Property Management Blog

Communication and the Landlord Tenant Relationship | West Jordan Property Management Education

Often, there is a tension between a landlord or a property manager and a tenant, and that’s usually due to a lack of communication. The tenants often feel like if they communicate that something is wrong or their rent is going to be late, or they are having personal challenges, they’ll be charged additional fees. On the reverse side, property managers and owners often feel like they have to keep their thumb on the tenant and make sure they pay. This causes tension in the landlord tenant relationship.



Manage with Empathy

 

At Property Solutions of Utah, we take a moment to understand where our tenant is coming from. There might be personal issues that are causing some combativeness. Maybe they’ll be a day or two late with rent, and this is causing them to feel defensive. Property management is still a people business, and you have to understand where your tenant is coming from. We try to manage with empathy. Always ask yourself what the tenant could be going through, and why they are choosing to communicate ineffectively. If you can find out the why, there’s usually a resolution you can come to.



Manage Your Tenant Communication

 

My suggestion is to take a minute before you react to figure out where the tenant is coming from. If you do that, your tenant will respect you more as a landlord or a property manager. You’ll find they will go a bit above and beyond to help you. You also want them to feel comfortable reaching out to you when they have difficulties with the house. Normal wear and tear is the responsibility of the owner and the property management company. It will happen with a tenant living there or an owner occupying the home. We want to prevent negligence, though. If you have a respectful relationship with your tenant, there should never be negligent damage. If you have any questions about the landlord tenant relationship or anything pertaining to West Jordan property management, please contact us at Property Solutions of Utah.