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So, it's here. The day has finally come where you are in charge of the building. You are the landlord. And, your first task is to collect your tenant's information. You need to be able to contact them.
When speaking with your tenants, smile. Be sure to smile. Always, always smile.
Collecting information is usually a painless procedure, so there is little to worry about. Keep yourself under control. Know that you are in charge, but don't be a jerk about it. You need to be sure to be firm, but fair and friendly as well.
Fill your voice with confidence and stand up straight. If you lack either of these qualities, you will be stamped upon in the landlording business. Tenants will take advantage of you and treat you with no respect if they see that you are a coward. If you are a coward, then fake it.
Everybody likes to follow a knowledgeable leader who has things under control. You want your tenants to trust and rely on you; act as if they can. Oh, and be sure to smile.
Asking them for their information is easy. Just ask them. That is all there is to it. Sometimes, you will have a tenant who seems very suspicious, as if he thinks you have some ulterior motive for getting his information. For these paranoid types, gently explain the reasons why you need their information. They should understand.
When you ask for their cell phone number, explain kindly that you may need to contact them in the event of an emergency, such as a burglar or a fire.
Tell them that you need their social security numbers so that you can tell the credit agencies about their on-time payments. This helps you, too, because you will wan to check their credit. You must check their reliability. Be sure to smile, too.
Suspicious tenants should be told that the information given to you is confidential, and also tell them that you will do everything you can to ensure nobody else gets a hold of their info.
Some things in this world are just not worth a fight. If your tenant will not give you his or her information, then stop trying. This is not a time when you want to be pushy.
Instead, ask the previous landlord, check with the city, etc. It is better to find your information from elsewhere, and this should not be a difficult task.
After you have their information, be sure you store it in a safe place. That was easy, right?
When speaking with your tenants, smile. Be sure to smile. Always, always smile.
Collecting information is usually a painless procedure, so there is little to worry about. Keep yourself under control. Know that you are in charge, but don't be a jerk about it. You need to be sure to be firm, but fair and friendly as well.
Fill your voice with confidence and stand up straight. If you lack either of these qualities, you will be stamped upon in the landlording business. Tenants will take advantage of you and treat you with no respect if they see that you are a coward. If you are a coward, then fake it.
Everybody likes to follow a knowledgeable leader who has things under control. You want your tenants to trust and rely on you; act as if they can. Oh, and be sure to smile.
Asking them for their information is easy. Just ask them. That is all there is to it. Sometimes, you will have a tenant who seems very suspicious, as if he thinks you have some ulterior motive for getting his information. For these paranoid types, gently explain the reasons why you need their information. They should understand.
When you ask for their cell phone number, explain kindly that you may need to contact them in the event of an emergency, such as a burglar or a fire.
Tell them that you need their social security numbers so that you can tell the credit agencies about their on-time payments. This helps you, too, because you will wan to check their credit. You must check their reliability. Be sure to smile, too.
Suspicious tenants should be told that the information given to you is confidential, and also tell them that you will do everything you can to ensure nobody else gets a hold of their info.
Some things in this world are just not worth a fight. If your tenant will not give you his or her information, then stop trying. This is not a time when you want to be pushy.
Instead, ask the previous landlord, check with the city, etc. It is better to find your information from elsewhere, and this should not be a difficult task.
After you have their information, be sure you store it in a safe place. That was easy, right?
About the Author:
Cody Scholberg, an expert on property management, has articles at Commercial Property Management Guide, a source of rental property management information. Check out this checklist for choosing good tenants.
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