7 Upgrades To Your Apartments To Keep Tenants Happy

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Upgrading Your Apartments To Keep Tenants Happy
Just a few apartment upgrades like a nice kitchen can keep tenants happy and renewing their leases. Photo credit monkeybusinessimages via istockphoto.com

Every landlord knows how hard it is to find good, responsible tenants who will pay the rent on time and take care of their rental home, so your goal should be to keep tenants like this happy.

That’s why it’s crucial for you to put in some effort in order to keep the good tenants living at your property.

And guess what? No matter how impossible that may sound, the truth is that it’s quite an easy task. All you have to do is become a good property manager whose actions will keep tenants who renew their leases.

If you want to keep tenants, respond to their requests

It’s very important that you don’t ignore the complaints from your tenants.

Answer when they call you and listen to the problems they have in their rental home. Sometimes, it may sound like they are stressing over trifles, but if you ignore them, it may become a serious problem. You’ll agree that it would be wise to change that leaking pipe before it causes a flood, right?

Be responsible and communicative, ask your tenants what problems they have in their rental home and find a way you both can contribute to a solution. Regular upgrading will keep big problems at bay and keep tenants.

No. 1 – Let the light in

Is there a place in your rental home that you want to emphasize to your tenants?

That can be easily achieved with a smart choice of the lights. Of course, the most important is the general lighting of the apartment that will enable your tenants to feel comfortable in their rental home. However, there are more types of lighting that can add a bit more to your rental apartment and make everyday tasks much easier for your tenants.

No. 2 – Upgrade kitchen appliances

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms for every person that moves into your property. If you want to keep the tenants happy, then you must invest a bit.

High-quality kitchen appliances will speak volumes of your care for the tenants’ comfort and happiness, but accomplishing this goal doesn’t necessarily have to cost you an arm end a leg. For instance, you can upgrade your rental home with a contemporary Bosch microwave that will make mealtimes simpler with the function that weighs an item to figure out the time it will take to warm it up accordingly.

A hungry tenant who comes home after a busy day at the office will certainly appreciate this.

No. 3 – Reinvigorate the bathroom

Besides the kitchen, the bathroom is another room in the apartment that plays a vital role in whether your tenant will renew the lease or not.

You don’t need to turn the bathroom into a spa by bringing in a Jacuzzi and a little sauna. Small cosmetic changes will breathe a brand new life into the outdated bathroom. Change that leaking faucet, install a new showerhead and put on a new shower curtain. You can even refresh the bathroom with tile stickers.

No. 4 – Fix the floor

Creaky floorboards can be very annoying. If pieces of old parquet fall out from time to time, your tenant can become very annoyed and move out.

And, believe it or not, bad flooring can put your tenants on the mercy of noise from the neighborhood. Based on the amount of money you can spend to fix this problem, you have two options – cork flooring or high-quality carpets. Consider the pros and cons of both options and choose what would be the best solution for you and your tenants.

No. 5 – Consider a safety system

One very important thing for every tenant is that they feel safe in their rental apartment.

It doesn’t matter if the apartment is in a dodgy neighborhood or not because break-ins happen in all parts of the world. That’s why you have to add an alarm service and safety locks. By doing this, you will show your tenants that you care about their safety.

No. 6 – Keep track of periodic tasks

Upgrading your apartment doesn’t mean that you need to bring in shiny new things all the time. As a landlord, you should have a home inspection on a regular basis, e.g. every three months.

Your job is to check whether the insulation is in good shape and if the smoke detectors, heating, ventilation and air conditioning are functioning properly. Your tenants will appreciate your concern and won’t look for a new rental home.

No. 7 – Be cooperative

Even if you do all the things mentioned above, there will be some tenants that will constantly ask for more.

Of course, you don’t have to fulfill every caprice they have. However, if they are expecting a baby, then you have to try to be cooperative and allow them to redecorate one room into a nursery, especially if they are very good and responsible tenants. In case they move out in a few years, you can easily turn the nursery into a regular room with a coat of fresh paint on the walls.

As you can see, simple, cost-effective upgrades can mean a world of difference in your tenant’s eyes. If you have the same tenants for years that are very responsible and take care of your rental, then you can also reward them with a discount on rent, but you shouldn’t offer that benefit to the new tenants until they prove to you that they are worth it, not just in the sense of reviewing the lease. Build their confidence one step at a time and eventually both sides will benefit.

Resources:

http://time.com/money/2897067/the-top-5-ways-to-make-more-money-on-your-rental-properties/

https://www.carpetcaptain.com/flooring-options/carpet-vs-cork-flooring/

https://www.propertyware.com/blog/8-ways-to-retain-your-best-tenants/

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/24/smarter-living/8-cheap-landlord-friendly-ways-to-upgrade-your-rental.html

https://www.mysmartmove.com/SmartMove/blog/5-ways-keep-your-best-tenants-from-leaving.page

https://www.baymgmtgroup.com/blog/4-renovations-keep-tenants-happy-complaint-free/

https://www.propertyware.com/blog/8-ways-to-retain-your-best-tenants/

https://www.mysmartmove.com/SmartMove/blog/what-tenants-look-for-rental-property.page

About the author:

If one thing is true about Lillian Connors, her mind is utterly curious. That’s why she can’t resist the urge to embark on a myriad of green living/home improvement projects and spread the word about them. She cherishes the notion that sustainable housing and gardening will not only make us far less dependent on others regarding the dwellings we inhabit, but also contribute to our planet being a better place to live on. You can check her out on Twitter and LinkedIn.