March 14th, 2017
How to retain great tenants
Property Management
Article by
According to Real Estate Business, 2017 is the “year of the renter” so it’s more crucial than ever to make your tenants feel at home from the get-go. The more they feel at ease in their rental property, the more likely they’ll take care of the property and renew their leases!
Here are five top tips to make your tenants feel at home in their rental properties:
1. Encourage your tenants to get creative with art
Decorating can prove a challenge when you’re renting. The simplest way to make your tenants feel at home is to encourage them to get creative with art. Feature art can bring your renter’s personality in and inject some colour into their abode.
Shelley Craft, presenter of The Block and Reno Rumble told Domain that “there’s nothing more personal than art you’ve collected hanging on the walls of your home, so if the landlord will give you permission to hang it, then go for it”.
Just be mindful to always get permission from the property owner before your tenant puts anything up. Alternatively, your tenant can simply lean artwork against the wall or hang paintings using adhesive strips, adhesive hooks or tape.
2. Bring the outdoors indoors
Plants are an easy and affordable way to breathe colour and life into any space. Not only can plants make your tenants feel at home, but they can also make them feel happier and healthier in the long-term by lowering their blood pressure and stress levels.
They can opt for real or artificial flowers, low maintenance succulents and cacti or even a miniature herb garden! Here are some budget-friendly ways to decorate with plants. Additionally, if the rental property has poor ventilation, you can recommend some house plants that cleanse and purify the air.
3. Warm up the winters and cool down the summers
Imagine cosying up to a heater or electric fireplace indoors with a warm cup of hot chocolate while the winter winds billow outside. Experts say that warming up a space can help people feel an inherent sense of comfort and evoke deep, primal emotions of joy and trust.
Another way to warm up the home during the colder months is to use rugs and plenty of textiles. Textiles are ideal for rentals as they are portable and can be switched up depending on the season, aesthetic or mood that your tenant is going for.
During summer, your tenant could use lighter colours to make the room look bigger, switch high pile rugs up for flat-woven or jute rugs and cool down interior spaces with thinner textiles.
4. Give long-term tenants the option of updating their walls and floors
If your long-term tenant ticks all the boxes, why not give them the option to update their walls and floors? Be sure to ask the property owner for permission even if the modifications are designed to keep the original walls and floors intact. Temporary wallpaper, wall decals and cover ups are all great options to refresh a space without damaging the walls.
Meanwhile, if your long-term tenant wants to update their flooring, Multilayer Hybrid flooring is a great option as it can be installed on top of existing hard floors. This ensures that the original flooring remains unaltered whilst giving the space an entirely different look and feel. The floating floorboards are waterproof and with careful handling, can be taken up again and re-installed again.
5. Urge your tenants to unpack everything
Last but not least, encourage your tenants to unpack everything! This may seem like a no-brainer but it’s often overlooked. It reduces the downtime and stress that’s associated with moving and helps them truly settle in. Once your tenants have unpacked and organised all their belongings, the less likely they’ll want to leave!
Bonus: Go the extra mile to make your tenants feel at home
The best property managers have top-notch communication skills and are friendly, approachable and helpful. Be sure to respond to your tenant requests in a timely manner and go the extra mile to make your tenants feel at home by introducing them to their neighbours, recommending cool spots in the neighbourhood or even leaving them a little gift when they move in.
All in all…
The key to making your tenants feel at home is to encourage them to customise their space and create a comfortable, positive environment for themselves. In summary:
1. Encourage your tenants to get creative with art and inject personality into their rental property
2. Bring the outdoors indoors to breathe life into their space
3. Warm up the winters and cool down the summers with rugs and textiles
4. Give long-term tenants the option of updating their walls and flooring
5. Urge your tenants to unpack everything to help them settle in faster
Bonus: Go the extra mile to make your tenants feel at home with great communication and service!
Hopefully this blog post has helped you make your tenants feel at home in their rental property. You might also be interested in How To Retain Great Tenants and 8 Ways To Attract New Property Owners.
Did we miss something in 5 Top Tips to Make Your Tenants Feel at Home? Let us know in the comments below.
