Geordy Rostad
Real Estate Broker · Kirkland, WA · Member since 2018 · 549 posts · 411 votes
7y
@Charlie Moore
Never show your frustration with the tenant. By doing this, you are handing them too much control over the situation.
There is nothing at all to be gained and everything to lose by trying to have a pissing match with your tenant.
If you feel too emotionally involved not to lose your temper with a crappy tenant, this is a great time to consider hiring professional property management.
What specifically is going on? Maybe we can help you.
14 Reply
Dennis M.
Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
7y
if you are furious and want to get the air cleared never ever never do it in text . That can be used in court and very damning as evidence . You’d be better off going there and getting in their face than texting . Don’t be dumb
12 Reply
Isaac S.
Member since 2018 · 563 posts · 562 votes
7y
Always imagine a judge reading your texts out loud in court at a hearing.
I absolutely get into with them via text, but, I keep my cool and keep thinking about how what I'm saying will sound in court. That keeps me from using any personal attacks or insults, and just refer to law, lease, and common sense and keep it professional. If I feel myself getting sucked into a negative/irrational emotional argument, I just disengage and resort to formal written letters, that I have my assistant write, in order to avoid any of my own emotional bias.
8 Reply
Bjorik Mutize
Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2016 · 530 posts · 398 votes
7y
Blame your lease before you get into texting battles lol.
If it really gets to you hire out to let someone else deal with the texting for you.
4 Reply
Tracy Minick
Rental Property Investor · Monroe, WA · Member since 2018 · 177 posts · 98 votes
7y
@Charlie Moore txt messages are like a form of bullying when a tenant is made. If they have legitimate concerns address them! I always suggest getting the action in motion the calling with a follow up!
0 Reply
Jonathan W.
Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2019 · 512 posts · 301 votes
7y
@Charlie Moore if you worked in any customer service and responded with a bad attitude or a temper you’d probably be fired. This is on a bigger scale and it’s your company.
Don’t take it personally and keep you’re freaking cool. It’s not worth it. There is literally no more to that.
6 Reply
Caleb Heimsoth
Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
7y
@Charlie Moore I don’t do text battles with my tenants...I only do rap battles with them. It’s quite entertaining
26 Reply
Charlie Moore
OP
Rental Property Investor · D.C · Member since 2019 · 501 posts · 102 votes
7y
@Bjorik Mutize
Blame the lease? Like always revert back to my agreed lease
1 Reply
Charlie Moore
OP
Rental Property Investor · D.C · Member since 2019 · 501 posts · 102 votes
7y
@Tracy Minick
They are complaining of chipped paint..... it’s cosmetic. I don’t want to fix it nor do I have to.
2 Reply
Dale Race
Denver, CO · Member since 2018 · 7 posts · 8 votes
7y
@Charlie Moore
Chipped paint?? You could fix that in less time than the time you've already spent arguing about it...
4 Reply
Account Closed
Eastern Michigan · Member since 2018 · 81 posts · 144 votes
7y
If there is any chance that chipped paint is lead paint or is covering lead paint you might want to fix it. Especially if they have kids. Lead paint tastes sweet and so kids will pull it off the walls and eat it and that is a cause of kids getting lead poisoning.
7 Reply
Matt K.
Walnut Creek, CA · Member since 2015 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
7y
Originally posted by @Charlie Moore:

@Tracy Minick
They are complaining of chipped paint..... it’s cosmetic. I don’t want to fix it nor do I have to.
But yet some how you end up here with a thread about texting battles...
If you're not going to fix the issue they mention tell them so and have it be end conversation. Probably going to have a lot more issues though once they realize you don't care about the property condition or they just don't want to talk to you....
1 Reply
Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
7y
If you are professional, you won't let your emotions get involved. They ask a question or demand a repair, you give a quick, professional response, and you leave it at that. There's no need to go back-and-forth with them. You won't argue them into submission. All you're doing is making the issue worse.
Right now, I would tell them you've given your answer and it's final. Then stop responding to anything regarding this subject.
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8 Reply
JJ P.
Real Estate Agent · San DIego · Member since 2019 · 177 posts · 185 votes
7y
Try something like this: " Thank you for bringing that to my attention. Unfortunately, We don't cover cosmetic interior maintenance such as chipped paint while tenants are in the unit, but if it bothers you, our handyman could be out next week and it would run about $50 an hour that he'd bill directly to you. Would you like me to set that up for you?"
15 Reply
Jill F.
Investor · Akron, OH · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 4k+ votes
7y
@Charlie Moore I'm going guess that this is about way more than one complaint about chipped paint. What is the back story? Does this tenant have a history of making veiled threats or constant minor complaints? Some personality disordered people truly enjoy trying to aggravate and get under you skin when they get mad about something which may be completely unrelated to the stated problem. They revel in trying to get you upset especially about something that appears to be trivial and enjoy making you appear unreasonable especially if it enhances their 'victimhood'. What is really going on?
1 Reply
Bjorik Mutize
Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2016 · 530 posts · 398 votes
7y
Originally posted by @Charlie Moore:

