Turning Tenant Complaints to Compliments
Turning Tenant Complaints to Compliments
With great investment comes great responsibility. A part of this is the procedure of
maintaining a standard, comfortable tenant-owner relationship. It is important for a
landlord to understand and resolve tenant complaints
so as to fulfil what is mentioned in the contract, and thereby, ensure long-term stay.
Here are some kinds of complaints you will most likely deal with during the stay:
1.Communication gap:
No one likes to be left unanswered, and the case stands true for the landowner's promptness
in responding as well. Whether the issue is big or trivial, or even if it just a query,
tenants expect owners to give them response and
action in time. Lack of communication gradually leads to lack of trust.
- Solution: A majority of communication problems can be solved
right at the beginning during the contract signing. Make it a point to go through all
rules and regulations beforehand to avoid hearing
“I wasn't aware of such a rule” or “I didn't know about this”.All tenant communication
should be taken seriously. Provide reachable contact details and make responding to
tenant queriesyour utmost priority. Conduct periodic
visits to the property to check on the environment, and interact with the tenant(s) to
see if anything needs attention or improvement. Keep in mind to not visit too often and
to inform well in advance before going over
as it can lead to a disturbance.
2.Meticulous response:
Breakdowns and wearing out are an inevitable part of having property. Renters can be
dissatisfied if the owner does not pay attention to emergent maintenance requirements, or if
they take too long to respond.
- Solution: As mentioned earlier, the tenant must have easy
access to the owner or property manager and must feel comfortable mentioning necessary
repairs. Set a response time period corresponding to
a scale of urgency; the issue must be solved within that time, based on how critical it
is.
3.Noise complaints:
Tenants will often have noise complaints against neighbours: parties, children, loud music,
television – you name it, they have an issue with it.
- Solution: These complaints must be dealt with carefully, as
you shouldn't be biased towards either party. Both sides must be ready for a compromise
to create peace.
4.Fragile handling:
Tenants approach landowners with complaints because they want validation and expect a
positive response in the form of productive action
- Solution:Don't undermine the extent of tenant complaints.
Respond to each one with politeness as it will deeply impact the future of your
tenant-owner relationship. A carelessly handled issue might
lead to loss of reputation and money.
While these are the most common types of complaints, as an owner, you should always be
prepared to face the worst. It is also important to distinguish what maintenance faults are
under the contract and what must be covered by the
tenant themselves. For example, manufacturing defaults in furniture is a personal expense
and not your concern. No one will be happy all the time. Positively handling complaints is a
major factor in deciding your personal growth
as a professional. In case you are uncomfortable dealing with tenants directly and feel like
sentiment might get in the way of resolving problems, you can always hire a property manager
to mediate the situation. Once a complaint
is received, handle it in such a way that the probability of a related problem arising again
is nullified. A person becomes what (s)he is through both good and bad experiences: treat
each new complaint to resolve as one stepping
stone closer to success.