The most ANNOYING Landlord traits
Chris Hogan, 1st June 2017, Landlords
With demand for private rented property at an all time high, landlords could be forgiven for thinking that they don't really need to worry about keeping tenants sweet.
But replacing good tenants costs you time and money - we take a look at the main things that drive them away.
Before the tenancy
Tenants, particularly busy professionals who are usually the best type of tenant, don't want to be mucked about when viewing properties. Turn up at the correct time or insist that your agent does.
If tenants feel they're on the wrong foot from the beginning, the tenancy is less likely to progress smoothly.
Regular communications
Tenants usually prefer to be kept up-to-date even if there aren't any issues. Just an email every three months from you or your agent will do, even if it's just to check in and ask if everything's ok.
Politeness and honesty
Tenants want to be respected, to be allowed to live in a property as though it's their home, even if they don't own it. If you are respectful to them, they will respect your property too.
Notice of inspections
Turning up out of the blue, without the standard 24 hour notice, will put tenants' backs up straight away.
Not being responsive
Tenants want to be able to report problems and know that you're on the case. This is more of a problem these days because people expect instant responses on social media, text and email.
The important thing is to respond to let the tenant know you've received their message, even if you can't deal with the issue immediately.
Resolving issues
Once you've acknowledged a problem, arrange to have it fixed as quickly as possible.
It's reasonable for tenants to expect you to take time getting quotes and arranging contractors, particularly for major jobs. But keep them informed while that's happening and put emergency fixes in place if necessary.
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Timing of repairs or work
It's important to give reasonable notice periods for when work's being done on the property and to make sure tenants can be around, if they want to be.
Don't interfere too much
Finally, bear in mind that although tenants say they want a cordial relationship with landlords, they don't want to be too close.
So be polite and accessible but keep the relationship professional rather than allowing tenants to think you're their friend.
