How to be a Good Tenant, All tenants like to have a property manager who is attentive and responsive to their needs and requests, whether it be to fix the broken washer-dryer, or to repair the sidewalk out in front of their building. But have you ever thought about it from the perspective of the landlord? Landlords also would like every tenant to be considerate of their neighbors, to take good care of the property, and to pay their rent on time. It really is a two-way street, and if you want your landlord to be more responsive to your requests and your needs, you should do your part in being a good tenant. Here are some things you should be aware of in that regard.
Pay your rent on time
If you’ve been regularly paying your rent three or four days late, you might never have gotten a nasty note from your landlord, but in actuality you have been late with your payments every month. If you should need a reference in the future from this landlord, he/she might well report that you have been late every single month on your payments. You might think you have a 5-day grace period because you haven’t been assessed a late fee, but the bottom line is you’ve still been late every month.
Understand your lease
You might be surprised at some of the clauses you’re agreeing to in your lease, and the only way to not be surprised about anything which is included is to read the terms of the lease carefully. There might be some important items in there which you need to know about, for instance the late fee which you’ll have to pay for rent turned in five days late, or the official policy regarding the return of your safety deposit.
Put your requests in writing
If the washer in your unit isn’t working, make sure to file a formal maintenance request, using whatever form your landlord has provided for the purpose. Just make sure your request has been formalized into a written document, so you can positively support your case if there’s any dispute about it. A verbal request to your landlord can easily be forgotten or overlooked, and you don’t want your problem to be lost in the sauce, so make sure you put it in writing, and submit it via the recommended channel.
Keep the place clean
It goes without saying that you need to uphold your end of the bargain by keeping the apartment livable and clean. A dirty, disheveled living space is not healthy for you, and it degrades the property for your landlord. Have some respect for the place you live in, and treat it as though you are the owner, not the landlord or some other person. Having respect for your dwelling means keeping the trash picked up, avoiding messes in the kitchen and bathroom, keeping floors swept, and preventing the buildup of clutter.
Be considerate of neighbors
Keep in mind that you’re not the only person who occupies the building you live in, and that you share those quarters with others who have a right to a clean, quiet, and well-maintained living space just like you do. Landlords should not have to intervene to settle disputes between neighbors, so you should do your best to get along with everyone you live with. Everyone who lives in an apartment complex should have the same objective with regard to cohabitation – to create and establish an environment where everyone can live peacefully and happily.