Effective communication with your tenants is needed if you want to be a successful Jefferson rental property owner. But with all the choices you have, how do you determine the best method of communication? Landlords can now text, email, and call their tenants but which of these are appropriate for a given situation? The answer is not as easy as determining which one makes your tenants feel comfortable and informed. There are also financial and legal aspects that are involved in this.
Texting
Many tenants and property owners love the ease and convenience of texting. For just checking in and keeping the lines of communication open with your tenant, texting is the way to go. What’s more, messaging platforms offer other services aside from text. Tenants can send photos to help you schedule repairs. This is very convenient for both parties.
There are limitations to texting. It’s the question of how to track and save your conversations. As a property owner, you need to document your interaction with your tenants because this could help you in case disagreements or legal issues arise. This means that not a single message should be deleted the moment you start texting.
On top of saving messages, some tenants may lack basic etiquette and text you anytime they please. If you use a personal or business cellphone, some tenants may set unrealistic expectations and would get upset if you don’t reply right away. Think about these considerations before you decide to use texting as your medium of communication with your tenants.
Phone Calls
Calling tenants over the phone is quick and more pleasant. Nothing can replace the charm of verbal conversation in real-time. By talking to your tenants over the phone, you establish a good working relationship with them and you can be able to communicate clearly your care over their comfort and well-being. Which translates to a longer stay for your tenants in your rental.
As with texting, your phone conversations with your tenants are difficult to document. All the more true when liability issues or sensitive information is discussed, you need to find a way how to document these, should there be a dispute. Add to that, you would be kept on your toes since tenants expect you to answer your phone every time they call. But if tenants frequently find themselves ending up in their landlord’s voicemail, they would most likely stop using the phone to contact you altogether.
Email seems to be the best between texting and phone calls. It is a relatively convenient method of communication, as most people use and are comfortable with email. Email can document all your conversations with your tenants as the program saves all these by default. Another advantage of email is that it gives you time to think carefully before you write and respond to a tenant’s question or complaint. You can send documents and other attachments through email, plus they are date-and-time stamped. All this information is very important for record purposes.
But unfortunately, the email does not have the speed and convenience that texting provides and tenants may not use it that much. Some people may not use an email that much and chances are, they might not have checked their inboxes for a long time. An email is a business-like form of communication so you need to work on how to make your message come across as warm and friendly.
It doesn’t matter what methods you choose but you have to remember that tenant communications should be frequent, friendly, secure, and properly documented. Finally, it is best to discuss with your tenants which communication methods you both like and will use frequently.
Tenant communication can be a challenging aspect of owning rental properties in Jefferson. But Real Property Management Stellar can help! Don’t stress out. We can contact tenants for you and we make sure that your tenants get the best care available. That leaves you with a lighter schedule and a night of relaxing sleep. For more information, contact us online or call us at 706-864-5456.
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