Create a Professional relationship at the Tenant Screening Interview
You establish your authority first and the initial meetings. Let potential tenants know that you expect clear and honest answers and all documentation in a timely manner. Be friendly but firm. Prospective tenants will get that you mean business and if they cant perform they will go away rather than try to stall you or cause you to change your rules just for them. Establish a set of business rules regarding what you need as a financial requirement, and a good credit policy. Its a good idea to hand your tenant screening rules to everyone interested in renting from you. Stick to it. You will get their respect and they will perform, but you must be clear and not waffle.
Control of the relationship begins with the lease signing
During the lease signing you should carry yourself in a friendly and professional manner. Be friendly and look to establish a positive and helpful business relationship.
1. Go over the lease and have each paragraph initialed by the new tenant and yourself
2. Be clear that all house rules are to be respected
3. Offer any reasonable help you can by using a tenant welcome pack.
Discuss any procedural expectations now.
1. Have all maintenance request be in writing
2. Be sure that you have done a pre inspection of the unit before the move in and document the apartments condition.
3. Make the tenant aware that they have obligations to keep the apartment in good condition and that they have obligations to warn you immediately of leaks and backups, of gathering moisture, of defective smoke alarms
4. Establish a visitors policy and enforce it or you may end up with roomates you never screened.
5. Enforce all late payments with 3 day notices
6. Be firm without forgetting this is a two way relationship
We all like to have clear parameters. If we know what is expected of us then we know how to act in a way that creates a positive relationship. Its your job as the landlord to explain in a clear and business like way exactly how you expect your tenants to act and to express clearly what they can expect from you. Its a relationship of rules and obligations
