November 11, 2024 • 42 mins
Effective communication is key for landlords in maintaining a positive relationship with tenants and ensuring smooth rental operations.
Different situations require different communication methods, and landlords should be mindful of when and how to use each one.
There is a time and place to be casual and absolutely a time when being professional is of utmost importance.
In this episode, we are discussing the different forms of communication you, as landlords, can use and in what situation you should use them.
We also address the tone, the language, and in what instances it’s important to be communicating with your tenants.
LINKS
👉 Clean Dryer Lint Trap Sign, Acrylic (Available in White or Black), 5 x 3.7 Inches, 2-pack, $8.99
👉 Check out the How to Clear Jammed Garbage Disposal Video we recorded for our tenants. Feel free to use it for your own tenants and units!
👉 Episode 4: The Importance of Rental Property Inspections
👉 Product: Our 6 Page Inspection Checklist, $9.99
Connect with Us:
🌎 Visit our website
📧 Subscribe to our newsletter.
👆Click HERE for our FREE Landlord Forms and Doc’s
🤳Text Us: 650-489-4447. We love questions and love letters!
📩Email us at: Stacie@YourLandlordResource.com, Kevin@YourLandlordResource.com
✔️Course Waitlist: From Marketing to Move In, Place Your Ideal Tenant
📱 Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, & join our private Facebook group
🎧 Listen & Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stacie (00:00):
Okay, you guys, we wanted to go over the different
(00:02):
ways landlords can properlycommunicate with their tenants.
Because it seems like many ofyou either only want to use one
form of communication, so likeyou only want to text or you
only want to speak on the phone.
Or you don't want to speak tothem at all and deal with them
whenever they actuallycommunicate with you using their
(00:23):
preferred method ofcommunication.
There are times when texting isperfectly acceptable and times
when it really is not a greatidea.
Same goes with email.
Different situations requiredifferent communication methods,
and landlords should be mindfulof when and how to use each one.
And we're here to say thateffective communication is key
(00:46):
for landlords in maintaining apositive relationship with
tenants and ensuring smoothrental property operations.
There is a time and a place tobe casual and absolutely a time
when being professional is ofutmost importance.
Welcome to your landlordresource podcast many moons ago.
(01:08):
When I started as a landlord, Iwas as green as it gets.
I may have had my real estatelicense, but I lack confidence
in the hands on experienceneeded when it came to dealing
with tenants, leases,maintenance, and bookkeeping.
After many failed attempts, fastforward to today.
Kevin and I have doubled ourdoors and created an organized,
professionally operated rentalproperty business.
(01:30):
Want to go from overwhelmed toconfident?
If you're an ambitious landlordor maybe one in the making, join
us as we provide strategies andteach actionable steps to help
you reach your goals and thelifestyle you desire.
All while building a streamlinedand profitable rental property
business.
This is your landlord resourcepodcast.
(01:53):
Hello there everyone, thanks so much for tuning in and
listening to the Your LandlordResource podcast.
I'm your host Stacie Casella,and I'm here with my co host my
business partner and my partnerin life Kevin Kilroy.
Kevin (02:09):
Hey there landlords.
Happy to be here and to talk toyou about landlord
communication.
And where you might think whatis there really to talk about
with communication?
Well, you'd be surprised at allwe have to say about this
subject.
Stacie (02:26):
Absolutely.
I think we communicate prettywell, don't you?
Kevin (02:31):
You mean you and I or with our tenants?
Stacie (02:34):
I was, I was talking about us.
I think we have done really wellcommunicating with our tenants.
Kevin (02:39):
Oh, okay.
I just wanted to make sure toask because you always tell me
when I'm not sure, just ask you.
Yes, we do communicate well, andsometimes you communicate much
louder than I do, but youcertainly get your point across,
I think.
Stacie (02:57):
Yeah, well, Mr.
Funny Pants, sometimes I feellike you're not listening to me,
so I have to raise my voice tomake sure that you can't ignore
me.
And you have to admit that youdo do tend to get confused a
little easily.
Kevin (03:10):
Huh?
Oh, yeah And that would bebecause you communicate so well?
Stacie (03:16):
You know as well as I do that.
I am very clear when Icommunicate.
Sometimes I don't need my voiceto let you know when you are
pushing my buttons.
Kevin (03:26):
No, your face says it all just like it is right now.
Stacie (03:31):
Yeah.
Well, I think this would be agood time to continue with the
show.
Don't you Kevin?
Kevin (03:37):
Yes, dear And because our listeners can't see it I'm
getting a pretty good stare downright now.
She's still staring Oh, should Ibe afraid?
Stacie (03:50):
Yeah, you absolutely should be afraid.
You're asleep with one eye opentonight.
I'm kidding.
Am I?
No.
Anyway.
Kevin (03:59):
All right.
So let's get on with talkingabout landlord tenant
communication, shall we?
Stacie (04:04):
Yes.
Let's do that.
Okay, you guys.
Like Kevin mentioned, we wantedto go over the different ways
landlords can properlycommunicate with their tenants.
Because it seems like many ofyou either only want to use one
form of communication, so likeyou only want to text or you
(04:24):
only want to speak on the phone.
Or you don't want to speak tothem at all and deal with them
whenever they actuallycommunicate with you using their
preferred method ofcommunication.
There are times when texting isperfectly acceptable and times
when it really is not a greatidea.
Same goes with email.
Different situations requiredifferent communication methods,
(04:47):
and landlords should be mindfulof when and how to use each one.
And we're here to say thateffective communication is key
for landlords in maintaining apositive relationship with
tenants and ensuring smoothrental property operations.
There is a time and a place tobe casual and absolutely a time
when being professional is ofutmost importance.
Kevin (05:10):
Yeah, that's right.
So today we're going to bediscussing the different forms
of communication and in whatsituation you should use them.
As well as the tone, thelanguage, and what instances
it's important to becommunicating with your tenants.
Stacie (05:27):
Yeah, exactly.
So let's start with in personcommunication.
And this is when you're at theproperty and doing, say, a move
in walk through.
You want to actually walk thetenant through the house and
show them where things are, youknow, like where the fire
extinguisher is and where thethermostat is, the HVAV and the
mechcanicals, are.
(05:49):
And if you have gas to the unit,where the gas shutoff is and the
wrench to use in case of anemergency.
For multifamily properties, youwant to show them where the
garbage cans are kept and whereto roll them down to.
If there is anything thatrequires a trick to use or to
open, you need to show themthat.
Kevin (06:09):
All right, so case in point.
The front door to one rental wemanage is the original door
from, I think at least the1920s.
I kid you not.
And that lock is hard toremember how to open, and if we
fail to show people the trick toopening the lock from the
outside, I mean it never fails,we get a call that they can't
figure it out or have gottenlocked out and don't know how to
(06:32):
use it.
Stacie (06:33):
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, you guys get the point.
This is when speaking to them inperson is very helpful.
And let me add that in our unitbinder, we do have pages
dedicated to many of the itemsthat we show tenants during this
move in walk through.
We have QR codes as well as thelinks to user guides for things
(06:53):
like the thermostat so they canlearn how to set the different
settings per day and set up thetime if they wanna do that.
Same goes with the pre move outinspection that we offer them.
We walk the unit and show themwhat we will deduct against
their security deposit for.
And we make it very clear whatneeds to be cleaned and what
needs to be fixed before theymove out.
Kevin (07:15):
And here in California, this pre move out inspection is
required to be offered to alltenants regardless of the size
of the rental property.
They don't have to take us up onit, but we have to offer it, so
they have a chance to remedy anyissues that might be deducted
from their security deposit.
Regardless of the state yourrental is located, it's a very
(07:38):
good idea to offer this to allyour tenants.
Now, we just did a pre move outinspection for a single family
home rental, the same one withthe tricky door, and where we
had emailed each and everythingthat needed to be cleaned, we
were able to follow that up whenwe did the voluntary walkthrough
before move out.
(07:59):
You guys, they left the wholehouse freaking spotless.
I mean, it was reallyimpressive.
I swear when I went through itwith Stacie to do the list of
repairs and maintenance for theowners.
I mean, I joked it looked likenobody had even been living
there for the last two years.
Stacie (08:17):
Yeah, so when those repairs are all done, we need to
be careful not to mess up thathouse because it's going to be
us having to clean it again.
Kevin (08:25):
Duly noted.
All right.
Another thing you might want tospeak with your tenants in
person about is if you'd have todiscuss sensitive issues.
So if the tenant is upset aboutsomething, or you have to
discuss the ramifications ofunpaid rent that could lead to
an eviction, then this can behelpful to meet face to face.
(08:47):
Also a good time to talk to yourtenant in person is if there's a
repair that's been made due totheir negligence.
You should show them what wentwrong and why.
So, for instance, the garbagedisposal doesn't work and you go
over there to check it out andyou find a bottle cap jammed in
it.
That is when you pull it out,you show them the cap, explain
(09:09):
that metal cannot go down thegarbage disposal and only in the
garbage.