@Bjorik Mutize
Blame the lease? Like always revert back to my agreed lease
Exactly.
0 Reply
Jay HinrichsBusiness Member
Real Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
7y
Originally posted by @Charlie Moore:

- Losing your temper as a landlord...
- Do you ever get into heated arguments with tenants?
- how do you handle these texting or calling battles?
I never text or answer text unless its my wife or kids or one of my very close business associates.. realtors / PMs and Especially a tennant would never engage them I mean half the time i dont even read my text messages but once a week or so..
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2 Reply
Account Closed
Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
7y
I like text. It forms a written discussion that can be used in court. The trick is to be very careful about what I say.
As far as getting emotional, I've found the best solution is to simply not go there. I am an emotional person easily riled, so for me it has taken some practice. The silver lining has been that practice spills over to the rest of my life too, helping me to take all things in stride. Life is too short - better to laugh this stuff off.
However, once a tenant has shown they are going to be a perpetual pain in the butt, I send them on their way.
Month to month baby.
Lead poisoning is no joke. If your property was built before 1978, you had better get right over there and fix that chipping paint. Neglected safety hazards equal lawsuits. Further, do you really want a brain dead kid on your conscience? I would be pissed off too if the property was pre 1978 and you were refusing to remedy the chipping paint.
5 Reply
Mike Dymski
Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
7y
My wife would take away both of your phones and not allow you to play with them anymore.
Joking aside, we all get more angry and frustrated than we should. Until we take responsibility for it and learn to control it, we forever remain a child. I am a work in progress. Real estate is easy...controlling our minds is another story.
8 Reply
Peter TverdovBusiness Member
Developer · New Brunswick, NJ · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
7y
I deal with a lot of student rentals and Generation Z doesn't know how to speak over the phone. So when I sense they're getting emotional or after they think they're an attorney because they spent 60 seconds on Google, I will call them up to calm them down and smooth things over.
I have gotten angry once or twice via text and as soon as I sent the message I have told myself, okay I need to jump on the phone with this person.
Keep in mind tone can be interpreted in many different ways when you're just reading it and not hearing it.
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3 Reply
Terry Lowe
Member since 2019 · 7 posts · 3 votes
7y
Always have a comprehensive lease, and then it’s easy to refer to the lease for answers. It’s already in writing, and there is no need for arguments.
1 Reply
Matthew Paul
Severna Park, MD · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
7y
I just tell them " I dont text " . I only talk on the phone
1 Reply
Stanley Bronstein
Attorney, CPA, Broker & Author · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2018 · 532 posts · 488 votes
7y
However, texting can be good, as you are documenting the conversation in writing. I keep an app on my Android phone that automatically backs my texts up to a directory in my Gmail account. That way you have a backup, even if you delete the texts from your phone.
It works like a charm.
The app is called SMS backup. I'm sure there's something similar for iPhones.
1 Reply
Trey Crusey
Real Estate Agent · Birmingham, AL · Member since 2018 · 72 posts · 37 votes
7y
Why would you give your tenants your cell phone number anyway? Esp with all of the free land lord sites like cozy or tellus or tenantcloud that track maintenance requests. The last thing I’d want is tenants having my personal number
3 Reply
Patrick HancockBusiness Member
Real Estate Broker · Orlando, FL · Member since 2018 · 101 posts · 108 votes
7y
In my experience tenants prefer texting over talking on the phone or email. If you do communicate with your tenant via text keep it very brief, to the point and professional. As previously mentioned it can be a good source of documentation.
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