by getting a local handyman to fix things.

Her rent is about $20/week under market value.

I reward good tenants with Movie Passes.:)

Regards JO
 
I keep the rent as high as possible and raise it as often as possible, but I attend to maintenance issues as quickly as possible.

So far the only requests I've had from tenants have been reasonable maintenance issues, so I can't comment yet on what I'd do if they asked for something stupid.

I'd be more inclined to send my PM a Xmas card than any tenants.
 
I think you need another category.

I fall between 2 and 3 in that:

I keep a close eye on rentals and keep rent at fair market value, I consider all requests and if justified or economically beneficial I am happy to comply,
I keep the property in good condition and maintain a professional relationship with the tenant and PM.
Marg

i'm with marg - my rentals are strictly business and i don't spend unecesarily on them, but am prompt and don't quibble about maintanence issues - i am also diplomatic with rent increases but keep at market rent - i don't send my tenants cards or letters etc, they don't pester me and i don't pester them. just how i like it.
 
i'm with marg - my rentals are strictly business and i don't spend unecesarily on them, but am prompt and don't quibble about maintanence issues - i am also diplomatic with rent increases but keep at market rent - i don't send my tenants cards or letters etc, they don't pester me and i don't pester them. just how i like it.

Ditto and use an agent to keep it professional and clear, Peter
 
i'm with marg - my rentals are strictly business and i don't spend unecesarily on them, but am prompt and don't quibble about maintanence issues - i am also diplomatic with rent increases but keep at market rent - i don't send my tenants cards or letters etc, they don't pester me and i don't pester them. just how i like it.

Ditto and use an agent to keep it professional and clear, Peter

^ ^

What they said. :)
 
I am with Marg too.

A young lady was telling me today how she was in a private rental.
The owner used to bring the power and water bills to the door as she wouldnt put them in the tenants name .
Owner would turn up anytime and come into the house and do a walk through with smoke in hand and remind the tenant that it is her house.This could happen weekly.
Tenant couldnt get hot water in the shower so she went to the owner who just slammed the door in tenants face and never fixed the problem.
Tenant moved out.
I was really shocked to hear of this happening today with so many rules and regulations.
I respect my tenants.
cheer
yadreamin
 
i believe we are nice, if that is the word to use?
ours are professionally managed so we do not have a lot of direct contact but have done so on some occasions over the years.

maintanace and other requests are dealt with promptly.
of course it has been our experience some tenants are nicer than others too!

at the end of the day it is a business. we provide well located pleasent places to live. we value our properties and expect the tenants to treat them with care and to pay rent as required and agreed.

we fulfill our side of the bargain and sometimes do more than we need but we are mindful it is a commercial relationship, not a charitable or benevolent one.
regards.
 
Voted diplomatic....

One tenant is moving shortly and will show the house for us on a couple of open days... and she will sell it as she adores us and is distraught about leaving and the thought of us losing any rent.....no she is not mad...we look after our tenants if they look after us....

The other tenants:
1) Old couple on pensions and get $20discount as we never hear from them and yet it always looks freshly painted and groomed whenever we drive by..yearly rent increases but stay under the going rate...

2) Couple with kid...was always a week behind in rent for many months but is now always two weeks ahead after they realised we do care that they have a nice home to live in and that if they don't pay rent the bank will kick them out....not us...!
this was explained diplomatically of course...:D

They all get birthday cards and a Christmas $40 spend voucher (from our Flybuys points)...easy peasy...:)

We are about to rent out the PPOR ($250/wk) and move into free accom. elsewhere....sort of like buying a 4th IP you could say...put the 6yr thingy at work...!:cool:
 
I ask as much rent as possible for above average quality rental accommodation. I attend to problems big and small as early as possible and for silly mistakes by house-challenged tenants, eg washing electrical switches with copious water and using toilet cistern as a ladder. The rent increase has to be on the ball to make up for the damages and repairs and the imminent increases in interest rates. Independently, I have an eye out to enhance my rental properties.

I have a tenant who stuck a note of appreciation on my garage door which has a remote opener - "I love you." :D
 

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I wouldn't know my tenants if I walked past them in the street. I don't want to know who they are.

That's what I pay the PMs to do. Make sure the rent is paid on time, and the property is maintained correctly. Anything else is too warm and fuzzie.
 
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