How to Prevent Tenant/Landlord issues

Renting is an inevitable part of life for most of us. It can either be fraught with issues and feelings of ill will or smooth sailing all the way. Most of us have experienced being either or both renter and/or landlord/property owner and have learned lots of things from both perspectives. The following are tips you may find valuable.

Take Photos
Aside from the usual condition report, it can be extremely beneficial to take photos both as a landlord/property owner and as a tenant of the premises, indoors and out. It is impossible for most of us to remember exactly how things look – especially when you are in the one place for 1, 2 or more years.

Landlords/property owners are then in a position to see exactly how things ‘were’ as they left it and to avoid any disagreement, this is a good solution for proof of the positioning of items and the presentation of the property.

Running record
It’s also a good idea to keep a record of any damage or areas of concern/general maintenance issues in relation to the house. Keep this in your organizer of course! This will be extremely handy during times of inspection or when vacating the premises. It will also serve as a good record of items you have purchased in order to maintain the house and this will only help in sustaining an excellent relationship with the landlord/property owner in relation to the care and maintenance of their property.

Goodwill
If there is a problem with the house and you are able to resolve it cheaply yourselves, sometimes it pays to sort this out individually – making sure your landlord knows you have done this, without expecting input from them. When it comes to possible rent increases, if this is the type of tenant you are or have, then it is in everyone’s interest to prolong the rental agreement. The consideration of not increasing the rent in order to keep valuable tenants is something to think about. In our experience, we have tenants who follow these steps and as a result we have not increased our rent price in over four years.

Put yourself in their shoes
As a property owner, it’s important to take all requests very seriously and consider the experiences of your tenants. It is important to provide your tenants with adequate heating/cooling in order to ensure people are comfortable. Consider how you would feel if you were living in the home and act accordingly.

Leave on good terms
The worst thing that can happen with this situation is for both landlord and /or real estate agency and tenant to cease relations on bad terms. Not good karma I say! So if you have kids, for example, and the house you have rented has suffered some wear and tear due to children, then be generous with the amount of restitution you demand as compensation. Also, even though some owners can be more than pedantic, remember a house is a huge investment and anything that lessens the value of this asset can be very upsetting, so tenants, be mindful of this so you can move on (and out) with a good conscience.