10 tips to deal with challenges and conflict as a Property Manager 

Property Management

10 tips to deal with challenges and conflict as a Property Manager 

Challenges and issues are sometimes inevitable when it comes to managing properties.

After all, you’re looking after a physical home that represents a significant investment for landlords and a liveable space for tenants. It’s an honour to have such an important responsibility and have so many people depend on you—however, everyone’s priorities can differ when it comes to a specific matter.

So, as a Property Manager, you must be ready to deal with and resolve disputes whenever they arise and, more importantly, try to prevent them from occurring at all. 

In this blog, we have listed our 10 key tips to effectively solve any issue so you can reach an outcome that all parties are happy with. 

How to handle and resolve conflicts when managing properties

As a Property Manager, the tenants and property owners you work with can sometimes be difficult or disagree. 

For this reason, Property Managers should have a set of well-sharpened dispute resolution skills they can tap into at any time. Here are some tips that Property Managers should keep in mind:

Listen and empathise

The ability to actively listen to a tenant’s or landlord’s concerns is a vital skill when it comes to dispute resolution. It’s very tempting to immediately jump in and explain, justify or argue our point. However, with conflict management being such a critical part of a Property Manager’s role, it’s important to master the art of listening so you can understand, ask questions and empathise with their situation.

Only then can you begin presenting your own viewpoints and managing both sides of the issue with transparency.

Understand the situation

Once you’ve heard from your clients, take some time out to consider what exactly the dispute is about, how it occurred and how it can potentially be resolved. Most conflicts that arise typically stem from one party believing they are owed something by the other party. For instance, landlords asking for a rent reduction due to an air conditioning unit not working.

Keeping an open mind, doing some research and recapping both sides of the story will help you gain more perspective so you can handle it from there. 

Learn how to communicate effectively

One of the most common complaints landlords and tenants have about their Property Manager is a lack of communication. Issues can easily escalate if they are left unresolved for a period of time or if any of the parties feel they haven’t been communicated with effectively. So, a timely response is your best approach.

Keep in mind that there are instances when one method of communication may not be sufficient – you may be required to use multiple methods and be transparent with all parties, such as talking to each on the phone and then summarising the notes in an email or letter.

Be upfront and professional

One of the most effective ways to manage conflict is to ensure that you always set very clear expectations for both your landlords and tenants upfront. 

Educate your landlords on common conflict areas like wear and tear, the rent arrears process and repairs. With tenants, also thoroughly explain your strict rent arrears policy, what you expect at routine inspections and how the vacate inspection works.

That way, no one can say that you didn’t set expectations from the start.

Keep robust records

When it comes to working with landlords and tenants, keeping detailed records of every interaction, discussion and action is very important. Conflict can arise when you cannot prove what was agreed upon.

Should any issues ever be escalated, having solid records will help protect yourself and justify any actions you might have taken.

Deal with the problem, not the person

There are times when tempers may flare from either tenants, landlords or both. Unfortunately, as a Property Manager, you might occasionally end up on the receiving end.

Always avoid any personal comments or attacks and instead focus on calming the person down by listening and showing empathy for their situation. Then focus on the issue at hand. Ignore your personal feelings about the person and work hard to always treat them with respect. You’ll thank yourself later when the emotions die down.

Use conflict as an opportunity for improvement

If conflict and mistakes occur, don’t let this opportunity go to waste. As a Property Manager, you can learn from all the accidents and shortcomings, and leverage them to improve your systems, processes and services to avoid these things from happening again.

Be realistic

A conflict does not necessarily need to escalate into a crisis if it’s controlled and managed carefully. However, it’s also important to know what you can and cannot control in a situation. Instead, focus on your response and what should happen so you always have a plan of action.

Share challenges with your team

If you work alongside other Property Managers, don’t be afraid to ask for help or share your experience with them. Not only can they offer a fresh perspective and alternative knowledge to provide more guidance, but they can also support you and learn from the situation as well. 

Be super organised and proactive

The more organised you are, the better prepared you will be for anything! Property management technology like PropertyMe can help you with this. With features like document management, notifications and alerts, reminders, record keeping and more, PropertyMe can help keep you on top of all of your properties and client needs so that you can minimise any challenges.

Resolving conflicts is a part of all Property Managers’ roles to help keep both the tenants and your landlords happy. Fortunately, PropertyMe is here to assist you.

Master property management with PropertyMe

At PropertyMe, we make property management a simple and easy process for all parties involved. PropertyMe helps you to stay compliant, increase efficiencies, grow your rent roll and provide a better service to your clients.

Our software is the most feature-rich cloud property management solution in Australia. With an easy-to-use interface, automated workflows, mobile app and simple client access, you’ll have everything you need to manage your properties with ease and keep your ideal tenants satisfied.

Contact our product specialists to start your Onboarding Journey with PropertyMe today!