Keeping your tenants happy is the best way to continue collecting a consistent stream of rental income, prevent an unnecessary vacancy, and of course, build your Owings Mills rental property business into one that is reputable and successful.
That said, how you keep your tenants happy can be challenging at times.
There are so many ways to keep tenants satisfied, and each tenant you encounter will have their own individual needs, and complaints, that you need to address.
If you are looking to secure more lease renewals, and genuinely provide quality customer service to your tenants, take a look at these common renovations you can make to your rental property to help lower tenant complaints.
Lower Tenant Complaints with These Rental Upgrades
As a property owner, you cannot possibly anticipate every issue your tenants will have.
However, with these Owings Mills rental property renovations, you can definitely lower the number of complaints you receive from tenants, and boost their overall satisfaction.
1. Appliance Upgrades
Your tenants will always have maintenance and repair issues that need dealing with throughout their tenancy.
In fact, some of the most common maintenance complaints you are going to face will be associated with your property’s appliances.
The last thing you want is to have multiple grievances about your property’s appliances put in by your tenants during their tenancy.
Not only will this begin to cost you, since it is your responsibility to handle all maintenance and repair issues, this is sure to grind on your tenant’s nerves – even if you handle every repair quickly and efficiently.
In short, tenants want the appliances in their home to work. What they don’t want is to have to call your property management company on a regular basis to inform you of another appliance that has burnt out.
If you have room in your budget to upgrade your rental’s appliances to newer, more energy efficient ones, you should.
This will not only allow you to command higher rent rates, new appliances are bound to last longer without needing repair, which is something every tenant will appreciate.
2. New Flooring
In the past, we have discussed the various flooring options you have when it comes to your rental property.
And, while flooring such as hardwood or laminate garner you a higher ROI on your rental property, the truth is, they don’t do much for one major tenant complaint – noise.
Noise problems can wreak havoc on your tenant’s daily life, especially if they lease an apartment or townhome from you, where shared walls are common, and neighbors become an issue.
What’s worse is that typical noise complaints don’t usually break the threshold designated by local authorities as a violation of the city’s noise ordinances. This means your tenants have to deal with neighboring animals, music, or children, and there is usually no legal remedy available to stop it.
This is when noise complaints become your problem.
As the landlord of your tenants, it is your responsibility to maintain their surrounding peace and quiet. And, if noise is something your tenants complain about consistently, it is your job to handle it.
One renovation that helps keep noise at bay, and your tenants satisfied, is carpeting the floors.
Though not always the number one option when it comes to your rental property’s flooring, it helps keeps noise under control, especially in apartments.
This is especially true if you budget in a noise-blocking carpet underlay.
In addition, you can install some high quality carpet choices in your rental if you are looking to rake in higher rent rates. No one ever said the carpet in your rental had to be cheap.
If, by chance, you are not a fan of carpet, there is always the option of installing cork in your rental property. Cork floors absorb sound since they are soft and dense, much like carpet is.
This flooring type will do wonders for controlling outside noise, and look great in your rental property, which is something all property owners aim for.
3. New Windows
If your Owings Mills rental property is near a busy area that conducts a lot of excess noise (think New York City during morning rush hour), your tenants may start to voice their problems with this.
What many property owners don’t realize is that the windows on their property have a tendency to exacerbate outside noise.
This means children playing in the street, cars honking, or nearby construction zones may project noise directly into your property, disrupting your tenant’s peace and quiet.
This is because windows conduct light, heat, and noise, and can make all three things worse if not installed properly.
One renovation you can make on your rental property to lower the chances your tenants will complain of outside noise is to install double or triple paned windows.
You can also provide thick, noise projecting window treatments such as drapes to keep out the light, heat, and noise.
Lastly, it is important you make sure your window seals are not cracking, as these tiny gaps have the potential to allow unwanted noise inside the property, without you even realizing it.
4. Landscaping
If noise complaints are still something you are receiving from tenants, you can always take your renovations outside to help eliminate some of the problem.
Landscaping your backyard with large trees and shrubs can help block noise from the surrounding businesses and street traffic.
In addition, this renovation will create a backyard oasis for tenants to enjoy, help reduce energy bills thanks to the shade they provide, and help keep drafts out during the cold winters.
In Closing
It is impossible to eliminate all tenant complaints with renovations to your rental property.
And, while there are some decent options for helping to reduce tenant complaints, especially when it comes to appliances and noise, there is much more to keeping your tenants satisfied and complaint-free.
If you own rental property and want help boosting tenant satisfaction through not only renovations, but also exceptional customer service, contact the leader in Owings Mills property management − Bay Management Group.
We provide superior customer service when it comes to tenant complaints we receive. With years of experience dealing with every type of tenant issue you could possibly imagine, we know the best way to alleviate problems, provide excellent maintenance and repair services whenever there is even a minor issue, and can help advise tenants of the best ways to make their residency in your rental property one that they enjoy.
