How to keep your tenants happy for longer Landlords invest unseen amounts of time and energy into making their homes comfortable and attractive places to live, which is why when a tenancy goes wrong it can be a devastating blow.

Not every tenancy will end with huge bills for repairs and deep cleaning, however even the simple act of a tenant deciding to bring their time in your property to an end will incur some costs.

Therefore, it is essential that landlords can build honest, trusting relationships with their tenants where both parties feel happy.

Done properly, this can help ensure that your tenants continue to extend their stay.

Let’s a look at a few ways you can do just that.

1 – Make an impressionEveryone knows that moving day can be an almighty headache.

The stress of packing up all your belongings, finding a way to transport items too big for the car and boxing everything up can leave tenants completely wiped out at the end of the day.

Stocking up a cupboard with some simple essentials like tea, coffee, milk and sugar is a simple and relatively inexpensive way to help soften the landing for your tenants and something they will no doubt appreciate.

Maybe even leave a bottle of wine if you’re feeling generous!2 – Show them the ropesWhen moving in to your property your tenant will likely have lots of questions about the day to day running of the property.

Leaving a paper brief which details everything from boiler functions and bin days to noise restrictions and smoking policies can help them on their way and may also reduce the amount of texts and phone calls you get late at night.

3 – Be contactable It’s important that tenants don’t feel abandoned after moving day.

One of the most common complaints among tenants is that their landlord has been difficult to contact when problems strike.

This doesn’t mean that you must be on-call 24-hours-a-day, but simply that when you receive a text, an e-mail or a call that you will acknowledge it and let them know you will investigate the issue.

Also, feel free to contact your tenants after a few months have gone by just to make sure they are settling in okay, but then maintain your distance as you do not want to make them feel too hassled.

4 – Keep up appearancesWhile it can be tempting for landlords to avoid making repairs and replacements to furnishings until a tenancy is over, a property that has begun to look dated or appliances that are faulty can be more than enough for a tenant to start looking for alternative accommodation.

So, keep on top of repairs and make sure that your tenant knows that you will at least consider replacing items and making non-essential repairs.

5 – Special offersWhile raising your rent sometimes makes sense, doing it year on year can be a cause of annoyance for your tenants and may price them out of their beloved home.

When you make your decision on your fees you should weigh it up with the potential costs of relisting your property and how quickly you might be able to find another tenant should they decide to leave.

An alternative approach can be made by offering to freeze your tenants rent for a time should they choose to renew their lease, which secures you rental income for longer.

For more tips and advice for landlords, please click here, or alternatively call us on 01904 650650 to find out how we can help you effectively market your property.

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