For any business to be successful, the clients should be happy and satisfied. Plus, happy and satisfied residents will stay with you for longer. They are also going to be your best source of new clients.
Unlike other businesses, your rental business is closer to home. Consequently, the importance of keeping the clients – your tenants – happy is intensified.
How do you ensure your Charlotte tenants are happy? Build a great landlord-tenant relationship with them. A great relationship will lead to:
In this article, we reveal seven tips on how to establish a great relationship with your Charlotte tenants.
Tenants hate surprises. It is important to state your expectations clearly from the start. This way, you will be able to avoid conflicts in the future.
So, before a tenant signs the Charlotte lease and moves into your property, make sure:
Many disputes can easily be avoided if the tenant understands the lease agreement.
For example, tenants need to understand that property maintenance is their responsibility.
For instance, you could tell them when they should expect property inspections, and with whom they can expect to be dealing with.
By doing this, you will help reduce misunderstandings and confusion throughout their tenancy period.
A big part of being a landlord is ensuring your tenant’s privacy rights are protected. Although you maintain all ownership rights when you rent your property, they are limited in one condition.
Tenants have the right to the quiet enjoyment of their homes. You cannot enter the premises at will. If you need to access the property, you must notify them beforehand. If you repeatedly fail to notify them of your visits, they may accuse you of harassing them and going against the Charlotte rental property laws.
In Charlotte, there is no legal requirement when giving your tenants notice before entry. Nonetheless, most Charlotte landlords still give their tenants at least 24 hours before visiting. If the tenant has however been away for an extended period, the notice is, needless to say, unnecessary.
Keeping your renter’s personal information is also key. Typically, rental applications ask for very sensitive information such as financial data, criminal records, job histories, dates of birth, driver’s license numbers, and social security numbers.
You must not use this information for any purpose other than which it was given. In addition, it must be treated in accordance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
As a landlord, you need to stay professional and levelheaded. Set emotions aside and stick to the facts, and your lease terms.
If a dispute arises, and it is getting heated, take a break to cool off. Here are some tips for handling disputes between you and your Charlotte tenant:
As a landlord, issues will inevitably arise with your renters. Being prepared for them will help you avoid being caught unprepared.
Aside from being a legal obligation, undertaking repairs and maintenance in a timely manner is important. Make sure the tenant understands the lease regarding property repairs and maintenance from the start.
Particularly, make sure they understand their obligations such as lawn maintenance. Also, remind them that you will hold them accountable for any excessive property damage.
To establish a great relationship with your Charlotte tenants regarding repairs and maintenance, ask them questions such as:
Another way to build a great relationship with your tenants is by setting the right rent. Everyone likes to be treated fairly. Otherwise, it can be a source of conflict.
Setting the right rent will attract the best, most qualified number of prospective tenants. The result? Low tenant turnover and stable income.
To set the right rent price , you need to consider several factors. Chief among them is to do a comparative market analysis. The analysis will help you see how much your competition is charging.
If you need to raise the rent, make sure you do it properly. For starters, make sure you give your tenants appropriate notice as well as mention the underlying reasons. Also, make sure you do so in accordance with Charlotte’s ordinance.
As a landlord, you most likely have a set of rules regarding roommates, pets, painting, and so on. One way to establish a great landlord-tenant relationship with your Charlotte renter is by being flexible with their needs and requests.
If you have a high-quality tenant who makes timely rent payments, treats the property like their own, keeps the rental property clean, follows their lease terms, and is honest; consider bending some rules.
If you are unwilling to grant the request, make sure to provide an alternative solution or provide a reason why. Despite the refusal of the request from you, it will show the tenant that you care enough to have open discussions with them.
The nature of the job of a landlord requires paperwork. If you don’t keep on top of it, the paperwork can quickly become a mess. To keep everything tidy and safe, consider storing electronic versions in Dropbox or Google Drive.
The following is the list of documents you should keep on file for your Charlotte rental property:
Regardless of the type of tenant you have, it all comes down to one thing: the property management business is a relationship business. The key to a mutually satisfying relationship is through establishing a great relationship with your Charlotte, NC tenants.
