What is your average contact with tenants? Meaning maintenance or other requests?

Since we start using Buildium it is easier to track (before it was all text or email.)

One tenant - the cheapest rent, the smallest place we have of course - has over 50 messages since 2023 that SHE has logged, not us sending announcements or whatever. She writes long rambling requests and combines two or three item per task, or none. Plus lots of sorry for asking and such.

I look at other tenants and there might be 2 or 3 requests - an appliance fix or something - or NONE for a lot of them, in the same time frame (since 2023.)

DH goes up to fix something straightforward and she bombards him with chat - with other requests buried in there, which of course he forgets.

She called me today wanting to put some sort of stuff on her floor - wanted ME to "give her permission." I don't know what she was talking about - I told her no she HAS to put it in writing - but she said "I sit and get bored and look around for things to do..."

Now I'm looking at other residents and the ones with the most requests do line up with the worst records overall. I'm going to start tracking that for real instead of relying on my vague impressions.

We JUST resigned a new lease before I started looking at this particular metric. Had she not called me directly asking if she COULD call me, I wouldn't have looked, I would have just passed any task request off to DH but instead she wanted to talk directly to me on the phone which I HATE to begin with - but when she started babbling about sub-floor and paint and wanting my "permission" for things I got ticked.

She DOES take very good care of the property, above and beyond with the exterior stuff which is why I was not actively looking to get rid of her - but honestly this is redamdiculous. She is also the one who just went a bit off about a $30 rent increase - after two years. I was ready to end things then but DS and DH talked me into keeping her again. I *did* offer her the Happy Clause though and she begged me to let her stay and I thought that would be the end of it.

Then today the phone call which made me look a bit deeper at her records. 50 separate task messages? WTH?

Just had a tenant ask if they could move to a bigger place - they "love" us as a landlord but their family is growing (from a couple in a TINY one-bedroom duplex to two kids in three years yikes. They have to go!)

I pulled up their rental history and they have bounced rent THIRTEEN TIMES in those three years. They almost always quickly repaid so they weren't even technically late but c'mon. Learn math. So they won't get a renewal let alone an option to move.

We contact all of our tenants on a regular basis, Pat, even if it's just canned messages. I send out info about freezing temps, about how to run a heat pump, upcoming storms, they all get an auto-thanks for rent payments, etc.

On the bright side, you did say she takes very good care of the place. Plus, she requested instead of just doing.

If she were not making request, would the place look as good?

That said, I do not have the number of units as most on here do nor the experience, but as I am sure is obvious, I am not looking for it either. However, I do quarterly maintenance checks and usually ask them to let me know if something needs addressed. Seems that most won't mention anything until you ask. However, this last couple I have rented to, have made a couple of requests prior to checks. One being about taking in a cat. I said no as I only allow 2. The other being homeless people bothering them and stealing their bike. I understand that request.

The ones that have too much contact get higher rent increases than those that don't.

I’m lucky at the moment but I have had people like her. The last one was a couple of years ago. Had a problem always and with everything and everyone. I was sometimes not and kind and professional as I try to be. Glad she’s gone. It’s a tough thing to check for. She was an excellent candidate by all metrics. I’m guessing the old landlords didn’t want to tell me the truth about her personality due to liability.

she said "I sit and get bored and look around for things to do..."

I think I would make some suggestions of permissable things she can do with her time.

Growing flowers could be good - in pots if you don't want it in the yard. Volunteer at the animal shelter, hospital, retirement home, soup kitchen, etc....

I never answer the phone unless it is close family or friends.

All tenant communication is text or email. Maintain that written record!

Most tenants I see and communicate with only at inspection or lease renewal time, unless they have repair requests.

Sounds like she needs a friend.

Text ONLY. We stopped taking phone calls YEARS ago. No emails. Text Only.

We don't hide, we give them the text number, but we operate as Business Friendly, not chummy, during business hours.

I find they keep texts short and to the point, but only when totally necessary. They don't chit chat.

With our current 100+++ active rentals we average 1 text per day, usually "Did you get my payment?" or "I have a friend needing a house" or about 1 service request per week.

Much of this is due to our Rent Discount Program where they agree to do maintenance other than the roof and HVAC. We empower them to care for the property.

(the program which paid cash for my Rolls and supports FREEDOM!!!).

BRAD

We have regular points in time where we reach out to our residents. About 90 days before the lease is set to renew, we reach out with a survey. We want to know what is on their minds before they elect to move out.

I don't believe in anything long or complex. Three simple questions:

1) What items need attention in your SFH/Apartment to make you want to stay longer?

2) How much would you be willing to pay extra for these additional upgrades?

3) Do you know anyone actively looking for a different dwelling so that you may receive your referral bonus if they are approved and get moved in?

I like to be visible and be able to see what is happening at my units. I want them to know I am visible and, if they approach me with something I will listen. As I think about it, I had one tenant who paid on time with no payment issues but had some type of issue WEEKLY! Like someone said, I think she got bored and looked for stuff to do and fix. She only stayed a year and I was happy to see her leave.

I like to be visible and be able to see what is happening at my units. I want them to know I am visible and, if they approach me with something I will listen. As I think about it, I had one tenant who paid on time with no payment issues but had some type of issue WEEKLY! Like someone said, I think she got bored and looked for stuff to do and fix. She only stayed a year and I was happy to see her leave.

Maybe it is just me, but avoiding contact with residents isn't managing a place. It is avoiding responsibility. Good residents can have bad things happen. It is job to learn if this is a one-off moment or a train wreck in the making.

Maybe it is just me, but avoiding contact with residents isn't managing a place. It is avoiding responsibility. Good residents can have bad things happen. It is job to learn if this is a one-off moment or a train wreck in the making.