Stacie (09:14):
Yeah, it's a true story, by the way.
Kevin (09:16):
It sure is.
And it was almost kind of fun tosee their face when I showed it
to them.
I mean, luckily nothing waswrong with the disposal, so it
was more of a hand slap to themthan anything.
But if it was broken, it's up toyou whether or not you make them
pay for the issue or not.
Stacie (09:34):
Yeah.
And that also depends on whatyou have written in your lease.
Most leases these days do have aclause that if there is damage
or something breaks as a resultof tenant negligence, then the
tenant pays for it.
Be it a bottle cap breaking thegarbage disposal or flushing
foreign objects down the toiletor mold in the shower because
(09:56):
they refuse to turn the fan onbecause it's too loud.
Yeah, I mean that, that trulywas an issue that we had to deal
with.
For us, we go so far as to writein an addendum what kind of
cleaning solutions and spongesthey can use.
Because using one of those greenand yellow scouring sponges to
(10:16):
clean the stovetop or therefrigerator door absolutely
scratches it.
Same goes with the vinyl showerinserts.
Swirl marks, all over and noshine left at all.
And after it's done, it is whatit is.
We certainly are not going to goreplace the whole shower insert.
But if you want to replacesomething because it looks so
(10:38):
bad, like an appliance, and youhave it written in an addendum
of the lease that they cannotuse anything but a soft cloth or
a non scratch sponge whencleaning, then you are within
your right to retain thereplacement amount from their
security deposit at move out.
Your lease is your ultimate formof communication.
(10:59):
So take some time to reallythink about what extra verbiage
you might want to add to it thatpertains to your property or
your rules.
At the end of the day, thatlease is your fail safe.
It's your binding contract thatcovers your butt if a tenant
tries to fight you on somethingspecific.
And the way you learn aboutthese issues is either by
(11:21):
someone else experiencing themand telling you about it, or
like our issue with the swirlmarks from the sponge, it
happens to you, pisses you offenough that you decide it needs
to become a rule that'saddressed in the lease.
Now, I will say that if you're aperson who gets upset easily and
(11:41):
might say something that you'regoing to regret, then maybe
meeting in person to discussdamage is not the best idea.
You can absolutely send them anemail with photos of the damage
or the issue and explain howthey are in violation of the
lease, and lay out their optionsfor payment.
Regardless of whether you chooseto speak with someone in person
(12:02):
or through email, please makesure that you maintain a
professional, friendly, and calmdemeanor.
You need to address'em by theirname, not buddy or dummy or
anything derogatory,
Kevin (12:14):
And if you think that might be an issue, that's when
you choose to send an email overthen instead of meeting them in
person.
Stacie (12:21):
Yeah, exactly.
But when speaking with a tenant,you'll want to avoid jargon.
So speak clearly and ask them ifthey understand and absolutely
ask if they have any questions.
Kevin (12:33):
Yeah.
I mean, it really isn't rocketscience here, you guys.
Speak the way you would want tobe spoken to if you messed up.
I mean, keep it to the facts.
Discuss what happened and why itwas their negligence that caused
the breakdown or whatever thatwas broke.
The garbage disposal is notworking because this bottle cap
(12:53):
was found wedged in the blades.
And in order to remove it andallow those blades to move
again, the entire disposal wouldhave to be disassembled.
Because it is less expensive tojust replace it, I have
authorized the plumber to dothat.
You'll want to explain to themthat in their lease, they signed
an agreement that if they damageany appliance, et cetera,
(13:15):
they're responsible for payment.
And then say something like, itis estimated to cost$275 for the
plumber to diagnose the issue,go purchase a new unit and
install it.
Would you like to pay theplumber directly for this, or
would you rather have it addedto next month's rent?
I mean, yelling, getting upset,demanding an apology.
(13:37):
Any of that is going to donothing to help you here.
What’s done is done and if theyare someone who gives a crap,
which lets hope with yourdetailed tenant screening, they
are, they will feel like anidiot.
Stacie (13:51):
And once they have to pay that invoice, they will
likely be more cognizant oftheir actions while living in
your unit.
All right, let's talk aboutphone calls as a form of
communication.
And I will tell you, it is veryrare when we will call a tenant.
This is something you usuallywant to use for a quick, urgent
updates or responses.
(14:13):
Something they need to knowabout right now.
An example of this for us was acouple years ago when we had a
very large tree branch thatpierced the roof above one of
our units during a horriblerainstorm.
As soon as we found out, wecalled our contractor and sent
him over and then we called thetenant to let him know what was
(14:33):
going on.
Kevin (14:34):
I mean, I don't think he was even home, was he?
Stacie (14:37):
No, he had no idea the branch was even there.
Which is even more an issuebecause we had no idea if water
was pouring into his unitthrough that hole or not.
And luckily all was well, butthis is just an example.
Kevin (14:50):
Or the time a tenant called us that the carbon
monoxide detector for the unitnext to hers was going off and
she hadn't heard the tenant atall.
Stacie (15:00):
Yeah.
I mean, I would say that is avery urgent situation.
So the neighboring tenant couldhear through the wall, another
unit's alarm talking sayingcarbon monoxide detected or
something like that.
And we called the tenant andagain, this guy was out of town
and he authorized us to go inand check it out.
(15:21):
We called our contractor and wecalled the gas company who sent
a truck out right away.
And after having to evacuate theother tenants, the gas company
went into a, the unit to find itfilled with gas, smelled like
gas.
And he found that the stove knobwas just slightly turned,
allowing gas to escape from theburner.
(15:43):
It was a short evacuation, butnonetheless, a very stressful
one, especially because we werenot there.
So, imagine what if the tenanthad passed out from that CO2
poisoning or worse.
And what if when that gascompany tech opened the door,
there was a spark and a hugeexplosion.
Kevin (16:01):
Yeah.
So those are instances where wehad to speak with the tenant
urgently.
No other form of communicationwould have worked here.
Stacie (16:09):
Yeah, and you guys that happened because when the tenant
left for his business trip Hebumped up against the stove when
he reached to grab something offthe counter and knocked that gas
range knob just slightly off.
So it wasn't intentional butstuff like this does happen.
Kevin (16:25):
I believe our new stoves have that fail safe in place and
when we do our move andwalkthroughs, we still mention
that story for two reasons.
One, to make people aware sothat they check the oven or
range knobs after use to makesure they're all the way off.
And two, these particular unitsare rather small.
(16:45):
And because the hard wireplacement of our smoke and
carbon monoxide combo detectorsare placed in close proximity to
the kitchen, we'll often go inand find they've been removed
when we go in for an inspectionor if our contractor Jim goes in
for a repair.
So by using that story as anexample of why they need to keep
them in place at all times.
(17:07):
Even if they burn something whencooking, it is of utmost
importance.
Stacie (17:12):
I mean, that's a form of communication too, a
storytelling and, and gettingthem to have, can be able to
relate to something.
So think about things that havehappened before and explaining
those to your tenants as well.
Kevin (17:24):
Good point.
Okay, a couple more examples ofwhy phone calls are acceptable
ways of communication.
Now, if you get into a situationwhere your tenant is confused
about a process or where thereis a misunderstanding, call the
tenant to explain.
Another reason might be you'reresponding to a maintenance
request that can be troubleshoteasier over the phone.
Stacie (17:47):
So an example of this would be when our tenant texted
that their front loading dryerwas flashing a warning signal on
the digital face and it wouldn'tturn on for more than a few
minutes at a time before itwould turn off automatically.
I knew exactly what the issuewas and honestly, I was not
pleased, but here it goes.
(18:08):
I called him and very calmlyasked them to remove the dryer
lint filter or the lint trap andtell me what they see.
And he goes, Oh, it's reallyfuzzy with like an inch of lint.
And it was at that point I hadto explain to him that after
each and every load they dry,that lint trap has to be wiped
(18:29):
clean in order for the dryer towork correctly.
He said, okay, with a tone thatwas like, well, how am I
supposed to know that?
And it was right then and therethat I realized that, you know,
new renters really have no clueon how to manage a household.
And when I say that I'm talkingmore maintenance things like
this lint trap or like thegarbage disposal issue or
(18:50):
venting a bathroom after takinga shower.
Kevin (18:53):
Yeah.
I, I think that's especiallytrue with the younger tenants.
If I remember correctly thesetenants were actually doctors in
residency at a hospital rightnear us.
Stacie (19:02):
Yeah Yeah, it's kind of scary to think about right?
I mean that person who might bemaking life and death decisions
for someone's health has no ideathey need to clean the limp trap
on the dryer.
And sideline here, we now havethese acrylic little signs
attached to all our dryers thatreminds them to clean the lint
trap.
We picked them up on Amazon andthey're perfect.
(19:23):
So they're good quality, clearlywritten, they look professional,
they're self sticking, and theycome in black and in white.
So we'll link those in the shownotes if you want to check them
out.
