If you are new to being a landlord, dealing with tenant complaints may seem like a stressful part of the job. This blog post will talk about the most common complaints of renters and our recommendations to dealing with them.
Resolving and dealing with tenant complaints are a quintessential part of a landlord’s duties. Accepting tenants of different walks of life will really warrant that they may not always get along all the time. However, since tenants are your bread and butter as a landlord, it is important to know how to be able to manage the complaints that your renters may sometimes have.
If you are new to being a landlord, dealing with tenant complaints may seem like a stressful part of the job. The key to successfully resolving these complaints is to be able to separate the valid from the time-wasters to know what problems you should be spending your time on. This blog post will talk about the most common complaints of renters and our recommendations to dealing with them.
Noise and disturbances are some of the most common complaints that landlords often receive. After all, living literally next door to another family or person may allow you to hear noises from the other side of the wall. As a landlord, you can put out notices that will remind tenants to be mindful about making too much noise and to be considerate of their neighbors.
When it comes to security deposits, there may be reasons why the amount may not be returned in full when the tenant decides to move out. Should an outgoing tenant complain about this, it is wise to calmly sit down with them and review the clause in their contract that describes the security deposit and why you are not able to return the deposit in full. Ensuring everyone is on the same page can mitigate concerns and make them feel heard. You won’t be able to pacify every soon-to-be-ex tenant, but it might help with some!
Even if tenants are aware that they will be living in the property close to other renters, they will expect privacy inside their apartment. If this privacy is breached, you can count on them complaining about it. On your part, you should never do anything that will breach the privacy of your tenants. You should also remind other tenants not to pry into each other’s private business as well, to keep the peace.
Sometimes, tenants may complain about the slow action that landlords take and if they take too long to respond to queries and complaints. The trick is to create a communication system that will allow your tenants to ask questions and freely give feedback about their experiences in your building, whether those be positive or negative.
Putting different types of people together in one building may sometimes result in conflict, whether that may be within themselves or between one particular tenant and the landlord themselves. However, no matter how inevitable it may seem, keep in mind that there is always a productive way to deal with the situation. Although this list is not an all-inclusive one, these are the most common issues that sometimes come up in an apartment complex. The key to knowing how to solve these issues is to look at the situation with an open mind and by putting yourself in the situation of the tenant.
If all else fails, working with a property management company will do the trick. Fahel & Co is a property management firm in Ottawa. We pride themselves on the highest quality of care for their tenants and the landlords they represent. Get the best in rental property management services by working with Fahel & Co today!