Good communication with your tenants is a requisite to being a successful South Burlington rental property owner. But determining the right method of communication is another problem. Landlords can choose to text, email, and call their tenants. But how do you determine which one to use? You have to answer this question since there is more to keeping your tenants comfortable and staying informed. Rather it is the financial and legal issues that need to be considered.
Texting
Many tenants and property owners love the ease and convenience of texting. If you just want to keep in touch with your tenants, texting is a great way to keep the lines of communication open. Moreover, different messaging platforms offer services beyond the text. Tenants can send you photos that help you assess the problem earlier and then schedule repairs later.
However, there are limits to texting. Number one of this is how to save or track or save your conversations. As a property owner, stay on the safe side by documenting your conversations with your tenant to protect you from disagreements or legal issues. It goes without saying that all messages must be intact since the time you started texting
Other than saving messages, some tenants may lack the courtesy and just text you at a very inconvenient moment. If you use a personal or business cellphone some tenants assume that you will reply to them immediately and get upset if you don’t. Weigh these things properly before you decide to use texting to get in touch with tenants.
Phone Calls
Communicating with tenants over the phone is very pleasant and more personal. It is always best to hear a human voice and having a verbal conversation in real-time. By consistently talking to your tenants over the phone, you build a good working relationship with them and thus will be able to communicate your concern for their well-being effectively. Your tenants would likely consider staying longer in your rental.
But just like texting, it is difficult to document your conversations with your tenants through phone calls. Most likely, when disputes arise regarding liability issues or sensitive information, documenting these is a must. In addition to that, the fact that you are expected to be on your phone whenever a tenant calls is quite stressful. However, if every time they call and your tenants end up in their landlord’s voicemail, they would probably decide to stop calling.
Email does what texting and phone calls cannot. It is a relatively convenient method of communication, as most people use and are comfortable with email. Email can document all your conversations with your tenants with ease. The email even allows you to pause, and compose a well-thought-out response to your tenant’s question or complaint. With email, documents and attachments are sent out date-and-time stamped. All this data is essential for record purposes.
But on the flipside, email is not as convenient or fast as texting, and tenants do not prefer writing through email. Most people don’t often use their email so that means their inbox does not get checked that often. Email also lacks the personal touch and it can be difficult to convey your message in a warm and friendly way.
Whatever method you choose or a combination of these, your communication with your tenant must be frequent, friendly, secure, and properly documented. Lastly, talk to your tenant about which communication method he or she prefers.
Tenant communication can be a challenging aspect of owning rental properties in South Burlington. But Real Property Management Sterling can help! Just sit back and relax and we can contact tenants for you. Your tenants can rely on us so you can free up your schedule and get that good night’s sleep. For more information, contact us online or call us at 802-861-6468.
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