But anyway, if you need to calland walk a tenant through the
steps to remedy a maintenanceissue, go ahead and call them.
Now here's when you should avoida phone call, to discuss
(19:46):
disputes or disagreements,because often these calls can
lead to emotional responses andmiscommunication.
And written records may beneeded later, should a legal
event come from it.
Also avoid calls when detaileddocumentation is necessary.
So that would be any formal orlegal discussions where records
(20:08):
are needed.
Like move out procedures andwhat they need to do before they
exit so that they can hopefullyget their security deposit back.
Or after a unit inspection,where you send them your
findings, your photos, and referto any timelines for follow up
on repairs or lease violations.
Those are instances where youabsolutely do not want to call
(20:31):
or speak with a tenant inperson.
And finally, if you do have apersonal phone call with a
tenant, keep the conversationprofessional and concise.
Use a friendly and a helpfultone, especially if the tenant
is requesting something or has aconcern.
And lastly, now listen closelyto what I'm about to say,
(20:52):
anytime if you have an in personor a phone conversation with a
tenant that has anything to dowith your rental, you must
follow up in writing, usuallyvia email, with what was
discussed and what the nextsteps are that you will be
taking to remedy the situation.
Kevin (21:12):
Yeah, 100%.
I mean, often when we're on siteworking on another person's unit
or dropping something off inperson to a tenant, we'll have a
tenant stop by and ask us aquestion or tell us when
something in their unit isneeding maintenance.
So then we will get back to thecar or make a note on our notes
app on the phone right there andthen of what was said between
(21:35):
the two parties and either sendan email follow up from our
phone, or when we get back intothe office.
You know, in case we have to doany research or call a tech to
go out and look at it.
Okay so let's move on to what isStacie's favorite form of
communication texting
Stacie (21:54):
It is my preferred method of communication for
business and for personal use.
You know unless it's one of thekids because I do like to hear
their voices and have personalconversations with them when I
can.
But for the most part, textingis the way to go.
Kevin (22:10):
I mean, I agree for the most part.
So texting is best for quick,non formal updates or reminders.
Think reminders aboutinspections or telling a tenant
the time frame when a tech willbe at their unit for a repair.
Some landlords also have autotexts that remind tenants when
rent is due in three days, oneday, or the due date.
(22:34):
Maintenance reminders are alsogood for texts like when it's
time to change the air filter orchange batteries in the smoke
detector, you know, stuff likethat.
We also noticed that manytenants are not on their email
often, so a text to let themknow an email was sent is
something we've actually startedto do lately.
Stacie (22:52):
Yeah You guys we have tenants who have like a gmail
account that's really old andthey'll use it mostly for
signing up for stuff, but don'tuse it for personal business use
and use their work emailinstead.
But they don't tell us this whenthey first start the application
process.
And I literally just dealt withthis with an exiting tenant who
(23:15):
also prefers to text everything.
So now when I send an email thatI need a tenant to acknowledge
or respond to, I also send thema text advising them that an
email was sent and needs theirattention.
Another thing we use texting foris to send how to videos that we
have pre recorded formaintenance issues.
(23:35):
One being a jammed garbagedisposal.
You know, I can just send overthat link for them to watch and
try to troubleshoot the issue ontheir own first, and then if
they can't resolve it, I'll sendsomeone out to repair it.
And you guys I'll link thatvideo in the show notes so you
can see what we did.
We have these videos for a fewinstances like some for tricky
(23:58):
locks to access doors notcommonly used or how to change
the air filter.
Kevin (24:03):
I guess you could say those are additional forms of
communication.
I mean how to videos are a greatway to walk a tenant through
solving an issue themselves.
And honestly, I think mostprefer that.
I mean I assume, and this ismainly from the positive
feedback we've received when wesend out videos or call or walk
someone through solving anissue.
(24:24):
But my guess would be that thetenants don't want to bother you
with the issues, but know theyhave to notify you when
maintenance is needed.
And they are relieved they don'thave to deal with having to have
a repair person or one of us intheir units to fix something.
And actually, I think they enjoythe self confidence that comes
with solving an issue on theirown.
(24:45):
So maybe consider creatingvideos for your units.
Often we post them privately toour property management YouTube
account and have the links handyon our phones.
And we've actually also createdQR codes for these links and
included them in our unitbinders for those tenants who
are willing to take a minute ortwo to check the binder for
(25:07):
information about the issuesbefore contacting us.
And if you know, Stacie, youknow, those binders are
seriously packed withinformation.
I mean, maybe we should do apodcast about what's inside of
those.
Stacie (25:20):
Maybe we should.
That's a good idea.
Kevin (25:22):
Yeah.
Every once in a while I haveone.
All right.
Some tips about using textmessages for communication.
You want to use it for quickmessages and you want to avoid
putting anything into a textthat has complex or legal
issues.
So don't text someone when theyare in violation of a lease, or
(25:43):
if there are rent disputes, andabsolutely do not text
termination of a lease.
That should be handled in aformal written notice, which
we'll get to in a moment.
And one thing to remember, andthis is why it's best to use
texting for short formcommunication, but texts can
(26:03):
sometimes come across as abruptor, you know, kind of lacking in
tone.
This is why it's not ideal forconveying sensitive information.
So keep your text short andclear.
Avoid using slang or overlycasual language.
Stick to a neutral, professionaltone, even in short texts.
And lastly, avoid sendingmessages late at night or during
(26:27):
off hours unless it's reallyurgent.
I mean, many people don't turnoff their phone notifications
when they're sleeping and thelast thing you want to do is
wake someone up when sending avideo on how to fix the garbage
disposal.
Stacie (26:42):
Yeah.
Texting is like phoning someone,so be conscientious about the
time of day.
And something to remember ifyour properties are out of state
and there is a time differenceas well.
All right, I'd like to move onto email communication now.
And I do know that we havetouched on it a little bit
already, but email is the bestto use for formal notifications
(27:05):
and documentation.
We use email for such things asinspection notifications.
We just mailed them out today.
We will email them one to twoweeks in advance to give them
the date of the inspection.
We will list out what we'll belooking for during the
inspection, and we ask ifthere's anything that they know
(27:25):
of that needs maintenance orattention.
And we also ask them to let usknow if they're going to be home
working and if there's a timeframe that works better for us
to be in their unit.
So this allows us to scheduleour techs who need to get in
there to check the HVAC units ormechanicals or roofers or
appliance repair people to comeand do needed repairs when we're
(27:46):
all on site.
And anyone who we might begetting bids from.
Like this time around, ourelectrician is going to be
coming to look into runningfiber optic internet throughout
the building.
This is so we can offer it as aservice to tenants instead of
them having to handle it ontheir own.
So if it all works out, we'llmake a little on it and look
more professional like a onestop shop edging out our
(28:09):
competitors in the market.
Kevin (28:11):
And also in our upcoming inspection, as we've said
before, our contractor, Jim isthere with us.
This time around, he'll beinspecting each unit for leaks
under sinks, toilets, andappliances like washing machines
and the dishwashers.
He's also doing any preventativemaintenance like changing out
water lines, toilet guts, andlogging which units need updated
(28:35):
lighting.
And that's something we've beenslowly working on when we flip
the units, removing oldincandescent fixtures like
vanity lighting and, you know,those old booby lights in the
hallways, and fluorescence inthe kitchen and replacing it all
with LED recessed lighting thatlasts forever and it really
cleans up the unit andmodernizes it.
(28:58):
He will also be inspecting thefour sets of stairs we have on
the property looking for dryrot.
And all of the siding lookingfor gaps where pests can enter
so he can schedule anypreventative maintenance and
stay ahead of issues arisingdown the line.
If you want to hear more aboutour inspection process, check
out our episode, the Importanceof Rental Property Inspections
(29:21):
at yourlandlordresource.
com episode4.
As always, we will link that inthe show notes.
Stacie (29:30):
Yeah.
And you guys will also link theinspection checklist that we use
for all of our inspections.
You know, we charge a small feefor it, but you can use it over
and over for all your units onceyou purchase it.
Kevin (29:40):
Yeah.
I mean, it's$10 and it's reallya small price to pay.
It's six pages and the checklistcovers all areas inside and out,
up to four bedrooms and fourbathrooms.
Okay, I guess we kind ofsidelined on inspections here,
but we use email for many morenotifications like, lease
(30:01):
renewals, where we offer arenewal with usually an
increased rental amount, whatcompetitive units are going for
in the area, and also incentivesfor signing a renewal.
And although it's rare, emailwould be used if someone's lease
was expiring and you weren'trenewing their lease, and why.
Although depending on your stateand local landlord tenant law,
(30:24):
you would likely be better offto issue a formal document or
form via mail for this.
We also use it for move out orunit exit procedures once
someone has given their noticeto vacate, or if there are
policy or service changes, likewhen the snow removal will begin
and when their cars have to bemoved, or maybe changes to trash
(30:47):
pickup schedules.
We also email for non urgentnotification of certain events.
