Being a landlord is not for the faint of heart. There are so many moving parts when it comes to renting the property from maintaining the space, keeping up with payments and also having to handle the tenants in the first place. This is why we say that being a landlord can be likened to a full-time job as well.
We are sure that there will be times where you will get requests from your tenant and you might be inclined to say no but are not sure if you can or should not say yes. Also, sometimes you might just feel bad and say yes out of the kindness of your own heart. Here are some instances where we feel that you should say no to your tenants and figure out a way around it instead.
Being kind but firm is the balance you need to make sure you keep your tenant happy but are also protecting your stake in the game as well. Here are some of the times when we believe you should say no or at least start a more serious conversation with your tenants.
1. When They Want To Decorate
Sure, a rented house is also home to a lot of people who choose to rent instead of purchasing their own homes. But there are some parts of redecorating that they should not be allowed to do.
More permanent changes like paint jobs, breaking down of a wall or even any drilling and nails are things that they should not do if they are living in a rental property. If they want to do it, they will need to check with you first no matter what. If your tenant asks you to do any permanent changes, you will need to think about the longevity of this change. Will your next tenant appreciate it? Or would you have to redo it after?
If it causes more of a hassle then it’s best to tell your tenants that they are not allowed to redecorate more permanently.
2. Always Focus On The Request and Not Them
When you say no, always try to be polite and kind. Never make it about the tenant but rather, you should focus on the request instead. This way you are able to keep a professional distance between yourself and the tenant.
Your tenant needs to know that this is not personal but rather you’re just following the contract and what’s best for you and your property.
3. Saying No To Late Rental Payments
We all have times where things get rough. It’s understandable that your tenant is late on payment once or twice. The minute this becomes a pattern and the excuses stop making sense, you will need to be firm and ask them to either start paying on time or you might need to invoke the contract to make sure that your rights are being taken care of as well.
You can always give them a grace period if there is something unfortunate that happens. Especially in the time of this pandemic, being kinder and letting the rent be lowered is great or giving them more time to pay you back is something you should do if you can. But always think ahead and protect your own pockets too.
With a platform like BlueDuck, all payments are directly debited from your tenant so you would not actually need to chase tenants. The team at BlueDuck will keep an eye on all your payments and all you need to do is check your bank account and the app for any updates.
Have you experienced any uncomfortable requests from tenants? How did you deal with it?
We know that being a landlord is daunting and having to deal with strangers living in your home can be scary but we are here to help you!
Contact us for more information.
Written by: Tashya Viknesh
