How to Deal With Angry Tenants
Being a landlord is not an easy job. Sure, you receive a monthly income on your rental (if your tenants pay on time), but disagreements are common in the real estate industry. Tenants may be messy or unreasonable. They may expect their landlord to fix an issue right away. Some delay rent payments or don’t pay them at all.
No matter how nice you are to your tenants, you’re likely to have a major problem at some point. This issue can be costly and lead to legal battles, evictions and more. Here are some ways to effectively deal with common landlord/tenant issues.
Be Kind and Listen
Be sympathetic to your tenants. We all experience issues from time to time. Divorce, job loss and medical bills can all cause a person to be unable to pay rent. Sometimes people just need to rant, so allow your tenant to discuss their problems with you and truly listen to them. Everyone can use a little help from time to time, so find out what you can to help them.
Take Your Tenant’s Side
As a landlord, you know this is easier said than done. But there are ways you can put yourself in your tenant’s shoes and argue against something else, or in other words, find a common enemy. There are four common enemies in the real estate field: the law, the lease, the policies and the past. So when a tenant wants to get angry with you over something, use one of these reasons to defend yourself. You can’t violate the law, go against the owner, change the terms of the lease or dwell in the past.
Work Together to Find Solutions
While you can technically come up with a solution and ask the tenant to agree to it, the resolution could be much better if you two work on it together. What does the tenant want? While you can’t automatically grant their wishes (such no rent for three months), you can work toward a solution that will prevent endless arguing and an eviction. If the issue was your fault (such as delayed repair), then apologize, offer a discount and move on. We all make mistakes, but we need to learn to solve the issues that arise from them and ensure they don’t happen again.
Get Everything in Writing
If you and your tenant agree on a solution, get it in writing. If a payment plan or refund for a repair is agreed upon, make sure the tenant fully understands their obligations and they have a document they can refer to. Even if you simply communicate with your tenant through emails and texts, save them. You never know when you may need them in court.
Seek Legal Help
Real estate issues can be complex, especially when there is a tenant/landlord relationship. Tenants often have high expectations, which can be frustrating for landlords who work other jobs or have multiple tenants.
If you are dealing with real estate issues, Fort Lauderdale real estate attorney Edward J. Jennings, P.A. can provide you with effective representation. Schedule a consultation by filling out the online form or calling 954-764-4330.
Resource:
thinkrealty.com/how-to-resolve-tenant-disputes/
