A variety of situations could lead to a stressed relationship with your landlord. Below are some tips on preventing tension with your landlord in the first place, and what to do if a difficult situation does arise.
Review your lease before you sign.
You want to make sure you are following the terms of your lease. If there are restrictions on pets, painting, overnight guests, or noise, you could unknowingly violate your lease and cause an issue with your landlord. Also, double-check your payment due date, late fees, notice to vacate and penalties associated with breaking your lease. Nothing will damage your relationship with your landlord faster than late rent payments.
Research local laws.
It’s a good idea to know what the laws are in your state so you are aware of what is and isn’t allowed in a lease agreement, both from the landlord’s perspective and as a renter. The laws vary from state to state, so if you are moving out of state, don’t assume the same laws will apply.
Keep records.
Be sure to do a walk-through before moving in and take photos of any existing damage in the apartment. If your landlord doesn’t provide you with a move-in checklist, take note of any issues and be sure you both sign it. After you move, save email exchanges you may have with your landlord or write down phone calls and issues discussed. This way you’ll have a record of when you discussed important topics like maintenance requests. This is especially important when reporting an issue. For example, if you have a leaky pipe in the kitchen and you report it but your landlord doesn’t repair it, and a month later it bursts and floods your kitchen, you’ll have a record of the phone conversation and the date you reported the leaky pipe.
Pay your rent.
The best way to get along with any landlord is to pay your rent on time. Landlords typically want to keep responsible tenants, so paying on time will go a long way to having a harmonious relationship with your landlord. If you are the type of person who forgets things easily, consider setting up automatic payments through your bank or through an online payment system.
Maintain respectful communication.
Even if you are on friendly terms with your landlord, treat this as you would a work relationship. If you find yourself in the position of having to repeat a maintenance issue, don’t raise your voice or make inappropriate comments. Having tension with your landlord won’t help the situation, so keep calm and carry on. (Yes, I said it.)
Seek an agreeable solution.
If you do find yourself at odds with your landlord, try to find a compromise. If you like living at the property and you want to continue to live there, it’s important that you don’t damage your long-term relationship with your landlord. Going back to the leaky pipe scenario, perhaps you are annoyed that your favorite rug was damaged in the flood. You reported the issue weeks ago and you feel it should have been fixed before the pipe burst and destroyed your belongings. But perhaps your landlord had good reason for forgetting about the pipe. Discuss it with your landlord and you might be surprised by the response. And if you have renters insurance, it will likely cover your damaged items.
Request repairs in writing.
If your landlord has set up an online maintenance portal, use that to request repairs. If not, send an email. This way, you have a record of the maintenance request and the date it was submitted. Your landlord will probably appreciate a written request much more than a phone call, and you’ll have proof of the request just in case you need it.
Your landlord wants a successful relationship as much as you do. If you respect the property, pay your rent on time, and follow the terms of your lease, you and your landlord should be able to work through any difficult situations that arise.
