Investor’s Tips for Happy Long-Term Tenants

A happy tenant means a happy landlord. Happy tenants are more likely to renew their lease, keep you informed of any issues in the property, and also take care of the property being rented. Here are a few investor tips to maintain a good rapport and keep your tenant happy.

1. Be a proactive landlord – Make sure the property is in good condition when the tenant moves in. This determines the quality of your tenant and how they will treat it themselves. It’s a good idea to establish grounds for open communication and educate the tenants on the property rules and quirks.
2. Be responsive to the tenants’ needs – Tenants, like most people, don’t appreciate being ignored so return calls, texts or emails as quickly as possible. Pay attention to small maintenance issues and repair it promptly. Also, never just say “NO” to a request/repair. Instead, try to explain why you are unable to complete it and possibly make small compromises. Lastly, respect their time and privacy by giving them notice of contractor repair timing.
3. Show your appreciation – offer a small gift upon arrival, holiday cards, birthday cards and so forth as a small token of your appreciation for having such good tenants. These small gestures will go a long way in creating good will. It makes it a lot harder to leave a horrible mess if you like your landlord!

Here are some additional helpful links:

• Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act
• Avoiding Rental Scams

For more information, or if you have any questions about rentals or dealing with tenants, contact us at team@oulahen.com.