Tenants: Top tips for dealing with landlords

Landlords. The very word can make even the best of tenants feel nervous. The tenant-landlord relationship is often fraught with miscommunication, suspicion and fear.

But the simple truth is that, more often than not, landlords and tenants share many of the same goals. Tenants and landlords want a well-maintained property that is securely leased and that provides income and return on investment.

More often than not, landlords and tenants share many of the same goals.

Both want to be treated respectfully and courteously. So how do you, as a tenant, create and maintain a good professional relationship with your landlord?

Landlords are people too

WBP Property Group’s National Manager Property Services Phillip Walter says it’s about building a relationship of trust and respect.

“It can be really difficult to establish a good relationship with your landlord but it will pay off in many ways if you can. In essence, most issues occur because people fail to communicate,” Walter says.

“When you just go by the lease and transact business without courteous, respectful communication, it is near impossible to maintain a good relationship with your landlord.”

Read more: How to negotiate the best deal on a retail lease

How to fix a broken relationship

If your relationship with your landlord isn’t great, Walter offers these top tips to help get it back on track:

• At all times be respectful and try to put yourself in the landlord’s shoes.
• Understand that the landlord may have cash-flow issues too, so if you are going to be late with a payment make a courtesy call and email. Remember, your landlord is not your bank.
• If repairs and maintenance are needed, document issues clearly and take photos of the problem to show the landlord. Approach the issue as if you are sharing the burden.
• Don’t wait: inform the landlord when issues occur and follow up politely in a reasonable time if you haven’t heard back.
• By setting professional courtesy standards first, you may well set the tone of the relationship.
• If you say you are going to do something then do it in the time frame you set. If for some reason you can’t, please communicate that as early as you can.

In essence, most issues occur because people fail to communicate.

“There are many other ways to have a good relationship,” Walter says.

“But in essence it is about communication and keeping issues professional and being courteous.”

Remember that your relationship with your landlord is a professional one and you should approach it in a professional manner. Be clear about what you want and understand where your landlord is coming from.

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