So, these would be notices ofsomeone coming to work on the
property and the tenant needs toknow.
Like, a couple of months ago, wehad a power washing company go
out and power wash one of thebuildings and clean the gutters.
This meant that the tenantsmight be disrupted by noise and
(31:09):
people on ladders, you know,stuff tenants need to know
about.
One thing we like to do is sendan email around two weeks after
move in to see how everything'sgoing with the tenant.
I mean this gives them a chanceto respond with questions or
clarifications on something andyou know it also shows we care
about their living experience inour units.
(31:30):
We send emails with holiday tipsand this would be mostly around
4th of July, Halloween, andother holidays when tenants tend
to have celebrations at theirhomes with guests.
So the reminders would be aboutsafety with regards to making
sure the walkways are clear,notifying us about any exterior
(31:50):
lighting that may not beworking, or lease clauses about
open flames, explosives, andgrilling and frying foods.
When we had wildfires that werecausing really poor air quality,
we sent our tenants tips oncoping and a reminder to change
their air filter, along with thesize of the air filters for
(32:10):
their unit.
For weather, we are sendingreminders before heat waves and
how to best utilize their ACunits.
And
for landlords of rentals located in flood zones, you
should be reminding tenants ofwhat to do in case of a flash
flood.
Giving them sites where they canmonitor weather and tips on what
they can do to prevent waterintrusion, like, you know, using
(32:33):
sandbags and making sure theirflood drains are cleared or
hanging up hurricane shutters ifthose are things that are their
responsibility.
Stacie (32:41):
Yeah.
And if property maintenance isthe tenant's responsibility,
email is a great way to sendthem a reminder of what needs to
be completed and by when.
So sending a checklist of thoseitems and asking them to email
back photos of the workcompleted is perfect for email.
One more thing that we useemails for is when we're going
(33:03):
to be out of the office for anextended period of time.
This is when we direct tenantsto contact our contractor Jim
with all their maintenanceissues.
Now if we're out of the country,he will also handle emergency
issues and mostly due to thetime difference.
And I mean, let's be honest, ifthere is an emergency situation,
he's going to be calling us tolet us know what happened and
(33:23):
how it was handled.
And see what else.
Oh, and of course, as Imentioned earlier, we like to
follow up in person or phoneconversations with an email of
what was discussed and what thenext steps are.
Again, email is for nonemergency issues or anything
that does not require immediateaction from your tenant.
(33:44):
And you might also consider apersonal phone call or an in
person conversation for anythingthat is highly personal or a
sensitive matter, because, youknow, emails sometimes can feel
impersonal.
Which leads me into telling youthat when you write emails, use
a formal yet friendly tone andbe clear with your subject line,
so tenants know it's level ofimportance.
(34:05):
Always start off with a politegreeting like good morning Joe
and close with somethingprofessional like best regards.
And lastly be detailed and avoidusing unnecessary jargon or
overly complicated language.
Kevin (34:19):
Yeah, that's for sure.
I mean keep your informationstraight and to the point.
And here's a tip bullet pointsare your friends you guys.
All right, almost done, just acouple more things to go over
here.
So I would arguably say thatthis next form of communication
is most critical, and that wouldbe formal letters,
(34:42):
notifications, and certifiedmail.
I mean, these are going to beyour legal notices.
And where some might use emailfor a few of these, some states
do require formal notificationvia mail, including certain
terminology.
So we highly recommend youunderstand where you must use
these formal notices, whichforms to use, and exactly how to
(35:06):
complete and deliver them.
These are going to be to yourlease violations, usually and
especially if they areconsidered a major violation
that if not remedied will leadto an eviction.
So like late rent payments whereyou have to issue a three day
notice to pay or quit.
Of course, eviction notices,which you may wanna consider
(35:27):
using a professional service forthat one.
And rent increases and leaseterminations may also be
required to be delivered viaformal notification.
We suggest you always pay forcertified mail so you get proof
the notice was delivered andreceived by the tenant.
And you know this is coming.
Know your local and statelandlord tenant laws about legal
(35:51):
notifications.
Most states have it written whatconstitute the need for a legal
notification, how many days youhave to notify, what days of the
week can count towards yourspecified days of delivery, and
how many notices you have tosend or deliver to the tenant.
(36:11):
And that means that it could bespecified that If you want to
deliver a notice in person orserve your tenant and they are
not at home or don't answer thedoor, you can leave the notice
at an obvious location on thedoor, but you also have to mail
a notice as a backup method incase someone removes that notice
or it flys away in the wind.
Stacie (36:33):
Yeah.
So quite a while back we havehad to serve notices for unpaid
rent and it's no fun at all.
I mean the stress of having tochase down the rent and then
having to worry about makingsure that all of our notices
have the I's dotted and the T'scross, it can be really
difficult to handle.
But the bottom line here youguys is that these notifications
(36:55):
are for documenting anyImportant legal matters, like
anything related to lease terms.
This is not your everydaycommunication.
These are your formal noticesthat likely you're going to use
a preformatted form, unless youhave a legal team that writes
them for you.
And you obviously do not want tomail anything that would be an
(37:17):
emergency notice.
Our tips, again, would be to useclear language.
Include all relevant dates,terms, and necessary actions for
the tenant.
And always keep a copy of thisform or letter for your records.
You want to send the originalthat has your signature in blue
(37:41):
ink and keep a color photocopyfor yourself.
And as mentioned by Kevin,request confirmation of receipt
by using certified mail.
One more thing that I justremembered that is crucial to
use mail notification is aboutsecurity deposits.
So here in California, we have avery strict 21 days to issue
(38:06):
either the security depositrefund or a formal statement of
what work has to be performedand an estimate of what will be
deducted from that tenantsecurity deposit.
Now, this can be a very costlymistake if you fail to follow
the law about the securitydeposit return process.
And a quick tip, if someonemoves out and you don't have
(38:28):
their forwarding address, justsend the notice to your unit.
For most states, using the lastknown address is perfectly
acceptable.
And as long as you have thatenvelope date stamped, you
should be covered.
Okay, now I want to addresscommunication by way of using
tenant portals or propertymanagement software.
(38:49):
If you have access to this formof communication, you're going
to want to use it for routinemessages.
So, that would be rentreminders, maintenance updates,
or policy changes.
Often, you can set upnotifications to be sent
automatically to tenants, youknow, like rent payment
reminders or receipts for whenthose payments are made.
(39:10):
This is also a nice way fortenants to put in for
maintenance requests.
If tenants have their ownportal, they can monitor their
rent payments, their paymentsources, and all communication
regarding maintenance.
And often when notices are sentby landlords, tenants will be
sent a text or an email, lettingthem know to check their portal
(39:32):
or unit notifications, which isreally nice to have.
And the benefit of usingcommunication through tenant
portals or landlord managementsoftware, especially if that
software has a mobile app is theway streamlines communication.
Kevin (39:47):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
I mean, for the most part, yourrecords are all set up for you
and you won't have to worryabout searching for an email or
a text to see what waspreviously communicated.
Of course, there are landlordswe know who will only
communicate via phone and noteven their mobile phone.
They want all their maintenancerequests, questions, and
(40:09):
everything to go to theirlandline home phone.
But, whatever your preferredmethod of communication is, here
are some important reminders.
Be clear and concise.
I mean, whether in person or inwriting, avoid confusion by
sticking to clear andstraightforward language.
Use a professional, respectfultone.
(40:30):
Even when delivering difficultmessages, like a late rent
notice, remain calm andrespectful, and avoid sounding
accusatory or confrontational.
Document all importantinteractions.
So, after phone calls or verbalagreements, follow up with an
email summarizing the key pointsto avoid misunderstandings.
(40:51):
Be timely with your notices.
Respond to tenant concerns asquickly as possible, especially
regarding maintenance requests.
Prompt communication shows thatyou respect their time, and they
should respect yours.
And lastly, set communicationboundaries.
Let tenants know when and howthey can best reach you.
(41:13):
you have office hours oremergency contacts, they'll need
to know this.
And putting it in your lease inunit binder are great ways to
keep it easier for them to find.
Stacie (41:24):
Yeah.
And, and just remember, it isimportant to balance
availability with your personalboundaries.
So we hope that these variedcommunication methods give all
of you flexibility in handlingdifferent situations
effectively.
And helping maintain stronglandlord tenant relationships
while making sure to protect theinterests of both parties.
(41:47):
All right, you guys, we knowthat was a lot to absorb, but we
hope you enjoyed this episodeand got a little bit information
out of it.
If so, would you do us a favorand leave us a kind review of
the podcast so that otherlandlords can find us too?
If you want to hear more, followor subscribe to the podcast so
that each week those episodesare downloaded right to your
(42:09):
favorite podcast platform.
And we'd love to stay in contactwith you.
In the show notes, you can findlinks to all the downloads we
offer, ways to sign up for ourfree newsletter, and the wait
list for our upcoming course ontenant screening.
