It’s that time of year again! Even though everything looks a little different this year, Christmas won’t be stopped for anything, and for most of us it signals the start of a very well-earned break. But with Christmas come a lot of other things to worry about, especially for people living in rental properties. So, this year we want to put your mind at ease, and give our landlords a few tips on how to keep their tenants happy this Christmas.
Fix Any Existing Issues
If there are any niggling issues or maintenance requests outstanding for any of your tenants, now is the time to get them done. No one wants to be getting frustrated with a leaky tap or a malfunctioning oven over Christmas, and you don’t want to be handling messages from tenants asking when things will be done. If you want to make sure everyone involved has a nice, relaxing Christmas, then now is the time to work through that list and get all the existing issues fixed.
Let Them Decorate
If you have a look at the tenancy agreement you and your tenants signed, you’ll probably find some pretty strict clauses about how much decorating your tenants are allowed to do. This is mainly to stop them doing things like re-wallpapering the property, or putting up a lot of hooks that will cause damage and need repairing when they move out. But you might find that it also makes tenants nervous about decorating for Christmas. While they might feel comfortable putting up a tree, some tenants might be afraid of asking if they can hang a wreath or put up any further decorations. So it never hurts to send a friendly email and let them know that you’re happy for them to decorate, as long as they don’t cause too much damage.
Plan for Emergencies
There is nothing worse than a home emergency during Christmas, especially since so many trades are unavailable during that time. And it can be especially difficult for landlords and tenants, who might not know who to contact or what to do if something happens. As a landlord, you probably wouldn’t be too happy getting a call from your tenants on Christmas morning about a burst pipe or broken boiler. So instead, have a plan for who will be in charge of responding to issues over the festive period, and who you have on hand to solve problems for you. Once you have an emergency response plan in place, let your tenants know what to do and who to contact in case of an emergency. This lets you and your tenants sit back, relax and get into the festive spirit.
Send Them a Card
Although some landlords have a good enough relationship with their tenants that they might send a small present at Christmas, it’s a nice thought to send them a card even if you aren’t that close. Remember, as a landlord your tenants are your customers, and having a good, friendly rapport is essential if you want to keep them happy and your business thriving.
While you might not be able to guarantee that your tenants will have a good Christmas, there are still things you can do to remove some stresses and make like a little easier for them. And most of these things will also be good for you, as they help keep things running smoothly and stop you from becoming stressed. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our landlords and their tenants a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
