Relationships 101: How to Be Your Landlord’s Dream Tenant

Are you a first-time renter? Or perhaps you’ve had a bad experience in the past, and are wondering how to manage your future landlord-tenant relationships better. No matter why you’ve clicked on this article, you’re in luck: the following tips should get you navigating your renter-landlord relations like a seasoned expert.

There are more than a couple of reasons as to why you need to get along with your landlord. First and foremost, you’re relying on them to be a reference in the future, whether for other rental properties or a home purchase. Beyond that, being on your landlord’s right side means prompt repairs and a bit of wiggle-room when it comes to negotiating things like pets or extra tenants. So read up, and get schmoozing!

Never miss your rent payment

You don’t have to be a genius to work this one out. The best and easiest way to prove yourself a reliable and responsible tenant is to pay your rent on time. If you know, you’ll struggle to remember on which day and how frequently you’re supposed to pay, then talk to your bank about setting up an automatic payment.

If there is a one-week hiccup which prevents you from paying on time, then the best thing you can do is keep your landlord in the loop. Staying mum will only make you look worse, so flick them an email or give them a phone call and explain why things have gone awry.

Keep the place clean and functional

Many landlords are anxious about the state of their properties, and understandably so: they need to ensure that the spaces they’re renting out are kept clean and tidy for future renters.

Respect that the property isn’t yours by keeping it spick and span. Not only will taking care of the home significantly enhance your own experience living in it, but it’ll impress the socks off of your landlord (especially when inspection time rolls around).

If there’s anything out of your control that’s interfering with your ability to keep the place clean – for example, a pest or mold problem – then your landlord will appreciate you giving them a heads-up at the earliest opportunity. The same applies for appliances and plumbing: if anything breaks, sparks, or seems off, then ask your landlord to check it out earlier rather than later.

Know your tenant rights and responsibilities

If you don’t know what’s wrong and what’s right to start with, then how are you going to be the ideal tenant?! Read your rental contract (fine print included) at the beginning of your tenancy to ensure that you understand your obligations as well as your rights.

And if you ever have reason to think that your landlord is neglecting their duties, make sure you’re aware of the legal channels available in your state for appealing any misdemeanors. Keep records of all the written communication that goes on between you and your landlord as ammunition in the case that you need to call on it.

Be a nice person

Being a good tenant isn’t all about sticking to the rules. The best tenants are the people who make a genuine effort to be personable in their dealings with landlords, and reasonable with their requests.

Particularly if your landlord lives in the flat next door to yours, it’s common courtesy to give a friendly wave whenever you cross them outside or to offer to look after their mail or pet if they’re going out of town for the week. This way, they’ll feel more positively-disposed toward you when it comes to rental matters, and you might gain a new chum to boot.

Author’s bio:

Cloe Matheson is a freelance writer from beautiful Dunedin, New Zealand. She has penned articles for numerous sites and local businesses, including Jumpflex. Through years of travel, she has experienced kindness from many different, wonderful people who have in turn cultivated her love and respect for other cultures. Check out more of Cloe’s work on Tumblr.