Landlords tend to get something of a bad rap in the national press, thanks to endless horror stories about rogue landlords seeking to exploit their hapless tenants. If you’re looking to start a career as a landlord, then you might find this a bit discouraging. But while bad landlords can immiserate their tenants, good landlords can actually provide valuable support, and generally make life more bearable.

So, what distinguishes a good landlord?

What are the characteristics of a good landlord?

A good landlord will respond to issues as they develop, and take steps to prevent those issues from emerging in the first time. They’ll keep the rent consistent, and won’t seek to suddenly rise it without warning. They’ll also be easy to get in touch with, and respond promptly to correspondence. 

Good landlords tend to be signed up to recognised schemes, like the National Residential Landlords Assosciation. This tends to send out the right message to would-be tenants, and therefore helps to bring good landlords in touch with good, reliable tenants.

How to be a Good Landlord

Now that we have a vague idea of what a good landlord does, it’s worth thinking about how we’ll get there. There are a few rules to abide by, and habits to develop.

Don’t let to bad tenants

If you bring in tenants who demand your constant attention, and who create stress for you, then it’s likely to that you’ll develop trust issues, which might lead to patterns of behaviour on your part that affect your other tenants. If you feel that you can trust your tenant, then you’ll be able to take a hands-off approach – which means a more profitable business, and happier tenants.

Develop good tenant’s agreements

Your tenancy agreement should be tailored to reflect the person to who you’re renting. This might mean bringing legal expertise in, but it’s often worth it. You can iron out any ambiguous passages, and try to meet the needs of individual tenants. If someone has a pet they’d like to keep, then you might adjust a template agreement accordingly.

Maintain the property

You’ll need to be able to respond immediately if a problem develops. Schedule maintenance in advance, and around the schedule of the tenant. If you get a complaint, then have a procedure for acting upon it immediately. Prioritise tenants according to the seriousness of the problem, and the length of time they’ve already been kept waiting. 

Certain tasks you’ll be able to tackle yourself, so equip yourself with quality tools from a reputable brand like Milwaukee tools. Alterntively, develop a network of trusted tradespeople.

Don’t try to be friends

If you’re too chummy with your tenants, then they might end up feeling uncomfortable with you. Don’t feel that you can simply pop around whenver the fancy takes you. Make sure that you’re contactable via multiple channels. Some tenants will want to send a WhatsApp message; others will prefer to pick up the phone.