By Lesa 
Managing tenants is a non-negotiable when you’re a landlord. As a property owner, your job is to ensure that your tenants are safe and comfortable at all times. However, fulfilling your obligations can be tricky when you have a tenant who constantly complains about their accommodation. Attending to all their grievances can be a significant drain on your time and resources, but by setting the right boundaries, you also risk upsetting them and possibly retaliating in a form of legal action. Of course, Bay Property Management Group can help mediate before issues escalate to more formal resolutions. Read this article below as we focus on proactive ways to handle such difficult tenants.
Balancing Tenant Needs While Protecting Your Investment
Practice Active Listening
Give tenants room to air their grievances by practicing active listening. It’s not enough to be physically present when a renter complains about a leak. Drop habits such as taking calls, scrolling through your phone, or interrupting them when they speak. Instead, wait until they’re done before asking any questions, and show them that you have your undivided attention. Tenants are more likely to complain when they feel they haven’t been heard, so practicing active listening will reassure the tenant that you’re working on fixing the issue.
Assess and Address Legitimate Concerns
After hearing them out, the next logical step is to assess the situation. For example, if they complain that the bathroom sink is draining too slowly, you can quickly run some water to see it first-hand. With a better understanding of the situation at hand, you can differentiate between a minor inconvenience being blown out of proportion and a genuine concern that needs immediate repair. Address legitimate concerns promptly by scheduling repairs or calling in experts who can do it. Remember to also document the before and after as evidence of the actions you took for future purposes.
Reiterate Lease Terms
Ensure that both parties are on the same page by reiterating your lease terms. If a tenant is complaining about their loud neighbors, you can remind them that the erring neighbors are within their rights if the noise is reasonable and outside stipulated quiet times. It’s common for tenants to relay irrelevant and multiple complaints when they’re unaware or unsure of the property rules. Also, strictly enforce your lease terms when dealing with terrible tenants since being lenient may be used against you.
Set Expectations for Communication
Another way you can balance tenant needs while protecting your interest is by setting clear boundaries for communication. Rather than giving tenants your personal line, use formal communication, such as emails or via the tenant’s maintenance portal. This method allows you to easily compartmentalize tenant complaints without feeling overwhelmed. However, it’s essential to review these messages regularly and provide timelines for repairs so they don’t keep badgering you. Also, provide follow-ups when you receive the message, what you plan to do, and when. These expectations discourage excessive contact while maintaining professionalism.
How Should Property Managers Help in Addressing Tenant Complaints?
Respond Promptly
Keep your tenant’s mind at ease by responding promptly to their complaints or requests for repairs. One of the reasons tenants log multiple complaints is that they feel unheard or ignored by their landlords. As a result, property owners who offer prompt responses are less likely to endure recurrent reports on the same issue. Thus, when a renter reports a leaking pipe or possible pest infestation, don’t just read the message and plan to visit in a couple of days. Acknowledge their claims as soon as possible and give them a timeline for your next action. This approach gives them the impression you’re in charge and taking control of the situation, and they don’t need to continue pestering you.
Use Professional Language
It’s not enough to reply, you also have to do so in a professional manner. It’s easy for you to get defensive or take sides, especially when a tenant is rudely laying out their grievances. However, it’s essential to never stoop down to name-calling or passive aggressive remarks that could work against you. If you want to maintain your rental business’ reputation, always speak to tenants in a calm and objective tone.
Keep Detailed Records
Remember to keep detailed records of your interactions with tenants. Don’t leave any room for misunderstandings when you’re dealing with a difficult renter. If their request involves physical alteration, such as a door repair or water damage, take pictures of the before and after with time and date stamps. These records can help you track patterns and can serve as evidence for future interactions, or legal proceedings that may arise.
Escalate When Appropriate
On rare occasions, a tenant’s complaint can cross the line from being a nuisance to being abusive, when they verbally attack you. Despite your best attempts to fix the issue or clarify lease agreements, some renters may decide to cause property damage as retaliation for not bending to their whim. Such situations are often avoidable with thorough tenant screening, but if you ever find yourself in that scenario, escalate it to the right authorities.
Conclusion
Handling tenants who constantly complain requires patience and clear communication. As a result, landlords have to balance attending to genuine concerns while protecting their rental property and business reputation. That’s why actions such as active listening and addressing legitimate concerns can go a long way in keeping complaints at bay. In situations where you can’t do anything, reiterate your lease terms and set clear expectations for communicating.
Similar rules also apply to property managers when they stand in for property owners. Use a professional tone at all times, respond to tenant complaints promptly, and keep a record of your interactions. When all else fails, escalate the situation to the right authorities.