13 easy ways to stay on your property manager’s good side

Property managers would be lying if they’ve never had times where relationships with tenants have broken down. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Our friendly team sees your happiness and comfort as a priority — it’s just as important to us as keeping our landlords happy.

So forget previous bad experiences, harsh landlords or unreasonable property managers. We’re extending the olive branch and starting again — these 13 tips will help you understand what we expect from you and why relationships can sometimes become strained. Help us out with these aspects and we’ll get on fabulously. Plus, we’ll be able to give you a great reference when you decide to move on from your current property.

 

1. Pay rent on time.

We know this seems obvious, but you’d be surprised how many tenants pay rent late. Want to stay on our (and your landlord’s) good side? The easiest way is to set up a direct debit and pay rent on time every month!

 

2. Be polite.

Being polite and calm really does go a long way and we’ll always respond with the utmost courtesy too. After all, we’re at work and we want to represent our company in the best way possible. Do some property management companies suck? Absolutely.  But why would anyone want to go above and beyond for someone who is just going to yell or be impolite? When an issue seems to linger, try to see our viewpoint — we’re dealing with hundreds of tenants and landlords which require us to prioritize the urgency of each issue. Often we are addressing the issue, but simply waiting for your landlords response, approval, or payment or waiting for an opening in the maintenance contractors schedule. Honestly, we’re doing our best and also want to get things resolved as quickly as possible! A little bit of kindness and understanding will help you get the resolution you require quicker.

 

3. Listen to our instructions.

You might not believe it, but we know a thing or two about houses! Watch and listen when we show you how to trip a beaker or turn a gas valve off. Everything we say is to make your life easier and our job smoother.

 

4. Be our eyes and ears.

We have to take care of many properties and we won’t know about any problems or issues if you don’t tell us. The earlier you can inform us of a problem, the quicker we can sort it and the less likely it is to escalate.

 

5. Tell the truth.

Lease terms can be forgotten or accidents can happen — we understand that kids, friends and even you can make mistakes, and telling us the truth will help us get the problem resolved as soon as possible. After many years in the business, we’ve heard all excuses and we can spot a lie a mile off.

 

 

6. Leave a message.

On the rare occasion we don’t answer your call, please leave us a message, drop us a text, or send us a quick email rather than calling again and again. We may be in a meeting, at a showing appointment, on the phone, or with other clients and unable to answer at the time. We we will respond back as soon as possible.

 

7. Understand we have a lot going on.

Just like everyone at work, we need to prioritize our workload around the urgency of each issue. If we can’t deal with your problem immediately, it doesn’t mean we don’t care — it may just be that someone else has something bigger we need to worry about. We’ll communicate with you as much as possible, so you know why we may be delayed in sorting your problem out.

8. If you get in a bind, talk to us.

Did you lose your job? Has your flatmate gone off the deep end? We want to know what’s going on and we want to help — don’t think you’ll be in trouble! It won’t help if you put your head in the sand and hope whatever problem you have will go away. Speak to us and we’ll help you address it and get out of any sticky situation. Communication is key!

 

9. Treat the property and the people who do work for us with respect.

We love knowing that our tenants are looking after our properties — a clean tidy damage-free house at inspection time is a sure fire way to get into our good books. And there’s nothing better than hearing from an electrician, plumber or other trades-person that they encountered a lovely tenant.

10. Work with us.

You have a busy schedule, we have a busy schedule — let’s work together and make everyone’s lives easier. Trust us, we want your problem resolved because we have a dozen more to deal with! Where you can, work with us on times and arrangements. We hate to disturb you but we’ll be done and out of your hair as soon as possible.

 

11. Trust us.

We only ever want to enter your home for a legitimate reason upon prior approval from you — we’re not going to steal your stuff or mess with your things! We have our reputation and real estate licenses on the line.

 

12. Follow the rules.

We don’t set rules, we’re simply paid to enforce them. Each state has Landlord-Tenant Laws designed to protect the rights of both parties in the lease: the landlord and the tenant. The terms of the lease are not merely made-up by the property manager, but rather established and enforced by the state’s Landlord-Tenant Laws. The state governs when rent is due, when late fees are assessed and what amount to charge, how much notice to give before moving, a landlord’s and tenant’s responsibilities, among others. The lease constitutes a contract. When you sign a contract, you agree to all those rules, so don’t ignore them once you’ve moved in. Good tenants and good landlords respect contracts, and good property managers enforce them. After all, it’s our job to return a landlord’s property to them after a tenancy in the same way it began.

 

13. Respect your neighbors.

Try and put yourself in your neighbor’s shoes — would you appreciate a loud party the night before your final exams or a major presentation at work? No, you wouldn’t! Respecting others is a key part of living on your own so be as considerate as you can and, if you mess up, an apology can go a long way.

With a little give and take, we can keep our relationship strong and you can have a much more enjoyable and relaxing time in your rental home. We know we’re not always perfect, but we’re just doing our job as best we can.

Source: Harcourts

South Dakota Law Alters How Landlords Handle Support Animals

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — New South Dakota legislation will allow landlords to evict or fine tenants who fake a disability or provide false documentation to keep a pet in their rental unit.

 

Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed into law this month a bill intended to prevent tenants from lying about medical conditions and claiming they have an emotional support animal. The law takes effect July 1, the Argus Leader reported.

 

A loophole in current law allows tenants to keep miniature horses, snakes and chickens as support animals, said Amy Miller, president of Charisma Property Management.

“It’s a huge problem,” Miller said. “Nobody wants to get sued so nobody’s pressing it.”

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act describes trained animals but not specifically therapy or emotional support animals. The language means that landlords can’t deny tenants from living with the animals.

 

But state law didn’t distinguish service or therapy animals either, so landlords often choose to allow them in order to avoid lawsuits.

 

“It goes unquestioned because (the law is) so ambiguous that unfortunately, I think landlords get taken advantage of,” said Paul Gourley, chair of the South Dakota Multi-Housing Association. “There’s a loophole in the system that needs to be corrected.”

The new law says landlords can request that tenants whose disability or health condition isn’t “readily apparent” provide a doctor’s note affirming their need for the service or emotional support animal.

 

University of South Dakota student Taiya Bunde has a support cat named Snuggles that she keeps in her off-campus apartment. Bunde’s psychiatrist approved Snuggles as an emotional therapy animal. The 21-year-old said she hopes “that people don’t abuse it and ruin for those that need it.”

 

Source: usnews.com