There's also links to ourprivate Facebook group that is
just for self managinglandlords.
(42:30):
And our social media accounts onInstagram, Facebook, and
YouTube, where we share veryinformative and detailed tips
and tricks for landlords, so gocheck those out.
think that's about it.
Thanks again.
And until next time, you've gotthis landlords.
Okay, you guys, we wanted to go over the different
(00:02):
ways landlords can properlycommunicate with their tenants.
Because it seems like many ofyou either only want to use one
form of communication, so likeyou only want to text or you
only want to speak on the phone.
Or you don't want to speak tothem at all and deal with them
whenever they actuallycommunicate with you using their
(00:23):
preferred method ofcommunication.
There are times when texting isperfectly acceptable and times
when it really is not a greatidea.
Same goes with email.
Different situations requiredifferent communication methods,
and landlords should be mindfulof when and how to use each one.
And we're here to say thateffective communication is key
(00:46):
for landlords in maintaining apositive relationship with
tenants and ensuring smoothrental property operations.
There is a time and a place tobe casual and absolutely a time
when being professional is ofutmost importance.
Welcome to your landlordresource podcast many moons ago.
(01:08):
When I started as a landlord, Iwas as green as it gets.
I may have had my real estatelicense, but I lack confidence
in the hands on experienceneeded when it came to dealing
with tenants, leases,maintenance, and bookkeeping.
After many failed attempts, fastforward to today.
Kevin and I have doubled ourdoors and created an organized,
professionally operated rentalproperty business.
(01:30):
Want to go from overwhelmed toconfident?
If you're an ambitious landlordor maybe one in the making, join
us as we provide strategies andteach actionable steps to help
you reach your goals and thelifestyle you desire.
All while building a streamlinedand profitable rental property
business.
This is your landlord resourcepodcast.
(01:53):
Hello there everyone, thanks so much for tuning in and
listening to the Your LandlordResource podcast.
I'm your host Stacie Casella,and I'm here with my co host my
business partner and my partnerin life Kevin Kilroy.
Kevin (02:09):
Hey there landlords.
Happy to be here and to talk toyou about landlord
communication.
And where you might think whatis there really to talk about
with communication?
Well, you'd be surprised at allwe have to say about this
subject.
Stacie (02:26):
Absolutely.
I think we communicate prettywell, don't you?
Kevin (02:31):
You mean you and I or with our tenants?
Stacie (02:34):
I was, I was talking about us.
I think we have done really wellcommunicating with our tenants.
Kevin (02:39):
Oh, okay.
I just wanted to make sure toask because you always tell me
when I'm not sure, just ask you.
Yes, we do communicate well, andsometimes you communicate much
louder than I do, but youcertainly get your point across,
I think.
Stacie (02:57):
Yeah, well, Mr.
Funny Pants, sometimes I feellike you're not listening to me,
so I have to raise my voice tomake sure that you can't ignore
me.
And you have to admit that youdo do tend to get confused a
little easily.
Kevin (03:10):
Huh?
Oh, yeah And that would bebecause you communicate so well?
Stacie (03:16):
You know as well as I do that.
I am very clear when Icommunicate.
Sometimes I don't need my voiceto let you know when you are
pushing my buttons.
Kevin (03:26):
No, your face says it all just like it is right now.
Stacie (03:31):
Yeah.
Well, I think this would be agood time to continue with the
show.
Don't you Kevin?
Kevin (03:37):
Yes, dear And because our listeners can't see it I'm
getting a pretty good stare downright now.
She's still staring Oh, should Ibe afraid?
Stacie (03:50):
Yeah, you absolutely should be afraid.
You're asleep with one eye opentonight.
I'm kidding.
Am I?
No.
Anyway.
Kevin (03:59):
All right.
So let's get on with talkingabout landlord tenant
communication, shall we?
Stacie (04:04):
Yes.
Let's do that.
Okay, you guys.
Like Kevin mentioned, we wantedto go over the different ways
landlords can properlycommunicate with their tenants.
Because it seems like many ofyou either only want to use one
form of communication, so likeyou only want to text or you
(04:24):
only want to speak on the phone.
Or you don't want to speak tothem at all and deal with them
whenever they actuallycommunicate with you using their
preferred method ofcommunication.
There are times when texting isperfectly acceptable and times
when it really is not a greatidea.
Same goes with email.
Different situations requiredifferent communication methods,
(04:47):
and landlords should be mindfulof when and how to use each one.
And we're here to say thateffective communication is key
for landlords in maintaining apositive relationship with
tenants and ensuring smoothrental property operations.
There is a time and a place tobe casual and absolutely a time
when being professional is ofutmost importance.
Kevin (05:10):
Yeah, that's right.
So today we're going to bediscussing the different forms
of communication and in whatsituation you should use them.
As well as the tone, thelanguage, and what instances
it's important to becommunicating with your tenants.
Stacie (05:27):
Yeah, exactly.
So let's start with in personcommunication.
And this is when you're at theproperty and doing, say, a move
in walk through.
You want to actually walk thetenant through the house and
show them where things are, youknow, like where the fire
extinguisher is and where thethermostat is, the HVAV and the
mechcanicals, are.
(05:49):
And if you have gas to the unit,where the gas shutoff is and the
wrench to use in case of anemergency.
For multifamily properties, youwant to show them where the
garbage cans are kept and whereto roll them down to.
If there is anything thatrequires a trick to use or to
open, you need to show themthat.
Kevin (06:09):
All right, so case in point.
The front door to one rental wemanage is the original door
from, I think at least the1920s.
I kid you not.
And that lock is hard toremember how to open, and if we
fail to show people the trick toopening the lock from the
outside, I mean it never fails,we get a call that they can't
figure it out or have gottenlocked out and don't know how to
(06:32):
use it.
Stacie (06:33):
Yeah, exactly.
I mean, you guys get the point.
This is when speaking to them inperson is very helpful.
And let me add that in our unitbinder, we do have pages
dedicated to many of the itemsthat we show tenants during this
move in walk through.
We have QR codes as well as thelinks to user guides for things
(06:53):
like the thermostat so they canlearn how to set the different
settings per day and set up thetime if they wanna do that.
Same goes with the pre move outinspection that we offer them.
We walk the unit and show themwhat we will deduct against
their security deposit for.
And we make it very clear whatneeds to be cleaned and what
needs to be fixed before theymove out.
Kevin (07:15):
And here in California, this pre move out inspection is
required to be offered to alltenants regardless of the size
of the rental property.
They don't have to take us up onit, but we have to offer it, so
they have a chance to remedy anyissues that might be deducted
from their security deposit.
Regardless of the state yourrental is located, it's a very
(07:38):
good idea to offer this to allyour tenants.
Now, we just did a pre move outinspection for a single family
home rental, the same one withthe tricky door, and where we
had emailed each and everythingthat needed to be cleaned, we
were able to follow that up whenwe did the voluntary walkthrough
before move out.
(07:59):
You guys, they left the wholehouse freaking spotless.
I mean, it was reallyimpressive.
I swear when I went through itwith Stacie to do the list of
repairs and maintenance for theowners.
I mean, I joked it looked likenobody had even been living
there for the last two years.
Stacie (08:17):
Yeah, so when those repairs are all done, we need to
be careful not to mess up thathouse because it's going to be
us having to clean it again.
Kevin (08:25):
Duly noted.
All right.
Another thing you might want tospeak with your tenants in
person about is if you'd have todiscuss sensitive issues.
So if the tenant is upset aboutsomething, or you have to
discuss the ramifications ofunpaid rent that could lead to
an eviction, then this can behelpful to meet face to face.
(08:47):
Also a good time to talk to yourtenant in person is if there's a
repair that's been made due totheir negligence.
You should show them what wentwrong and why.
So, for instance, the garbagedisposal doesn't work and you go
over there to check it out andyou find a bottle cap jammed in
it.
That is when you pull it out,you show them the cap, explain
(09:09):
that metal cannot go down thegarbage disposal and only in the
garbage.
Stacie (09:14):
Yeah, it's a true story, by the way.
Kevin (09:16):
It sure is.
And it was almost kind of fun tosee their face when I showed it
to them.
I mean, luckily nothing waswrong with the disposal, so it
was more of a hand slap to themthan anything.
But if it was broken, it's up toyou whether or not you make them
pay for the issue or not.
Stacie (09:34):
Yeah.
And that also depends on whatyou have written in your lease.
Most leases these days do have aclause that if there is damage
or something breaks as a resultof tenant negligence, then the
tenant pays for it.
Be it a bottle cap breaking thegarbage disposal or flushing
foreign objects down the toiletor mold in the shower because
(09:56):
they refuse to turn the fan onbecause it's too loud.
Yeah, I mean that, that trulywas an issue that we had to deal
with.
For us, we go so far as to writein an addendum what kind of
cleaning solutions and spongesthey can use.
Because using one of those greenand yellow scouring sponges to
(10:16):
clean the stovetop or therefrigerator door absolutely
scratches it.
