Maintaining Renter Relationships | Mckinney Property Management Tips

The first community transmission of COVID-19 was detected in the United States in February 2020. This would later lead to some dramatic changes for our nation—many of which are becoming part of everyday life at this point. The uncertainty of COVID-19, coupled with the impact on the economy, brought changes to the way landlords were expected to operate their rental business and manage how they responded to the needs of their renters. As a McKinney property management company, we've implemented changes to the way we operate as well!

All McKinney property investors have to face challenges typical of managing tenant relationships even in the best of times. Still, things can become more problematic if not handled with care during a pandemic. So, even though we’re facing many combined crises at the moment, we urge you to put the relationships you have with your renters to the fore during times like these.

Here are some tips to help guide you forward from our perspective as your property management expert in McKinney!

Maintaining Tenant Relationships During a Crisis

Exercise Compassion

Compassion is a critical aspect of any relationship. Some people “melt” under pressure—and no one appreciates harshness. A landlord who shows compassion may help iron out problems before they become a crisis. In other words, by showing compassion, you could deescalate a situation that could otherwise spiral into eviction.

So, what exactly does it mean to exercise compassion? Compassion is a skill that may take practice to get right. Some people tend to come by it naturally, while others have to work on it. However, it all starts with providing a good listening ear to whatever problems your tenants could be experiencing.

Also, if you have to talk to a tenant about a difficult topic, such as rent collection, approaching the topic with compassion is actually more likely to help you collect! You can show compassion by:

• Extending the deadline
• Developing payment plans
• Making rent easier for renters to pay
• Pointing your renters towards resources that can help them meet their expenses.

All of these tactics allow them time to make payments while ensuring you do get paid. As you show compassion, you will create stronger relationships with your tenants, which will prove helpful in the long run. As a McKinney property management professional, we know that approaching an issue with compassion first can often pay off around renewal time!

Have Open Communication

Whatever you do concerning steps you plan to take during the pandemic, make sure you communicate this clearly with your tenants. You can put things in writing, so there are no misunderstandings, by attaching these changes to your lease as addendums or sending official notices by email.

Keep Consistent

If you want to ensure that your tenants feel respected to maintain a stable relationship with them, you need to prioritize consistency. It might not be easy to stay consistent, but one way to accomplish this is to establish a written policy or manual. 

This keeps everyone in the loop about what to expect, and if there are any complaints or problems, you can point to the policy. This will help ensure that you are enforcing the same rules with everyone across the board. No one tenant can feel like they are not being treated fairly if you remain consistent in your dealings. As a McKinney property management company, we know that this protects you from hidden bias as a property owner.

Cooperation Is Crucial

Working together with your tenants during a crisis takes cooperation. That will require letting your tenants know what to expect and when to expect it. Also, be willing to make accommodations for those in need, if possible. Cooperate with them, and you will likely have good cooperation in return. It’s also helpful if you can make things easier for them to cooperate with some of the methods we discussed above.

Work With a Property Manager!

Sometimes the best way to maintain a professional relationship with your tenants is to let the professionals handle it! By hiring a McKinney property manager to handle your property, you stay out of the dealings and maintain peace of mind. You won’t have to worry about the policies being consistent because a McKinney property management company will have guidelines in place. Professional property managers also have a broad network of licensed and insured vendors with whom they work to complete all necessary maintenance professionally—even during a crisis.

Some property owners prefer working directly with a professional property management company because it's an easy way to manage relationships with your renters! However, you can take advantage of their wisdom and insight right away by tapping into the free resources that only expert property managers offer! We recommend that if you want to get started, you begin by downloading your free copy of our Collecting Rent in a Crisis Handbook!

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