A.D. Cantelmo Property Management
Our Business is Property Management in Orange County California
What you say makes a big difference
As a Property Manager, Dealing with Tenant issues is a daily
task and I find that how I talk to those Tenants makes a big difference in the
way they react to me.
All Property Managers hope that all goes well in the properties
they manage, but when something goes wrong, how they handle the Tenants is key
to a smooth problem solving solution. The hardest part for me is when I know
the Tenants did something to cause the problem and they will not take responsibility
for it.
Big Problem
In one of my properties, that happened to be a 4 plex, I was having the
water heater replaced for one of the units. I received a call from the Tenant after the plumber left
that the unit was flooded. I called the plumber and he went back to the
property and told me that it was the washing machine that caused the leak.
There was no way for me to prove it, and I was not happy with the Tenant, but
after all the water settled and $20.000 was spent to put the property back together
all was well. The problem was that I could not prove the washer caused the leak
and the only way to get rid of the washer was to get rid of the Tenant. The
owner did not want to do that, so we moved on. In the mean time, my
relationship with the Tenant was harmed, because I was not happy that the
washer was still in the unit and they were not happy that I let them know it.
Well it happened again and I had to get rid of the Tenants.
Lesson learned
What I learned from that incident though, was important. It
did not matter how angry I was about the washer, letting the Tenants know how I
felt did no good and it made the relationship difficult. Once the owner decided
not to have the Tenants removed after the initial incident because they would
not get rid of the washer, I lost my leverage and it did me no good to be
frustrated with the Tenants. I know now to tamp down my frustration and proceed
with caution. The law allows certain actions and once those actions have been
removed from the table, you have to be able to put the incident behind and move
on trying to keep the relationship with the Tenant in place.
Use a little Psychology
How a Property
Manager or Landlord talks to a Tenant is very important in getting things done.
There are some Tenants who need to be handled with care and others who need a
little more aggressive posture. The key is understanding each Tenant and being
able to use a little psychology to have a smooth relationship. I never want to
have to remove a Tenant, but that is the leverage a Property Manager or
Landlord has when the Lease is not followed. I don’t want Tenants to be afraid
of me; I just want them to have enough respect that they know I will do what
needs to be done to keep the property and the Landlord whole.
There are many ways words can affect a relationship between
a Property Manager and a Tenant and understanding that, will help make the
relationship stable and keep the communication open. The Last thing I want is
for the Tenant to be afraid to call me when it is necessary. What I learned
from the flooding incident was valuable to me and now I keep my emotions in
check when dealing with stressful situations regarding Tenants.
A.D. Cantelmo Property Management Specializes in Property Management in Orange County
Ca.