What a Landlord Expects from Their Tenants
To have an amicable relationship, both the landlord and tenant must meet certain expectations. As the tenant, if you follow these guidelines and do your part, you will have a smoother rental term and you will get a good reference for your next apartment. Listed below is the behavior of what a landlord expects from their tenants.
Keep Your Landlord Informed
Always let your landlord know when you have guests for more than a day or two. If you will be having friends or family stay for a few weeks, make sure your landlord is aware of the situation. Otherwise, they may assume that you have moved someone in to the apartment, which would be against the lease.
Your landlord also expects to be told before you move a new roommate into your apartment. If there are conflicts between you and a roommate, it can affect your landlord as well as you. Your landlord may require you to sign a new lease before they will allow you to have a new roommate.
Pay Your Rent
This may sound obvious, but landlords expect their tenants to pay their rent on time. They don’t like to send out reminder notices with late payment charges added. They prefer to have tenants that they don’t have to worry about. Don’t give excuses or ask for extensions; make a timely payment each month. Landlords understand that situations can occur that may require you to ask for leniency one month, and they will be more likely to help you if you do not make it a habit.
Act Like a Homeowner
Landlords appreciate a tenant that treats the apartment like their own. They act more like homeowners than renters by taking care of the place both inside and out. They report maintenance issues before a serious problem develops, and they do not mistreat or neglect their home.
Part of acting like a homeowner is getting along with your neighbors. When you own your home, you know you will be living next to the same people for many years. With rentals, your neighbors can change at any time; however, you should still be respectful and try to get along with them. Landlords hate to hear about issues among tenants or complaints about noise or other problems.
Act Like a Professional
Tenants should also act professional in their dealings with the landlord. When repairs are needed or they have a complaint, approach the landlord in a business-like way instead of getting angry or acting childish. If you would like permission for something that is either not addressed in the lease or generally not allowed, explain your reasoning like you would talk to your boss or supervisor.
When it is time to move out, make every effort to leave the place in as good shape as you found it. You never know when you may need to move back to the complex in the future and you don’t want to burn any bridges. Being a good tenant will make your tenancy peaceful and the apartment feel like at home.
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