Same goes with the vinyl showerinserts.
Swirl marks, all over and noshine left at all.
And after it's done, it is whatit is.
We certainly are not going to goreplace the whole shower insert.
But if you want to replacesomething because it looks so
(10:38):
bad, like an appliance, and youhave it written in an addendum
of the lease that they cannotuse anything but a soft cloth or
a non scratch sponge whencleaning, then you are within
your right to retain thereplacement amount from their
security deposit at move out.
Your lease is your ultimate formof communication.
(10:59):
So take some time to reallythink about what extra verbiage
you might want to add to it thatpertains to your property or
your rules.
At the end of the day, thatlease is your fail safe.
It's your binding contract thatcovers your butt if a tenant
tries to fight you on somethingspecific.
And the way you learn aboutthese issues is either by
(11:21):
someone else experiencing themand telling you about it, or
like our issue with the swirlmarks from the sponge, it
happens to you, pisses you offenough that you decide it needs
to become a rule that'saddressed in the lease.
Now, I will say that if you're aperson who gets upset easily and
(11:41):
might say something that you'regoing to regret, then maybe
meeting in person to discussdamage is not the best idea.
You can absolutely send them anemail with photos of the damage
or the issue and explain howthey are in violation of the
lease, and lay out their optionsfor payment.
Regardless of whether you chooseto speak with someone in person
(12:02):
or through email, please makesure that you maintain a
professional, friendly, and calmdemeanor.
You need to address'em by theirname, not buddy or dummy or
anything derogatory,
Kevin (12:14):
And if you think that might be an issue, that's when
you choose to send an email overthen instead of meeting them in
person.
Stacie (12:21):
Yeah, exactly.
But when speaking with a tenant,you'll want to avoid jargon.
So speak clearly and ask them ifthey understand and absolutely
ask if they have any questions.
Kevin (12:33):
Yeah.
I mean, it really isn't rocketscience here, you guys.
Speak the way you would want tobe spoken to if you messed up.
I mean, keep it to the facts.
Discuss what happened and why itwas their negligence that caused
the breakdown or whatever thatwas broke.
The garbage disposal is notworking because this bottle cap
(12:53):
was found wedged in the blades.
And in order to remove it andallow those blades to move
again, the entire disposal wouldhave to be disassembled.
Because it is less expensive tojust replace it, I have
authorized the plumber to dothat.
You'll want to explain to themthat in their lease, they signed
an agreement that if they damageany appliance, et cetera,
(13:15):
they're responsible for payment.
And then say something like, itis estimated to cost$275 for the
plumber to diagnose the issue,go purchase a new unit and
install it.
Would you like to pay theplumber directly for this, or
would you rather have it addedto next month's rent?
I mean, yelling, getting upset,demanding an apology.
(13:37):
Any of that is going to donothing to help you here.
What’s done is done and if theyare someone who gives a crap,
which lets hope with yourdetailed tenant screening, they
are, they will feel like anidiot.
Stacie (13:51):
And once they have to pay that invoice, they will
likely be more cognizant oftheir actions while living in
your unit.
All right, let's talk aboutphone calls as a form of
communication.
And I will tell you, it is veryrare when we will call a tenant.
This is something you usuallywant to use for a quick, urgent
updates or responses.
(14:13):
Something they need to knowabout right now.
An example of this for us was acouple years ago when we had a
very large tree branch thatpierced the roof above one of
our units during a horriblerainstorm.
As soon as we found out, wecalled our contractor and sent
him over and then we called thetenant to let him know what was
(14:33):
going on.
Kevin (14:34):
I mean, I don't think he was even home, was he?
Stacie (14:37):
No, he had no idea the branch was even there.
Which is even more an issuebecause we had no idea if water
was pouring into his unitthrough that hole or not.
And luckily all was well, butthis is just an example.
Kevin (14:50):
Or the time a tenant called us that the carbon
monoxide detector for the unitnext to hers was going off and
she hadn't heard the tenant atall.
Stacie (15:00):
Yeah.
I mean, I would say that is avery urgent situation.
So the neighboring tenant couldhear through the wall, another
unit's alarm talking sayingcarbon monoxide detected or
something like that.
And we called the tenant andagain, this guy was out of town
and he authorized us to go inand check it out.
(15:21):
We called our contractor and wecalled the gas company who sent
a truck out right away.
And after having to evacuate theother tenants, the gas company
went into a, the unit to find itfilled with gas, smelled like
gas.
And he found that the stove knobwas just slightly turned,
allowing gas to escape from theburner.
(15:43):
It was a short evacuation, butnonetheless, a very stressful
one, especially because we werenot there.
So, imagine what if the tenanthad passed out from that CO2
poisoning or worse.
And what if when that gascompany tech opened the door,
there was a spark and a hugeexplosion.
Kevin (16:01):
Yeah.
So those are instances where wehad to speak with the tenant
urgently.
No other form of communicationwould have worked here.
Stacie (16:09):
Yeah, and you guys that happened because when the tenant
left for his business trip Hebumped up against the stove when
he reached to grab something offthe counter and knocked that gas
range knob just slightly off.
So it wasn't intentional butstuff like this does happen.
Kevin (16:25):
I believe our new stoves have that fail safe in place and
when we do our move andwalkthroughs, we still mention
that story for two reasons.
One, to make people aware sothat they check the oven or
range knobs after use to makesure they're all the way off.
And two, these particular unitsare rather small.
(16:45):
And because the hard wireplacement of our smoke and
carbon monoxide combo detectorsare placed in close proximity to
the kitchen, we'll often go inand find they've been removed
when we go in for an inspectionor if our contractor Jim goes in
for a repair.
So by using that story as anexample of why they need to keep
them in place at all times.
(17:07):
Even if they burn something whencooking, it is of utmost
importance.
Stacie (17:12):
I mean, that's a form of communication too, a
storytelling and, and gettingthem to have, can be able to
relate to something.
So think about things that havehappened before and explaining
those to your tenants as well.
Kevin (17:24):
Good point.
Okay, a couple more examples ofwhy phone calls are acceptable
ways of communication.
Now, if you get into a situationwhere your tenant is confused
about a process or where thereis a misunderstanding, call the
tenant to explain.
Another reason might be you'reresponding to a maintenance
request that can be troubleshoteasier over the phone.
Stacie (17:47):
So an example of this would be when our tenant texted
that their front loading dryerwas flashing a warning signal on
the digital face and it wouldn'tturn on for more than a few
minutes at a time before itwould turn off automatically.
I knew exactly what the issuewas and honestly, I was not
pleased, but here it goes.
(18:08):
I called him and very calmlyasked them to remove the dryer
lint filter or the lint trap andtell me what they see.
And he goes, Oh, it's reallyfuzzy with like an inch of lint.
And it was at that point I hadto explain to him that after
each and every load they dry,that lint trap has to be wiped
(18:29):
clean in order for the dryer towork correctly.
He said, okay, with a tone thatwas like, well, how am I
supposed to know that?
And it was right then and therethat I realized that, you know,
new renters really have no clueon how to manage a household.
And when I say that I'm talkingmore maintenance things like
this lint trap or like thegarbage disposal issue or
(18:50):
venting a bathroom after takinga shower.
Kevin (18:53):
Yeah.
I, I think that's especiallytrue with the younger tenants.
If I remember correctly thesetenants were actually doctors in
residency at a hospital rightnear us.
Stacie (19:02):
Yeah Yeah, it's kind of scary to think about right?
I mean that person who might bemaking life and death decisions
for someone's health has no ideathey need to clean the limp trap
on the dryer.
And sideline here, we now havethese acrylic little signs
attached to all our dryers thatreminds them to clean the lint
trap.
We picked them up on Amazon andthey're perfect.
(19:23):
So they're good quality, clearlywritten, they look professional,
they're self sticking, and theycome in black and in white.
So we'll link those in the shownotes if you want to check them
out.
But anyway, if you need to calland walk a tenant through the
steps to remedy a maintenanceissue, go ahead and call them.
Now here's when you should avoida phone call, to discuss
(19:46):
disputes or disagreements,because often these calls can
lead to emotional responses andmiscommunication.
And written records may beneeded later, should a legal
event come from it.
Also avoid calls when detaileddocumentation is necessary.
So that would be any formal orlegal discussions where records
(20:08):
are needed.
Like move out procedures andwhat they need to do before they
exit so that they can hopefullyget their security deposit back.
Or after a unit inspection,where you send them your
findings, your photos, and referto any timelines for follow up
on repairs or lease violations.
Those are instances where youabsolutely do not want to call
(20:31):
or speak with a tenant inperson.
And finally, if you do have apersonal phone call with a
tenant, keep the conversationprofessional and concise.
Use a friendly and a helpfultone, especially if the tenant
is requesting something or has aconcern.
