One question that is bound to be asked when a group of home owners sit together, or from landlords in general, is “how do we attract the ‘right’ tenants?”
Every landlord has a story tell, whether it’s positive or not, or whether it’s changed the way they consider potential tenants or not, they all have a story to tell.
You hear some say, ‘My tenants have been at the property for over 10 years, and I haven’t had to deal with a single complaint or request’. Whilst others would huff and puff when asked about their relationship with their tenants. It is as if they can still taste the bitterness of their relationship, uttering phrases without the ability to hold back on the use of profanity after every third or fourth word. You can sense the anger and frustration in the tone of their voice, ‘even a broken leg didn’t cause me more pain than my current tenants’. Some would feel the need to articulate further, ‘all I ever had from my tenants is the constant moaning of the state of the property, the noisy neighbours, the loose shower head, the overgrowing weeds in the back garden, or even have the time to complain about the grumpy postman not delivering their parcels on time.’
Whatever the circumstance, it is very important to know that as a landlord, there are three basic principles that need to be applied in order to limit the so-called ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’ tenants.

Treating the tenant as though you are the tenant.

  • What I meant by this point was for the landlord to show utmost respect to the tenants. And respect is typically reciprocal. Treating tenants with respect will automatically increase the level of respect shown by the tenant to you, the landlord.
  • Let’s take the example of a bad smell coming from the gutter. You can either react quickly and get the gutter repaired within reasonable time, i.e. a week. Or you can request for several contractors to quote you a price on the work required, over (say) a period of a month, and only reacting after constant annoyance from the tenants. Of course, the former is what every landlord should target, and to avoid the latter, landlords should have already decided who the contractors should be, forming a good relationship and agreeing the costs before housing any tenants (i.e. agreeing with the chosen contractor to price match other quotes should the costs be deemed unreasonable). The objective should always be to try and resolve the issue as soon as possible.
  • In the event where a tenant would complain about a noisy neighbour, why not have a templated letter handy for noisy neighbours and post it to them (as well as your tenants for reference). If the noise continues, send them a follow up letter (again, providing a copy to your tenants), or visit the neighbours, and if that doesn’t work report the noise to the local authority (e.g. noise nuisance via the (Birmingham City Council). That way the tenants will see that you are accommodating to their needs, quickly and professionally, and will appreciate the extra bit of help you are offering as a landlord, which may be classed by many as going ‘over and beyond’ the duties of a landlord. But the evidence suggests that the results can be generously rewarded, i.e. extending the contract at time of renewal, tenants paying on time, tenants doing their bit at that property, etc.
  • A simple gestures goes a long way; sending small gifts on occasions (i.e. contract anniversary, new born gift, festival gift) will increase the chance of tenant longevity.

Ensure that the property is well maintained, and apply a good level of security at the property.

  • It may be as simple as installing fireproof doors as opposed to normal doors, or providing them with a lawnmower to keep the garden in good nick. As the saying goes, ‘prevention is greater than the cure’. Taking the necessary measures to avoid potential loses can send signals of assurance and comfort to the tenants.
  • Provide them with a security mechanism. Preferably a full set CCTV, but if not, then the minimum you could provide them with is a simple recording doorbell (i.e. the ring doorbell, which can be purchased for as little as £50 from John Lewis), to offer a peace of mind for the tenants, when they are out and about, or even when present at the property.
  • Having a six-month property inspection to repair the nuts and bolt of what needs doing. This will help keep the property in good shape, as well as allowing the landlord to understand tenants’ needs and requirements.

Having a solid contract and guarantor in place

  • Every work place encourages and advises its workers to always backup (via evidence) anything that has been discussed and agreed upon with third parties. Whether that would be via a letter, email, or a management application/platform, it is imperative to ‘cover yourself’ to prevent uncertainty. Therefore, when writing up your contract for the tenant, it is essential that you safeguard all the policies that you have laid out to determine how you and your tenant should act. In that, you need to articulate and explain every clause to the tenant, and ensure that they understand and agree on the content of the contract.
  • Having a solid guarantor automatically adds an extra layer of security from a landlord’s stance, as well as appreciation from a tenants perspective.

To mitigate everything, and in order to receive the peace of mind that all landlords aspire to get, it is worth paying that bit more for the premium house insurance on your property. It is important to include the potential ‘loss of earnings’ covered by the insurance, and if you are providing a fully furniture house, ensure that the goods are also part of the package. It is a no brainer to go ahead with the premium insurance simply to provide that peace of mind, even if it means a couple of hundred extra every year. The recent events have shown us that nothing is guaranteed, a pandemic can wipe out all the guarantees that was previously set in stone. You should also be very vigilant in the screening of the tenants in order for the insurance company to feel that you took the right measures to ensure suitable tenants.
There are many other considerations that you must factor in when selecting the tenants, but it is important to note that your behaviour towards your tenants can alter their behaviour towards you and your property. These three principles should act as the foundation of the landlord-tenant relationship in order for both parties to maintain a good level of respect and understanding.
Have you considered renting your property (again)? How was your experience with your previous tenants? In the event that your experience was negative, have you ever paused and asked why? In most cases where landlords take time to reflect on their actions, they will realise what they have fallen short of doing in order to keep their tenants happy. Remember, always treat other as how you’d like to be treated, and always put yourself in the tenants shoes.

M.K.A Albanna

MKM Housing