When you’re renting, it can often feel like the most important relationship is between your property manager and the owner of the property you’re living in. But that’s definitely not the case! It’s really important to foster a good relationship with your property manager, so that both parties are happy and amenable to a strong, long-term tenancy.
Having a great relationship with your property manager will go a long way to peace of mind for the duration of your tenancy. Although you may not own the property, you’re absolutely calling it home, and having a bad relationship hanging over your head as you go about your day-to-day, definitely isn’t how you want to spend your time at your new address. From getting the keys on your first day, to approaching your lease renewal period, fostering a great relationship with your property manager will certainly help take the edge of the formalities.
Plus, if you ever need to move, having a good relationship with your property manager means they could help you find a new place they manage, possibly skipping the queue and settling somewhere faster.
Communication is key
From the very first handshake to confirming a time to hand back the keys at the end of your tenancy, communication with your property manager is vital! The better your relationship with your property manager, the easier and more frequent your communication (when you need it) will be. By maintaining great communication, property issues from a broken dishwasher to major storm damage, tend to be addressed sooner, rather than later, helping to resolve problems before they escalate any further. Also, giving general feedback about the property and the surrounding community help provide context to any issues that may arise during your tenancy. Living next door to a party house? Let your property manager know! Love the area and coming to the end of your tenancy? Let your property manager know! No one knows a neighborhood like a real estate professional.
Our top tip: when you first attend an inspection, make an effort to say hello to the property manager, introduce yourself, and ask them questions about the property.
Trust and transparency
If great communication is the first step in the process of fostering a good relationship with your property manager, then the next all-important element has to be trust and transparency. It’s all well and good to communicate effectively with your property manager about a broken dishwasher, but that cracked window upstairs should also be on that email too – accidents happen and it’s better to be up-front. Communicating openly and honestly with your property manager, will directly affect your tenancy, and by extension your all-important tenancy history. The more you communicate with respect, the more respect will be shown to you in kind, making it a more pleasant experience for everyone.
Pay your bills on time
This might seem obvious, but it goes a long way to earning respect from your property manager, and also keeping your rental record looking good for the future. When it comes to financials, one way to damage the relationship with your property manager is late payments. From water bills to weekly rent, the admin involved to chase late payments is a sure fire way to get your property manager offside. Upon signing the lease, make sure you double check whether your rent is paid via automatic direct debit setup through the property manager, or payments needs to be completed manually by all tenants each week. Whatever the process, paying on time, every time, is perhaps the best way to stay in the good books (literally) for the life of your tenancy.
Although life moves a little too fast sometimes, regardless of circumstance, a little bit of kindness and two-way communication goes a long way! Through all communication, whether written, on the phone, or in person, take the time to remember that property managers are people too. If you communicate with respect and patience, your property manager is much more likely to respond in kind.
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