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Keeping your Orlando tenants happy is the first step to running a successful rental property regardless of whether you manage your property yourself or hire a professional property management company to do it for you.
There are many benefits to keeping your tenants happy and satisfied. Happy tenants are more likely to renew their leases with you. A study done by Kingsley Associates – a top real estate researcher – found that happy tenants were three times more likely to renew their leases.
Second, happy tenants are more likely to pay bills on time and keep the house in good condition.
Finally, happy renters can help you network with potential tenants in the future. They can recommend your rental to their friends or family or even post a good review about your services.
Evidently, keeping your Orlando tenants is key!
Here are seven ways to keep your Orlando renters happy.
Tip #1: Incentivize your good tenants.
Incentivizing your tenants is a good way to show how much you value them. It shows that you care about their comfort and happiness in your property and aren’t just interested in the money.
Rewarding good tenants can benefit both them and you. Your tenants will appreciate the generosity and might consider renewing their lease with you, which can boost your cash flow.
But how exactly do you go about incentivizing your tenants?
There are certain criteria you can use. For instance, you could reward your tenants based on the length of time they’ve rented your Orlando property. You could also reward your renters based on how faithful they’ve been with their rent payments.
Tip #2: Make it convenient for tenants to communicate with you.
Rental property management is a service industry, and your renters are your customers. Keeping them happy is crucial to the health of your business.
If you want to ensure continued business, treat your tenants professionally. Take the time to respond to them, and they might return the favor by becoming more loyal and stay long-term.
Different people prefer different modes of communication. Some tenants may prefer emails over text messages or face-to-face meetings over phone calls.
If you’re renting to a millennial, for instance, you may find that they prefer text messaging over other communication forms.
Tip #3: Set the right rent.
Setting the right rent helps attract the right tenant. It also helps reduce an abnormal tenant turnover rate.
So, what exactly is the right rent amount? It’s one that is neither too low nor too high.
If you have the skills, experience, and tools to do it yourself—great! However, if you don’t, you should consider hiring an expert. You also want to be realistic when raising rent becomes necessary. Remember that you can only raise the rent in Orlando in two situations. One, under a month-to-month rental agreement, and two, in between lease terms.
Tip #4: Deal with maintenance issues quickly.
One way to lose good tenants is by ignoring tenant maintenance requests or being slow to fix them.
No tenant wants to keep reminding their landlord about their responsibilities, the same way no landlord wants to keep reminding their tenants to pay their rent.
Staying on top of your maintenance obligations is key to keeping your tenants happy. According to the Florida landlord-tenant law, it’s your responsibility to ensure your tenants live in a safe and habitable property.
Failing to adhere to this stipulation can lead to legal problems with local Orlando authorities.
Tip #5: Respect your tenants’ right to privacy.
This is something that some landlords often ignore. Respecting a tenant’s privacy isn’t only the right thing to do—the law requires it as well.
Florida landlord-tenant laws require landlords to provide reasonable notice to their tenants before entering their homes. You must give your Orlando tenant at least a 12-hour warning before accessing their home.
Your reason for entry must also be reasonable. Examples include making necessary repairs, showing the property to prospective tenants, or inspecting the unit.
Tip #6: Ensure your lease covers all important clauses.
Ensuring your lease covers all important details can also help you keep your tenant happy. You’ll be able to avoid any misunderstandings or confusion that may end up costing your business.
Here are just a few basic clauses you should remember to include in your agreement:
- Security Deposit – Be clear on the amount and when it should be refunded to your tenant. According to the statewide law, landlords should return a tenant’s deposit within 15 to 60 days after the tenant moves out.
- Rent Amount – State when and where rent is due. You also want to be clear on the grace period and any late fees, if applicable.
- Responsibility regarding property repairs and maintenance – This will avoid misunderstandings down the road.
- Policies – On smoking, subletting, pets, etc.
Tip #7: Consider allowing pets.
Do you allow pets into your Orlando rental property?
If you don’t, you may want to consider it. America is a nation of pet lovers—up to 69% of households own a pet.
Allowing pets into your property can help you tap into a large tenant pool you otherwise wouldn’t be able to access.
If property damage is your chief concern, consider including a few policies in your lease agreement. For example, specify the size, number, and type of pets you’ll allow.
The Bottom Line
There you have it—seven tips on keeping your Orlando tenants happy. If doing all of this sounds challenging, then consider employing a property manager to do it for you.