Meeting Tenants?

[James m Dawson]

tenant contact

Ive use the friendly but firm approach , I really want my tenants to do well and dont mind a bit of contact, usually mine relates to building improvements etc and as i am a hands on sort of guy I will get my property manager to come along as well. If there are any rent issues I get him to deal with it. I always recommend using a professional manager for your investment property. You only have to stuff up one rent increase or lease detail and trust me it can cost you many thousands of dollars in rent and building value.
I do sometimes do all the new lease negotiations but you really need to make sure you know what you are doing , can save a bit of agent comm here but I dont recommend it for a new investor.

If there are any rent problems its always easier to call the manager than the tenant!

 

[jackbak]

We run a business in the property we own. We know and see our tenants (3 commercial lease, 2 residential lease) most working days. Our property is in a small country town but I'm sure things would be very different in the city!

Interesting... do you self manage? Have you ever had any problems with a tenant? I imagine that could get a bit awkward!

 

[matto_]

Had a situation where a met my parents (smallish country town at a local gardening group).

Dont know whether there is any hard and fast rules.

 

[kathryn d]

As we self manage, we meet our tenants.

I gave a Notice to Quit to a gentleman this week. He said he understood, and he is still appreciative for our patience.
He is waiting for his student loan monies to arrive...and we have an eviction notice pending, if it doesn't. Just told him, we have to cover ourselves, as landlords had very litle options.

We are embroiled in a bitter court battle with another tenant. He is setting us up for a civil court action. The tenancy officer did something yesterday, she hadn't done for years. She agreed to visit the rental property.(at our request) She understands we may need to call upon her in the future as a witness of the condition of the property.

So, yes meeting tenants may a bit uncomfortable for some.
It used to bother me, it doesn't now.
If I have contempt for them, they have earned it.
Otherwise we bend over backwards to keep them comfortable.

 

[missgreeneyes]

My tenants have my number as I met them on site very early this week to look at a plumbing issue, together with the plumber.
I have a PM but am a hands-on owner. I attend all inspections too so they know what I look like. After all, it's my asset at the end of the day.
My tenants and I have a professional relationship. No small talk, no chit chat. I communicate with them and greet them politely when I get in the door. I thank them for their time and leave.

 

[jim1964]

I keep the arms length approach.In the early green days i used to give my number to tenants,one lady used to always bypass the PM and call me direct,at all hours of the day and night.It got to the point i changed phone numbers.I do not mind meeting tenants during scheduled inspections with the PM,but i make it clear any issues are to be referred to the manager,i will hear about any problems quick enough .

 

[westminster]

DH has commercial factory units and he has met all his tenants as he self manages. They are pretty good about emailing about most things - they have DH's mobile number but most people like to have things in writing

With our residential properties I have a PM but I have also met the 3 tenants. It's a triplex and I helped do the 'viewings' with the property manager so we could have people go through all 3 at once. I also visited them when they moved in and gave them a house warming pressie. They don't have any contacts for me though - just the PM. At Christmas time I plan to send them all a little pressie - probably some movie tickets. Just something to keep them happy.

 

[missgreeneyes]

As we self manage, we meet our tenants.

We are embroiled in a bitter court battle with another tenant. He is setting us up for a civil court action. The tenancy officer did something yesterday, she hadn't done for years. She agreed to visit the rental property.(at our request) She understands we may need to call upon her in the future as a witness of the condition of the property.

What's a tenancy officer and which agency do they come from? A real estate agent or the government?
The court battle sounds ulcer-inducing. I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. Did you screen the tenants at the beginning?

 

[kathryn d]

What's a tenancy officer and which agency do they come from? A real estate agent or the government?
The court battle sounds ulcer-inducing. I'm sorry to hear of your troubles. Did you screen the tenants at the beginning?

Tribunal officer equivalent.
Screening tenants is difficult here.

Rob and I have actually started our own tenant database for our local town. We have invited local landlords to band togther and start sharing info. It's only a couple of weeks old, but we did find out where this particular tenant is moving to....and he is getting the landlord he deserves (doesn't play by the book...but how I wish we could play by)

 

[Andrew_A]

No particular harm either way, depends on what feels comfortable for you, people like being treated like people rather than just numbers.

If I don't know tenants personally and have regular contact I like giving small gifts at Christmas such as two movie tickets if they have been looking after the property.

 

[WesternRat]

What about self-manage?

 

[wylie]

What about self-manage?

Do you mean how do you avoid meeting the tenants if you self manage?

We have always self managed and have met every tenant. They have our phone numbers (home and mobile) but we have never had any problems, or midnight calls or abuse of them having these numbers.

I believe it comes down to mutual respect. I also believe that many tenants who have never met their landlords may well have less regard for them in any decisions they make. It is so much easier to do the wrong thing when you know nothing about who owns the place.

We have had a handful of crook tenants, but mostly they are just like us.

 

[kathryn d]

Do you mean how do you avoid meeting the tenants if you self manage?

We have always self managed and have met every tenant. They have our phone numbers (home and mobile) but we have never had any problems, or midnight calls or abuse of them having these numbers.

I believe it comes down to mutual respect. I also believe that many tenants who have never met their landlords may well have less regard for them in any decisions they make. It is so much easier to do the wrong thing when you know nothing about who owns the place.

We have had a handful of crook tenants, but mostly they are just like us.

Same with us.
Most even apologise for calling.We tell them we want to know if there is a leak, or something is broken..and we thank them.

Its the scammers, I have no patience with.

 

[willister]

Do you mean how do you avoid meeting the tenants if you self manage?

We have always self managed and have met every tenant. They have our phone numbers (home and mobile) but we have never had any problems, or midnight calls or abuse of them having these numbers.

I believe it comes down to mutual respect. I also believe that many tenants who have never met their landlords may well have less regard for them in any decisions they make. It is so much easier to do the wrong thing when you know nothing about who owns the place.

We have had a handful of crook tenants, but mostly they are just like us.

Are these residential or commercial tenants? We've found that residential tenants were much much easier to deal with.

With our commercial tenants - they were a basketcase. One looked really dangerous and threatening, luckily enough he didn't take up his renewal option, though we inherited this tenant when buying it.

The 2nd bloke was kind of nice but when his business went downhill very quickly, so did his attitude. The 3rd and 4th commercial tenants were just downright trouble makers.

 

[wylie]

Are these residential or commercial tenants? We've found that residential tenants were much much easier to deal with.

Residential tenants.

Just ordinary folk like us... (but have had two that I wish didn't have my number - never came to anything luckily.)

 

[Dazz]

I'm with wylie.....good to me the Tenants.

I sit down with them and lay down the ground rules before they become Tenants....that way we don't have any misunderstandings.

It helps with the C&I stuff, cos I've got some teeth to back it up.

With the retail, it helps a tiny bit...but not much really, cos the law is mostly the Tenants way.

With the ressy stuff, I simply cross my fingers and hope they behave themselves after the chat, cos I've got absolutely nothing in law to back me up. Fortunately, most of the Tenants don't fully realise how much power they actually have. We all barely survive on their ignorance.