The news often portrays landlords in a negative light. We often hear nightmare stories about how landlords have neglected their property, leaving tenants in squalid conditions. A good landlord however can make life significantly easier and less stressful for a tenant.
From the landlord’s perspective, keeping a tenant happy comes with numerous benefits too. Having a good relationship with your tenant will help when it comes to making big decisions about the property and can help ensure you don’t have periods of vacancy.
In this article, we look at our top tips for landlords, to help give your tenants the best possible experience and ensure your buy-to-let is stress and hassle-free.
Vet your tenants
It’s vital that your experience is as good as your tenants, so you should ensure that you are letting to honest, reliable people. The last thing you want is unpaid rent and difficulty removing problem tenants. This will only knock your confidence is letting out your property and make you more likely to treat future tenants unfairly.
If you are letting through a management agency, you can ask them to do background checks on applicants. If you are managing the property yourself, you can do social media checks or make a brief list of questions that you wish to ask prospective tenants.
Meet safety standards
One of the things that landlords have to adhere to is fulfilling safety obligations. Gas and electrical equipmentneed to be checked every year by a registered engineer and fire alarms and carbon monoxide alarms must also be checked at least once a year.
Before you let your home out, you will need a gas safety certificate and energy performance certificate (EPC). Items of furniture must also be fire resistant and have the relevant tags to indicate so.
Be approachable
At the start of the tenancy, it is good practice to introduce yourself to your tenant face to face to establish a rapport. It can be helpful to show them how things work and any quirks that the property has.
This will reassure them that you are there to help. Don’t be afraid to exchange contact details and encourage them to get in touch should they need any assistance.
Get things done quickly
If there is an issue that requires your attention as a landlord, whether it be an appliance that has stopped working or a leak, ensure you resolve the issue as quickly as possible. If it is not possible to resolve the issue promptly, let your tenants know and the estimated time it should take to get fixed.
It is worth having a good relationship with a few tradesmen that you can call on should any work need doing at short notice.
Memorise the contents of your tenancy agreement
Knowing your and your tenant’s rights will help resolve any issues and conflict that may arise. Being aware of your obligations will also help reduce the possibility of conflict arising in the first place.
If you have a dispute with your tenant, you can refer them to the agreement to help diffuse a situation.
This article was written by a quick house sale company We Buy Any Home. If you’re wondering “how cansell my house fast”, head to the We Buy Any House website for more information relating to all property related enquiries.