Attracting the right Tenant
Every Landlord wants a dream Tenant. Someone who pays the rent on time, someone who treats the property with respect and care, and someone who isn’t a serial complainer that ends up draining your time and financial resources.
A Tenant/Landlord relationship is a 2-way street. Like any relationship, there has to be some give and take. How you start the relationship often plays a huge bearing on how a Tenant perceives you and how they will treat the property.
The best idea to foster a good Tenant/Landlord relationship is to “seal the deal” early. Set the precedent of how you want the property to be maintained by how you present it to the Tenants from the first time they view the property. If a property is inspected before it is clean and ready for a Tenancy, this can send a negative message that tidiness and cleanliness are not important. Make sure the garden (if there is one) is well maintained and that the house is in a condition that you want the new Tenant to leave it in.
The size, style of the property and the location will all determine who your ideal Tenant is. If you are looking to attract a professional working couple – what would be important to them? Good internet connection, cable? Can you ensure that these elements are available? If it is a family – are there sufficient safety features? Would you consider a pet?
Some Landlords leave a welcome pack for their new Tenants. This may include a list of recommendations on local restaurants, cafes, take-away menus and a bus/train timetable. A card wishing the Tenant a happy stay in their new home can set the scene for the Tenant feeling thankful and less likely to be complaining about minor issues.
If you have beautiful polished floor boards, how about leaving a pack of sticky felt for the Tenants to put on the feet or base of any furniture to help them prevent damaging your floors? Make sure that each door has a doorstop to stop door handles from denting walls if the door is flung or blown open.
If you have a lovely garden, make sure that you leave a good, working hose for the Tenants to use so it can be easily watered and maintained.
History is the best indicator of the future when it comes to a Tenant. Your Property Manager will go through thorough stringent reference checks to ensure that the person you are allowing into your property has good credentials.
And lastly, before you say no to requests for hanging pictures or having a pet, consider the difference that these things make to making a rental property feel like home and what impact this has on the length of the Tenancy. People who have pets are less likely to be flighty and change Tenancies, and if someone wants to stay – they will generally do the right thing.
