Top Tips on How to Be a Good Tenant
Before we get to our tips on how to be a tenant landlords like, let’s start with something that should be at the core of how you handle your tenancy. That’s honesty. There’s can be a lot of competition for the best rental property. When trying to position yourself as the most outstanding of all the applicants for a vacancy, it’s tempting to falsify the truth. Sometimes, applying tenants say that they don’t have a pet when they do. Or that they don’t intend to have guests when they know that their mate will be living there along with them. No matter how you may want a particular rental, honesty is still the best policy when you’re learning how to be a tenant your landlord will love. It should underscore all your activities as a tenant.
It’s also part of most other tips for how to be a tenant your landlord will appreciate. That’s why we started off our discussion of those tips with it. Anyway, now that we’ve made that clear, it’s time to move on to the rest of our tips for how to be a tenant landlords like. Let’s start with one of the basic rules, which is being responsible for your rent.
Be Responsible for Meeting the Terms of Your Rent
Responsibility for your rent starts with your application. You see, the first step to the process of how to be a tenant your landlord will love is to understand the terms of your rent. Let’s go into more detail on this to help you with how to be a tenant landlords like. Here’s what you can do:
Understand the Terms of the Lease Agreement
Read and understand the lease agreement. As a tenant, you have to make sure you understand the terms of the contract you have with the landlord. A decent landlord will make sure the terms of the lease and his or her expectations are clear to you. That’s important to consider if you want to know how to be a tenant. Knowledge and understanding of these terms will keep you from breaking the lease and having problems with your landlord. So be sure that you understand all of them.
Most landlords will discuss the monthly rent amount, the security deposit and terms related to it, any allowances for pets, and their expectations for cleanliness in the property. To learn how to be a tenant, make sure that you understand all about these requirements and you are comfortable with your landlord’s demands before you sign the contract.
Do Not Break the Terms of Lease
Make it a point to follow the terms of the lease. That’s the first requirement on how to be a tenant. Good tenants do not break the terms of the lease. They follow the rules and guidelines specified in it at all times. Avoid breaking contract terms if you want to know how to be a tenant landlords like. Violating the terms of a lease can be grounds for landlords to terminate a rental agreement… and possibly initiate an eviction. You can prevent this from happening by following the rules on how to be a tenant. Furthermore, you can maintain a good relationship with your landlord by following the rules in your lease. For instance, if you’re planning to own a dog but your landlord does not allow pets, then you should not get a dog and hide it in your rental. It’s considered breaking the terms of the lease and is definitely not how to be a tenant landlords like. Moreover, you should also follow subtle rules in the lease, like a rule where overnight guests are not allowed without your landlord’s approval. To learn how to be a tenant landlords like, abide by the terms they set. If you find yourself in a situation where you have to break a term temporarily, reach out to the landlord to explain your circumstances. For example, explain why a relative might need to stay in your unit for one night. Be sure to say why it’s an emergency and assure the landlord it’s a one-time deal. That shows your landlord you respect your contract and even makes him likelier to give you allowances. This will help you learn how to be a tenant your landlord will love.
Pay Your Rent on Time
Be sure to pay your rent on time and regularly. The question of “how to be a tenant” will be answered to some extent if you always pay your rent on time, with no excuses every month. Your landlord will appreciate you for not missing payment every month, as they don’t want the trouble of having to chase you down for rent. Missing payment for rent can also be grounds to evict tenants. So, paying rent punctually can help you keep your tenancy too. If you think you’ll not be able to pay the rent for the month, you should let your landlord know that you’re struggling financially at the moment. Landlords appreciate advance notice for such things. They sometimes allow their tenants to pay at a later date as long as they’re given advance notice, especially if tenants have a record of always paying on time prior to that. Talking and being honest with your landlord is much better than just missing a rent obligation. That important in how to be a tenant landlords love.
Respect Landlord’s Noise Rules
Respecting the “noise rules” of your landlord is another thing to remember in how to be a tenant landlords appreciate. The lease term will likely specify the noise rules for the rental. Landlords usually set a particular time when loud sounds are not permitted. It’s normally after 9 or 10 at night. Tenants need to follow these rules. They should avoid having a party or playing loud music after the specified hours if they want to learn how to be a tenant landlords like. If you’re planning to have a get-together at a time beyond the specified hours, you need to notify your landlord in advance. That’s a basic rule of conduct for how to be a tenant. Your landlord may allow you to proceed with the party if you do that, albeit with some restrictions. For example, he may specify that you should quiet down if some neighbors complain.
