As a rental property owner, you need to maintain an open line of communication with your renters. Even though you don’t necessarily want your renters to call you at all hours of the night, you must make sure they can get ahold of you professionally when they have a question or concern about the property. What do you need to keep in mind?
Think About The Demographic
First, you need to think about who you are renting your property to. What do you think is going to be easiest for them? For example, if you have elderly individuals living in your home, they may not necessarily be comfortable using an internet portal or text messaging to talk to you. On the other hand, if you have college students living on your property, they may prefer to text or email you.
Include The Information In The Lease
If you have a preferred mode of communication, make sure you include that information in the lease. You might even want to specify that you will get back to your renters within 24 hours unless it is an emergency, in which case you will respond sooner. That way, you adequately protect yourself.
Always Have A Paper Trail
The most important thing you should keep in mind is that you must always have a paper trail. Even though you might not think a dispute is going to come up, this paper trail is going to protect you in the future. Even if someone picks up the phone to call you, make sure you follow that up with a communication in writing that verifies the phone call.
Communicate Regularly With Your Renters
Even though you might think your rental property is passive income, you will still have to do some work from time to time. It is critical for you to communicate with your renters regularly, as it will help you build a strong relationship with them. That way, if you want them to stick around in the future, they might be more likely to renew the lease when the contract is up.
