You will find that knowing how to be a good landlord is closely related to providing exceptional customer service. Responsible landlords and property managers go to great lengths to identify and mitigate potential issues for tenants before they even become a problem. If issues occur, they act quickly and respectfully to resolve any conflicts.

The cost of turning over a rental property for a new tenant can be quite high. So, it is in your best interest as a landlord or property manager to get great tenants year after year. Successful landlords know exactly what they need to know to retain the tenants they want to keep.

To improve your processes, take a close look at your practices to ensure you aren’t driving away reliable tenants. Here are our top landlord tips for what not to do in order to keep your renters happy and succeed!

Don’t: Be Emotionally Attached to The Property

First off, it’s important to know that feeling emotionally attached to a property is normal. Maybe it was your first big investment, or perhaps you and your family lived there for years before you decided to make it a rental. Either way, your tenants shouldn’t be made to feel as though they have to walk on eggshells.

While they live there and rent from you, your tenants see the property as their home. However, if every communication from you screams “my house,” you’re emphasizing that they are occupying your space. This can quickly make the tenant feel uncomfortable and unwelcome, potentially to the point of finding a new home where they can breathe and feel comfortable.

Don’t: Randomly Drop In

It is natural to want to know the condition of your property and assure yourself that your tenants are taking good care of it. For tenants, though, the random landlord drop-in is a major turn-off, especially if it becomes a regular occurrence.

If you put yourself in your tenant’s shoes, you can probably see why a landlord randomly dropping in might be both annoying and unnerving. After all, would you want to live knowing that someone would be randomly stopping in to “check” on things?

It is important to note that, in many states, there are laws that govern this situation and dictate that a certain amount of notice must be provided before a landlord can “drop in.” From the beginning, you should establish a preferred method of contact and how much notice you will provide before stopping by. Then stick to that schedule!

Don’t: Respond Slowly Regarding Maintenance and Repairs

One of the more challenging aspects of being a landlord is addressing repairs. Communication is key when it comes to responding to clients regarding the condition of your home and any requests for maintenance.

Your tenants are busy just like you, which means that being left waiting to hear about much-needed repairs or maintenance can be a major issue. If you don’t have a local property manager available to respond to tenant requests, keep your communication prompt and frequent.

Let your tenant know when you plan to take the next step and when they can expect to hear from you. If there is a delay, let them know as soon as possible.

Don’t: Be The “Unofficial” Property Manager

If you are not local to your property, having a local contact person for your renters is a smart idea. Not only will this make you appear more organized, but it will also help you excel as a good landlord. Your tenants will appreciate having a designated person (or property management company) to deal with when you’re not available.

Avoid having a friend, relative or neighbor function as an “unofficial” property manager. Without a set agreement, your tenant won’t know exactly what role that person plays, which can lead to unnecessary confusion. You also can’t rely on those individuals to handle all situations with the level of professionalism expected from expert property managers.

In one AHRN.com user’s experience, an “unofficial” property manager even cost one landlord a reliable tenant:

“Towards the end of our lease, we contacted the individual our landlord had specified as the local contact about some repairs that the home needed. The contact assured us that they were communicating with the property owner and would let us know when the repairs would be addressed. Time went by without a response and an email to the property owner only generated more confusion. It took weeks to clear everything up (the owners were in Germany so the time delay made communication slow). Unsure of whether our concerns would be addressed or not, we opted to move at the end of our lease instead of extending for an additional two years as we had originally planned. It was just too close to worry about!” — Kevin S. US Army

More Like This: Interested in hiring a property manager? Knowing how to Hire A Property Manager for Military Housing is essential to your success as a landlord.

Don’t: Ghost Your Tenants

Life happens: Family members fall ill, vacations come around, and we sometimes just feel the need to put our phones down and unplug for a while. You’re still allowed to do all of that, but when you are a landlord, you have a responsibility to be there for your tenants when they need it (not 1-2 weeks later).

Since those moments can sneak up and happen when you least expect it, that just-in-case contact needs to be set up and explained to your tenant from the very beginning of their lease. This conversation shouldn’t happen when your cruise ship comes into port and you discover several emails about roof damage or other concerns that should have been addressed immediately.

Do: Learn How to Be a Successful Landlord

Knowing how to be a good landlord is being mindful of avoiding all of the “don’ts” mentioned above. To ensure you don’t fall into bad habits, you can establish rules for yourself that will have your tenants thinking you are the world’s best landlord.

Do: Follow Landlord Tips and Tricks

• Treat your rental property like a business and view your tenants as customers who deserve your care, attention and respect.
• Establish reasonable expectations within the lease about how and when you will check on your property.
• Place any expected maintenance or repairs on a calendar that you check often. This way, you won’t forget about your obligations to your tenants!
• Establish a professional, responsible local contact and backup contact in case something happens with the property and you are unable to address it yourself immediately.
• Know your state’s landlord/tenant laws inside and out so that you don’t accidentally break the law.

Find Military Tenants on AHRN

Military tenants are known for being exceptional renters. From their heightened level of respect for the property to being known for their cleanliness, military landlords have it made. Furthermore, military tenants are celebrated for being reliable with their payments as they often receive Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).

Live near a military base? Sign up and list your home on AHRN, where service members go when they are searching for military housing near their next installation.