Smart Ideas to Keep Your Residents Happy (and Renting!)
Always be professional
While you may want to be friendly and casual, you still have a professional relationship with your residents. They’re paying you for a service, so be professional when interacting with them about rent, the building or anything else related to renting. Not being professional will make them feel like they’re not being taken seriously.
Stay ahead of problems
Isn’t it better to not have problems than have to resolve them? By keeping track of things that might become issues, anywhere from problems with the building to bad interactions between tenants, you can keep from needing to resolve problems by not letting them become problems in the first place. While great problem solving and resolutions are appreciated, not having to deal with the problems in the first place is even better.
Build a community
It’s not easy to build a community, but you can do it. If you have a multi-unit property or multiple units close to each other, events or get-togethers are great ways to start building a community. Feeling like part of a group is important for people’s happiness, so promote that feeling. At the same time, don’t push too hard. Some people aren’t overly social and trying to force them into get-togethers or the like will just cause resentment, so get to know your residents and don’t push anyone out of their comfort zone.
Take and act on feedback
Ask for feedback from your residents and make sure that you do something with it. If there’s something that’s always being asked for (like a new amenity or an improvement to the property), then investigate it. Keep in mind that just taking feedback doesn’t mean much; if residents feel like you’re taking their feedback but doing nothing, it turns into frustration rather quickly.
Maintain the building
Is the building secure? Does it look good, or are there obvious areas that need fixing? You don’t need to keep it in a perpetual state of looking brand new, but when something starts to make it not look or feel great, fix that problem. Even more so if it feels unsafe. If residents feel unsafe in their own homes, there are going to be some serious problems.
Read more: How to Deal with Tenant Damages and How Much Money Should You Put Aside for Rental Repairs
Communicate well
There are a million ways to communicate badly. When you send out emails or other communication, make sure that what you’re saying is clear and that there aren’t grammar or spelling errors to distract from your points. Be concise when trying to get a point across. Be straightforward, not passive aggressive. These should all be obvious problems to avoid, but it happens a lot and will make you look bad.
Thank and reward your best tenants
Has someone lived there for multiple years without any serious incidents or problems? That’s the kind of resident you want to keep, so make sure they’re especially happy. It can be as simple as a thank you card, a gesture like buying them a nice dinner or something bigger like offering some savings on rent. If it keeps them happy and renting for years to come, the cost in the moment will be worth it.
Do more than you’re expected to do
Going above and beyond is always appreciated. When there’s a problem, don’t just solve it, but do something to help make sure it doesn’t happen again. When you need to do something, do just a little bit more to make sure your residents are satisfied. Anyone can meet expectations. You want to exceed them.
Have any more tips that help keep your residents happy? Let us know in the comments!
