Common Tenant Complaints and How to Resolve Them

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 08:00:00 -0500

Managing properties is not an easy job. With constant complaints, maintenance problems, and difficult tenants to deal with, your job can become extremely tedious. When tenants reach out to you, however, you are legally obligated to resolve the complaint in an equitable manner for all parties involved.

It is the responsibility of a property manager to create solutions that keep tenants happy. When tenants are treated right, you will notice an improvement in retention rates, and your reputation will precede you.

In this post, we have listed the most common complaints that tenants make as well as tips for how you can resolve these issues.

1. Maintenance requests

Maintenance problems are the most common form of complaint. Based on research, you will most likely be dealing with problems such as:

Plumbing
Heating and Cooling
Pests and Rodents
Electrical malfunctions

Here’s what you need to do to handle any complaint that comes in related to maintenance.

Firstly, ensure that every tenant knows how to file a complaint or maintenance request. This should be included in the lease or a document handed to the tenant. It should also include the expected turnaround time and what they need to do in case there is an emergency.

The next step would be to reply back to the tenant in a prompt manner. Delaying or not responding to the tenant is the fastest way to get them annoyed, and a frustrated tenant is not easy to deal with. Make sure you are able to handle the maintenance request within the allotted time frame. If you are not able to, it should be explained to the tenant in detail, so they understand why it is taking so long.

Once the maintenance is complete, reach out to the tenant in a couple of days to confirm if the problem has been fixed. Also, make sure to keep a written or digital log of all the maintenance requests and solutions as this will be important in case you need to evict a tenant or fight a court case.

The Facilio software, which is a property operation and maintenance platform, can help you digitize the maintenance of your properties. It can even help you improve the lifecycle of the assets in your properties by remotely monitoring all your spaces and equipment.

2. Noise complaints

Noise complaints can come from either external or internal sources. If the noise is coming from an outside source such as next-door properties loudly blasting music throughout the day, then you have two courses of action:

You speak to that property owner on behalf of your tenant and explain the situation.

If that doesn’t work, you may need to invest in soundproofing measures for that tenant or all tenants on that side of the property.

Loud sounds coming out of nearby properties is not within your control. However, tenants still expect you to do something about the situation, so you may have to resort to the above actions.

If the noise complaint is coming from within your own property, then the problem becomes much simpler. Here’s what you need to do:

Speak to the tenant directly, explain the issue, and remind them to be quieter. If required, you can even offer to move the tenant to another unit.

Once the complaint has been resolved, wait a few days to make sure that it doesn’t happen again. Once confirmed, you should reach out to the tenant who made the complaint and notify them.

Ideally, the lease you provide to tenants should include information pertaining to how much noise can be emitted from any individual unit as well as a curfew on loud noises/music. This way, noise complaints can be reduced from the start, and if required you can legally serve a quit notice to the tenant if they refuse to comply.

3. An unreachable landlord

Tenants can get frustrated when the property manager does not reply to complaints in a prompt manner. There may be times when you can’t reach your phone but the tenant will still get upset unless they are aware of the situation.

For this reason, a system is required that informs the tenants about the current situation and allows them to file a complaint online. The Facilio software is perfect for this as it can create an online portal that tenants can use to file a complaint. This way, the complaint can be resolved at leisure without having to respond immediately.

4. Unannounced visits to the property

You need to be aware that entering a rental property unannounced is a criminal offense depending on where you live. Even constant requests for entry can be taken up in court. Unless there is an emergency, it is advisable to give the tenant a 24-hour notice before you attempt entry. Also, on the legal side, the lease should note that the rental property will be subject to inspections at the discretion of the property manager.

5. Infestations and pest problems

Pests are a common problem and it is the manager’s responsibility to take immediate action to remove them. Here are the steps you need to take:

Request an inspection from the tenant and identify the intensity of the problem

Then contact the exterminator immediately to set up an urgent inspection. Ideally, you should have an exterminator company that you have vetted ready for this purpose.

If the tenants don’t have another place to stay, you should move them to a temporary unit until the extermination process has been completed.

Identify the root cause of the problem and notify the other tenants to also check for similar infestations. Once completed, the tenants can move back into their property