And lastly, now listen closelyto what I'm about to say,
(20:52):
anytime if you have an in personor a phone conversation with a
tenant that has anything to dowith your rental, you must
follow up in writing, usuallyvia email, with what was
discussed and what the nextsteps are that you will be
taking to remedy the situation.
Kevin (21:12):
Yeah, 100%.
I mean, often when we're on siteworking on another person's unit
or dropping something off inperson to a tenant, we'll have a
tenant stop by and ask us aquestion or tell us when
something in their unit isneeding maintenance.
So then we will get back to thecar or make a note on our notes
app on the phone right there andthen of what was said between
(21:35):
the two parties and either sendan email follow up from our
phone, or when we get back intothe office.
You know, in case we have to doany research or call a tech to
go out and look at it.
Okay so let's move on to what isStacie's favorite form of
communication texting
Stacie (21:54):
It is my preferred method of communication for
business and for personal use.
You know unless it's one of thekids because I do like to hear
their voices and have personalconversations with them when I
can.
But for the most part, textingis the way to go.
Kevin (22:10):
I mean, I agree for the most part.
So texting is best for quick,non formal updates or reminders.
Think reminders aboutinspections or telling a tenant
the time frame when a tech willbe at their unit for a repair.
Some landlords also have autotexts that remind tenants when
rent is due in three days, oneday, or the due date.
(22:34):
Maintenance reminders are alsogood for texts like when it's
time to change the air filter orchange batteries in the smoke
detector, you know, stuff likethat.
We also noticed that manytenants are not on their email
often, so a text to let themknow an email was sent is
something we've actually startedto do lately.
Stacie (22:52):
Yeah You guys we have tenants who have like a gmail
account that's really old andthey'll use it mostly for
signing up for stuff, but don'tuse it for personal business use
and use their work emailinstead.
But they don't tell us this whenthey first start the application
process.
And I literally just dealt withthis with an exiting tenant who
(23:15):
also prefers to text everything.
So now when I send an email thatI need a tenant to acknowledge
or respond to, I also send thema text advising them that an
email was sent and needs theirattention.
Another thing we use texting foris to send how to videos that we
have pre recorded formaintenance issues.
(23:35):
One being a jammed garbagedisposal.
You know, I can just send overthat link for them to watch and
try to troubleshoot the issue ontheir own first, and then if
they can't resolve it, I'll sendsomeone out to repair it.
And you guys I'll link thatvideo in the show notes so you
can see what we did.
We have these videos for a fewinstances like some for tricky
(23:58):
locks to access doors notcommonly used or how to change
the air filter.
Kevin (24:03):
I guess you could say those are additional forms of
communication.
I mean how to videos are a greatway to walk a tenant through
solving an issue themselves.
And honestly, I think mostprefer that.
I mean I assume, and this ismainly from the positive
feedback we've received when wesend out videos or call or walk
someone through solving anissue.
(24:24):
But my guess would be that thetenants don't want to bother you
with the issues, but know theyhave to notify you when
maintenance is needed.
And they are relieved they don'thave to deal with having to have
a repair person or one of us intheir units to fix something.
And actually, I think they enjoythe self confidence that comes
with solving an issue on theirown.
(24:45):
So maybe consider creatingvideos for your units.
Often we post them privately toour property management YouTube
account and have the links handyon our phones.
And we've actually also createdQR codes for these links and
included them in our unitbinders for those tenants who
are willing to take a minute ortwo to check the binder for
(25:07):
information about the issuesbefore contacting us.
And if you know, Stacie, youknow, those binders are
seriously packed withinformation.
I mean, maybe we should do apodcast about what's inside of
those.
Stacie (25:20):
Maybe we should.
That's a good idea.
Kevin (25:22):
Yeah.
Every once in a while I haveone.
All right.
Some tips about using textmessages for communication.
You want to use it for quickmessages and you want to avoid
putting anything into a textthat has complex or legal
issues.
So don't text someone when theyare in violation of a lease, or
(25:43):
if there are rent disputes, andabsolutely do not text
termination of a lease.
That should be handled in aformal written notice, which
we'll get to in a moment.
And one thing to remember, andthis is why it's best to use
texting for short formcommunication, but texts can
(26:03):
sometimes come across as abruptor, you know, kind of lacking in
tone.
This is why it's not ideal forconveying sensitive information.
So keep your text short andclear.
Avoid using slang or overlycasual language.
Stick to a neutral, professionaltone, even in short texts.
And lastly, avoid sendingmessages late at night or during
(26:27):
off hours unless it's reallyurgent.
I mean, many people don't turnoff their phone notifications
when they're sleeping and thelast thing you want to do is
wake someone up when sending avideo on how to fix the garbage
disposal.
Stacie (26:42):
Yeah.
Texting is like phoning someone,so be conscientious about the
time of day.
And something to remember ifyour properties are out of state
and there is a time differenceas well.
All right, I'd like to move onto email communication now.
And I do know that we havetouched on it a little bit
already, but email is the bestto use for formal notifications
(27:05):
and documentation.
We use email for such things asinspection notifications.
We just mailed them out today.
We will email them one to twoweeks in advance to give them
the date of the inspection.
We will list out what we'll belooking for during the
inspection, and we ask ifthere's anything that they know
(27:25):
of that needs maintenance orattention.
And we also ask them to let usknow if they're going to be home
working and if there's a timeframe that works better for us
to be in their unit.
So this allows us to scheduleour techs who need to get in
there to check the HVAC units ormechanicals or roofers or
appliance repair people to comeand do needed repairs when we're
(27:46):
all on site.
And anyone who we might begetting bids from.
Like this time around, ourelectrician is going to be
coming to look into runningfiber optic internet throughout
the building.
This is so we can offer it as aservice to tenants instead of
them having to handle it ontheir own.
So if it all works out, we'llmake a little on it and look
more professional like a onestop shop edging out our
(28:09):
competitors in the market.
Kevin (28:11):
And also in our upcoming inspection, as we've said
before, our contractor, Jim isthere with us.
This time around, he'll beinspecting each unit for leaks
under sinks, toilets, andappliances like washing machines
and the dishwashers.
He's also doing any preventativemaintenance like changing out
water lines, toilet guts, andlogging which units need updated
(28:35):
lighting.
And that's something we've beenslowly working on when we flip
the units, removing oldincandescent fixtures like
vanity lighting and, you know,those old booby lights in the
hallways, and fluorescence inthe kitchen and replacing it all
with LED recessed lighting thatlasts forever and it really
cleans up the unit andmodernizes it.
(28:58):
He will also be inspecting thefour sets of stairs we have on
the property looking for dryrot.
And all of the siding lookingfor gaps where pests can enter
so he can schedule anypreventative maintenance and
stay ahead of issues arisingdown the line.
If you want to hear more aboutour inspection process, check
out our episode, the Importanceof Rental Property Inspections
(29:21):
at yourlandlordresource.
com episode4.
As always, we will link that inthe show notes.
Stacie (29:30):
Yeah.
And you guys will also link theinspection checklist that we use
for all of our inspections.
You know, we charge a small feefor it, but you can use it over
and over for all your units onceyou purchase it.
Kevin (29:40):
Yeah.
I mean, it's$10 and it's reallya small price to pay.
It's six pages and the checklistcovers all areas inside and out,
up to four bedrooms and fourbathrooms.
Okay, I guess we kind ofsidelined on inspections here,
but we use email for many morenotifications like, lease
(30:01):
renewals, where we offer arenewal with usually an
increased rental amount, whatcompetitive units are going for
in the area, and also incentivesfor signing a renewal.
And although it's rare, emailwould be used if someone's lease
was expiring and you weren'trenewing their lease, and why.
Although depending on your stateand local landlord tenant law,
(30:24):
you would likely be better offto issue a formal document or
form via mail for this.
We also use it for move out orunit exit procedures once
someone has given their noticeto vacate, or if there are
policy or service changes, likewhen the snow removal will begin
and when their cars have to bemoved, or maybe changes to trash
(30:47):
pickup schedules.
We also email for non urgentnotification of certain events.
So, these would be notices ofsomeone coming to work on the
property and the tenant needs toknow.
Like, a couple of months ago, wehad a power washing company go
out and power wash one of thebuildings and clean the gutters.
This meant that the tenantsmight be disrupted by noise and
(31:09):
people on ladders, you know,stuff tenants need to know
about.
One thing we like to do is sendan email around two weeks after
move in to see how everything'sgoing with the tenant.
I mean this gives them a chanceto respond with questions or
clarifications on something andyou know it also shows we care
about their living experience inour units.
(31:30):
We send emails with holiday tipsand this would be mostly around
4th of July, Halloween, andother holidays when tenants tend
to have celebrations at theirhomes with guests.
So the reminders would be aboutsafety with regards to making
sure the walkways are clear,notifying us about any exterior
(31:50):
lighting that may not beworking, or lease clauses about
open flames, explosives, andgrilling and frying foods.
When we had wildfires that werecausing really poor air quality,
we sent our tenants tips oncoping and a reminder to change
their air filter, along with thesize of the air filters for
(32:10):
their unit.
