Our property management services in Albuquerque include tenant relationships. We work well with our tenants because we know that happy tenants lead to happy owners. The entire rental experience is improved when residents feel supported, heard, and respected.
Disputes will happen. You’ll find when you’re renting out a property, that you may run into conflicts with your tenants. You’ll need to know how to manage them and prevent them from escalating. There may be disputes between tenants as well.
More important than managing those disputes is avoiding them.
Here’s how we do it, and what we recommend for you.
Start with a Strong Lease Agreement
A lot of the disputes that occur between landlords and tenants or tenants and neighbors can be prevented with a careful reading of the lease agreement. The lease sets forth what’s expected during the tenancy. If there’s a dispute over late fees, you can point your tenants to the rent collection policy that is surely included in your lease. If there’s a dispute between tenants about noise, refer them to the quiet hours section of the lease agreement.
Your lease will address pets, parking, guests, smoking, and other potential areas of conflict and dispute. When your lease is clear, consistently enforced, and understood by all parties, you can avoid disputes and disagreements with and between tenants.
Placing Good Tenants Will Avoid Disputes: Screen Well
You can avoid tenant disputes by placing tenants who are unlikely to cause problems or initiate conflict.
Your screening process needs to follow all fair housing laws and it has to be consistent. You will check credit and look for past evictions. You’ll make sure tenants earn enough income to pay the rent. You’ll run a criminal background check and confirm that all the provided information matches the data you collect.
Talk to current and former landlords, too.
Those landlord references are important. They’ll tell you whether tenants were easy to work with. They’ll let you know if there was property damage, unpaid rent, or lease violations. You can ask if they’d ever rent to that tenant again.
Encourage Open Communication with Albuquerque Tenants
Communication is critical in any rental relationship, and good communication is especially helpful in avoiding disputes.
When you have a tenant who is complaining about something or even complaining about another resident or a neighbor, it’s possible they simply want to be heard. Listen to what they’re saying. Even better – document it. This will make your residents feel like they’re getting the support they need from their landlord.
If it’s a dispute with a neighbor who is not your tenant, there’s not much that can be done. But, hearing what your tenant has to say and keeping a record of their issue can show them that you’re invested. It will also help you if the situation becomes a legal issue or a threat and law enforcement has to be involved.
You might find yourself with a tenant who disputes your security deposit deductions. There may be a dispute if one tenant keeps parking in another tenant’s assigned spot. If you have a process in place to deal with these issues, you’ll be in a strong position. If you have processes in place to avoid these issues, your position will be even stronger, and everyone will have a better rental experience.
We can help you manage your tenants. If you have any questions about our property management services in Albuquerque, please contact us at Bruni Karr Agency.
