Collectively battling the COVID-19 virus these past two years has impacted the landlord/tenant relationship in multiple ways, one central area being communication dynamics. As is true for many of our relationships, maintaining a healthy connection has required continual shifting of strategies to accommodate an ever-changing environment.
If that sounds like a lot of work, that’s exactly how it should sound. Effective communication takes effort—even in the best of times, which certainly does not describe the past twenty-four months. However, with life, in general, being more remote, less in-person, and fraught with uncertainty, effective communication can quickly get the short end of the deal.
Understanding the role communication plays in the landlord/tenant relationship is half the battle. From there, making intentional, effective communication a priority is the key.
Utilize A Variety of Communication Methods
Expecting every tenant to fit one communication mold will create frustration and almost certainly guarantee a level of dialogue that is not optimal. Folks communicate differently based on several factors, including their personality, how their family shares, and their work and life schedule. It’s worth asking about a tenant’s preferred method of communication, as contacting them in this manner is likely to get a quicker response. And don’t be surprised if text and email garner more votes than the good, old-fashioned telephone call. If you note the preferences and proceed accordingly, you’ll be glad you did.
Respond Right Away
Even if the only answer you can give to a text, email, voicemail, or telephone inquiry is a courteous, “I’ll check on it and get back to you,” do it. Unanswered calls or messages indicate that the tenant and their concerns are not important. Of course, you’re busy. Who isn’t? But taking the time to respond sooner rather than later will build trust and respect, two critical ingredients in a healthy property owner/renter relationship.
Don’t Forget to Listen
An oft discounted part of communication is listening and doing so in such a way that the message is both understood and remembered. One perk of communicating by email or text is the convenience of reviewing the information later. Face-to-face or telephone conversations offer the benefit of tone and emotion that may be missing from non-verbal messages. Document essential info pocket notebook or a note stored on your phone.
Offer A Resident Portal
There’s never been a better time than now to consider an online resident portal, such as the feature offered by Rentals America. The tenants who are all about technology will love the convenience and the plethora of options a portal provides. In addition, many tenants who were once reluctant to engage with technology now love opportunities they would have never considered before the pandemic. What’s not to love about 24-hour access to view lease documents, make payments, request maintenance, and message the property owner/manager?
Enjoy the relationship that these communication best bets will nurture with your tenants.
About Rentals America
Rentals America provides full-service property management for residential rental properties. Our team is completely dedicated to property management and we’re here to help landlords navigate the rental market.