For weather, we are sendingreminders before heat waves and
how to best utilize their ACunits.
And
for landlords of rentals located in flood zones, you
should be reminding tenants ofwhat to do in case of a flash
flood.
Giving them sites where they canmonitor weather and tips on what
they can do to prevent waterintrusion, like, you know, using
(32:33):
sandbags and making sure theirflood drains are cleared or
hanging up hurricane shutters ifthose are things that are their
responsibility.
Stacie (32:41):
Yeah.
And if property maintenance isthe tenant's responsibility,
email is a great way to sendthem a reminder of what needs to
be completed and by when.
So sending a checklist of thoseitems and asking them to email
back photos of the workcompleted is perfect for email.
One more thing that we useemails for is when we're going
(33:03):
to be out of the office for anextended period of time.
This is when we direct tenantsto contact our contractor Jim
with all their maintenanceissues.
Now if we're out of the country,he will also handle emergency
issues and mostly due to thetime difference.
And I mean, let's be honest, ifthere is an emergency situation,
he's going to be calling us tolet us know what happened and
(33:23):
how it was handled.
And see what else.
Oh, and of course, as Imentioned earlier, we like to
follow up in person or phoneconversations with an email of
what was discussed and what thenext steps are.
Again, email is for nonemergency issues or anything
that does not require immediateaction from your tenant.
(33:44):
And you might also consider apersonal phone call or an in
person conversation for anythingthat is highly personal or a
sensitive matter, because, youknow, emails sometimes can feel
impersonal.
Which leads me into telling youthat when you write emails, use
a formal yet friendly tone andbe clear with your subject line,
so tenants know it's level ofimportance.
(34:05):
Always start off with a politegreeting like good morning Joe
and close with somethingprofessional like best regards.
And lastly be detailed and avoidusing unnecessary jargon or
overly complicated language.
Kevin (34:19):
Yeah, that's for sure.
I mean keep your informationstraight and to the point.
And here's a tip bullet pointsare your friends you guys.
All right, almost done, just acouple more things to go over
here.
So I would arguably say thatthis next form of communication
is most critical, and that wouldbe formal letters,
(34:42):
notifications, and certifiedmail.
I mean, these are going to beyour legal notices.
And where some might use emailfor a few of these, some states
do require formal notificationvia mail, including certain
terminology.
So we highly recommend youunderstand where you must use
these formal notices, whichforms to use, and exactly how to
(35:06):
complete and deliver them.
These are going to be to yourlease violations, usually and
especially if they areconsidered a major violation
that if not remedied will leadto an eviction.
So like late rent payments whereyou have to issue a three day
notice to pay or quit.
Of course, eviction notices,which you may wanna consider
(35:27):
using a professional service forthat one.
And rent increases and leaseterminations may also be
required to be delivered viaformal notification.
We suggest you always pay forcertified mail so you get proof
the notice was delivered andreceived by the tenant.
And you know this is coming.
Know your local and statelandlord tenant laws about legal
(35:51):
notifications.
Most states have it written whatconstitute the need for a legal
notification, how many days youhave to notify, what days of the
week can count towards yourspecified days of delivery, and
how many notices you have tosend or deliver to the tenant.
(36:11):
And that means that it could bespecified that If you want to
deliver a notice in person orserve your tenant and they are
not at home or don't answer thedoor, you can leave the notice
at an obvious location on thedoor, but you also have to mail
a notice as a backup method incase someone removes that notice
or it flys away in the wind.
Stacie (36:33):
Yeah.
So quite a while back we havehad to serve notices for unpaid
rent and it's no fun at all.
I mean the stress of having tochase down the rent and then
having to worry about makingsure that all of our notices
have the I's dotted and the T'scross, it can be really
difficult to handle.
But the bottom line here youguys is that these notifications
(36:55):
are for documenting anyImportant legal matters, like
anything related to lease terms.
This is not your everydaycommunication.
These are your formal noticesthat likely you're going to use
a preformatted form, unless youhave a legal team that writes
them for you.
And you obviously do not want tomail anything that would be an
(37:17):
emergency notice.
Our tips, again, would be to useclear language.
Include all relevant dates,terms, and necessary actions for
the tenant.
And always keep a copy of thisform or letter for your records.
You want to send the originalthat has your signature in blue
(37:41):
ink and keep a color photocopyfor yourself.
And as mentioned by Kevin,request confirmation of receipt
by using certified mail.
One more thing that I justremembered that is crucial to
use mail notification is aboutsecurity deposits.
So here in California, we have avery strict 21 days to issue
(38:06):
either the security depositrefund or a formal statement of
what work has to be performedand an estimate of what will be
deducted from that tenantsecurity deposit.
Now, this can be a very costlymistake if you fail to follow
the law about the securitydeposit return process.
And a quick tip, if someonemoves out and you don't have
(38:28):
their forwarding address, justsend the notice to your unit.
For most states, using the lastknown address is perfectly
acceptable.
And as long as you have thatenvelope date stamped, you
should be covered.
Okay, now I want to addresscommunication by way of using
tenant portals or propertymanagement software.
(38:49):
If you have access to this formof communication, you're going
to want to use it for routinemessages.
So, that would be rentreminders, maintenance updates,
or policy changes.
Often, you can set upnotifications to be sent
automatically to tenants, youknow, like rent payment
reminders or receipts for whenthose payments are made.
(39:10):
This is also a nice way fortenants to put in for
maintenance requests.
If tenants have their ownportal, they can monitor their
rent payments, their paymentsources, and all communication
regarding maintenance.
And often when notices are sentby landlords, tenants will be
sent a text or an email, lettingthem know to check their portal
(39:32):
or unit notifications, which isreally nice to have.
And the benefit of usingcommunication through tenant
portals or landlord managementsoftware, especially if that
software has a mobile app is theway streamlines communication.
Kevin (39:47):
Yeah, a hundred percent.
I mean, for the most part, yourrecords are all set up for you
and you won't have to worryabout searching for an email or
a text to see what waspreviously communicated.
Of course, there are landlordswe know who will only
communicate via phone and noteven their mobile phone.
They want all their maintenancerequests, questions, and
(40:09):
everything to go to theirlandline home phone.
But, whatever your preferredmethod of communication is, here
are some important reminders.
Be clear and concise.
I mean, whether in person or inwriting, avoid confusion by
sticking to clear andstraightforward language.
Use a professional, respectfultone.
(40:30):
Even when delivering difficultmessages, like a late rent
notice, remain calm andrespectful, and avoid sounding
accusatory or confrontational.
Document all importantinteractions.
So, after phone calls or verbalagreements, follow up with an
email summarizing the key pointsto avoid misunderstandings.
(40:51):
Be timely with your notices.
Respond to tenant concerns asquickly as possible, especially
regarding maintenance requests.
Prompt communication shows thatyou respect their time, and they
should respect yours.
And lastly, set communicationboundaries.
Let tenants know when and howthey can best reach you.
(41:13):
you have office hours oremergency contacts, they'll need
to know this.
And putting it in your lease inunit binder are great ways to
keep it easier for them to find.
Stacie (41:24):
Yeah.
And, and just remember, it isimportant to balance
availability with your personalboundaries.
So we hope that these variedcommunication methods give all
of you flexibility in handlingdifferent situations
effectively.
And helping maintain stronglandlord tenant relationships
while making sure to protect theinterests of both parties.
(41:47):
All right, you guys, we knowthat was a lot to absorb, but we
hope you enjoyed this episodeand got a little bit information
out of it.
If so, would you do us a favorand leave us a kind review of
the podcast so that otherlandlords can find us too?
If you want to hear more, followor subscribe to the podcast so
that each week those episodesare downloaded right to your
(42:09):
favorite podcast platform.
And we'd love to stay in contactwith you.
In the show notes, you can findlinks to all the downloads we
offer, ways to sign up for ourfree newsletter, and the wait
list for our upcoming course ontenant screening.
There's also links to ourprivate Facebook group that is
just for self managinglandlords.
(42:30):
And our social media accounts onInstagram, Facebook, and
YouTube, where we share veryinformative and detailed tips
and tricks for landlords, so gocheck those out.
think that's about it.
Thanks again.
And until next time, you've gotthis landlords.
Popular Podcasts
Are You A Charlotte?
In 1997, actress Kristin Davis’ life was forever changed when she took on the role of Charlotte York in Sex and the City. As we watched Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte navigate relationships in NYC, the show helped push once unacceptable conversation topics out of the shadows and altered the narrative around women and sex. We all saw ourselves in them as they searched for fulfillment in life, sex and friendships. Now, Kristin Davis wants to connect with you, the fans, and share untold stories and all the behind the scenes. Together, with Kristin and special guests, what will begin with Sex and the City will evolve into talks about themes that are still so relevant today. "Are you a Charlotte?" is much more than just rewatching this beloved show, it brings the past and the present together as we talk with heart, humor and of course some optimism.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com