Be Responsive When Repairs Are Needed
Are you vexed when a clerk or a doctor makes you wait forever while serving everyone else, even those who got there after you did? Don't do that to your tenant. When she requests repairs or reports that something is wrong, check it out promptly. Make maintenance and repairs a priority.
If you have a handyman, painter, or gardener for a tenant, let him take over some of your work if that suits both of you. Just remember to get a signed written agreement that includes how you intend to repay your tenant. A rebate on the next month's rent is often welcome.
If it's something serious and beyond your skills to fix, promise you'll bring in an electrician or plumber the next day. When it's a minor problem, tell your tenant you'll have it fixed within the week. Then make sure you meet that deadline.
If, for some reason, there's an unforeseen delay, let your tenant know immediately. Say you're sorry, but it will have to be postponed for a couple of days or a week and that you cannot do anything about it. Let your tenant know that you understand that it's inconvenient; ask if there's anything you can do that might help.
Let your tenant know that you understand how they're feeling and that you are frustrated, too. In the meantime, do what you can to help out. If the freezer isn't freezing, for example, offer to store some of the food in your own freezer. Give your tenant a cooler and buy the first bags of ice. Think about what you'd need in that situation, and how you would want to be helped.