Avoid Damaging the Property
When learning how to be a tenant, learn to treat the property with care. Treat the property as if it were yours. Maintain the property with that attitude as well. Besides, you have to remember, you’ll be held responsible for repair costs for any damage you cause. The general rule is to take care of anything that is the landlord’s property. You may be required to pay for the cost if you damage them. Take note that this includes even certain bathroom items, such as the shower and the toilet, as these are also the landlord’s property. You may want to take pictures of the rental property when you first move in so you’ll have verification of the property’s original appearance when moving out. This serves at least two purposes.
First, it helps you return the property to its original state, or how it was before you moved into it. That’s usually a requirement most landlords have in their rental or lease contracts. Second, by doing that, your landlord may acknowledge certain damage that was already there when you moved in, as recorded in the photos. That way, you’re not held accountable for damage to the property that predates you.
Communicate Effectively with the Landlord
One of the best answers to how to be a tenant your landlord loves is simply to establish good communication with them. Learn to interact with your landlord respectfully as well as honestly. To that end, here are some simple tips that can do much in helping you to maintain or improve your relationship with your landlord based on communication:
Let the Landlord Know about Maintenance and Repairs
As another tip in your pursuit of answers to how to be a tenant landlords like, make sure your landlord knows about repairs and maintenance immediately. If the property needs maintenance and repairs, don’t try to do it yourself unless you have professional expertise! Doing it yourself without that may bring about further damage. So instead of doing that, reach out immediately to your landlord so he or she can properly solve the issue. Don’t hesitate to tell your landlord about maintenance or repairs either. Handling those is considered part of their duties as a landlord. Your landlord should generally be ready to tackle any maintenance and repair issues your report. You just have to make sure you inform them of the problem as soon as possible.
Make Your Requests in Writing
It’s advisable to submit requests to your landlord either by email or text message to ensure there is a record of your correspondence. By always doing that, you may be helping your landlord get organized by recording and saving your requests. You can make a written request for maintenance and repairs too. You can also make a request when you’re having guests stay in the rental property, or arranging a party inside the property. As much as possible, try to be honest and transparent with your landlord as this will encourage positive and lasting relationships. That’s important when learning how to be a tenant your landlord will love.
Leave with Respect
Even when moving out, there’s an answer to how to be a tenant landlords will appreciate instead of treating as a bad memory. When you’re planning to move out, leave respectfully. Make sure you leave the property as you saw it when you first moved in. That’s the answer to “how to be a tenant your landlord will like”. Leaving the property in perfect condition will guarantee a return of your damage or security deposit too, as well as a good referral from your landlord for the next rental.
You may also want to give advance notification before leaving the property. Make sure you abide by the rental agreement about the date of your moving out. Moreover, you should schedule a walkthrough of the property with your landlord before the move-out day to make sure there are no issues with the property. You can make use of the photos you took of the property the day you moved in as your guide for how to leave the property when you move out. Finally, make sure to clean the property thoroughly and don’t leave any trace of your presence. Ironically enough, that’s how to be a tenant your landlord will remember (fondly)!
Final Thoughts on How to Be a Tenant Landlords Love
Learning how to be a tenant your landlord will love is something most renters can benefit from. Fortunately for you, if you’re a renter, I’ve explained how to do it in this article. The first thing to consider in how to be a tenant that landlords love is to be responsible for the rental property. You need to grasp the terms in the lease agreement and abide by them.
Another thing that you have to do while thinking about how to be a tenant that your landlord will love is to pay your rent on time. In addition, you also have to respect the noise requirements that your landlord set in the rental property. That’s important in how to be a tenant that your landlord will value. Aside from these responsibilities, you also need to maintain the cleanliness and tidiness of the property. You can do it by regularly–scheduled cleaning, cleaning up your pets, and preventing damage to the property. Furthermore, another important tip that tenants can take in their search for how to be a tenant landlords can love is learning how to communicate with landlords properly. Don’t forget to immediately tell your landlord about repairs and maintenance needs, for example. Make your requests in writing so that there’ll be a record of your communication. Finally, if it comes to a point that you have to move out, leave with respect. You must give your landlord an advance notification before leaving, for instance, as well as move out according to the date set by your lease agreement. Those are the answers to how to be a tenant that landlords will be grateful for.
