Communication: An Essential Part Of Property Management
March 17, 2010
Commercial and residential property requires management in one form or another. A RI property management company, deals with the same issues and demands as, for example, a Los Angeles property management. In property management RI, MD, VA or TX, some of the ordinces and legalities may vary, but the basic concerns are the same. Go to any state in the union and there will be renters with horror stories, and landlords with nightmares. The root of most of these problems isn’t the property itself, but the human element. Managing property is managing people as much as maintaining the physical space.
From the perspective of a landlord the issues are fairly straight forward. There is a physical space that needs a paying occupant. The property manager expects to receive a contracted dollar amount for use of the property. Payment date and late penalties are usually spelled out in a contract. The property manager also expects that the provisions of the contract will be honored. Those provisions lay out the rules of use, such as number of tenants, no waterbeds, no hazardous materials, or no bon fires in the living room. Most of it is fairly routine. This is not rocket science and there are boiler plate forms that make it easy for first time landlords to negotiate with tenants.
From a the perspective of a tenant the issues are also straightforward. The tenant needs a place to do business or a place to live. By the time the tenant signs an agreement they are comfortable with the location, the office or apartment and the incidentals. The tenant expects that they will continue to have a livable workable space with functioning appliances, and all the agreed upon amenities. The commercial tenant expects that proper zoning laws have been met and all permits are in order. Both residential and commercial tenants expect that the building meets code and safety requirements. They expect that their deposits are safe and administered correctly and that they will be notified if the landlord needs to enter the property.
Managing property is not difficult until you bring in the human element. Two readers, rarely see the same sentence. What seems clear to one party may be vague to another. There are often assumed and hidden expectations that muddle an agreement. A property manager may agree to let a tenant redecorate believing that means wall paint and curtains. The tenant may think that means permission to rip up carpet and lay down hardwood floors. The property manager then receives calls from the tenants below because now they hear every footstep. This can happen with well meaning tenants and landlords, it is a common trait to hear what one hopes to hear. Clear communication is the first and most important tool in property management.
Any relationship, be it tenant and landlord, or husband and wife, needs mutual consideration. A landlord or property manager that respects a tenant is more capable of understanding their needs and communicate clearly. A tenant that respects the property and its owners is able to navigate issues and problems with much more ease. Clear communication and respect can resolve many conflicts before they start. These are vital skills for property management.
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