Do you do gift baskets for your tenants?

Question

What do you do? I would like to give my current renter a gift for the holidays ; and a week HND gift basket for my other one - but no idea what to put together. Thank you in advance for your thoughts and replies...

Dennis M. · Answer

Yes a a few lotto tickets , a bottle of mad dog and a pack of Newport’s . That oughta make their Yuletide gay

Jim K. · Answer

Tangelos. Can't go wrong with tangelos.

Marc Winter · Answer

To me, a tenant is a valued customer; that does not make them a friend.  We treat everyone with respect, wish them a Happy Happy, and let it go at that.  We used to offer a Dunkin or Starbucks card ($5.00) for a referral that signed a lease, but no longer.

80% of the people are ok; 10% are terrifically wonderful; 10% are PITA.  The difficult part is to try to ignore that last 10% and focus on the other 90%.

Merry Christmas!

Nathan Gesner · Answer

Nothing. Does your mortgage company give you a gift? How about your auto lender? Your cell phone company? TV provider?

It's a business. You've entered into a mutually beneficial contract. They abide by the terms, you abide by the terms, everyone is happy. There's no need to treat them like your buddies and there's almost zero benefit from it.

Patrick M. · Answer

Under NJ law tenants are not customers. Customers go to small claims court, tenants have their own court carved out of the civil part. They are afforded far more rights then a customer.

I screen for great tenants, no amount gifts is going to make them better and no lack of gifts will make them worse.

I personally convey to them my appreciation when I talk with them and also when I offer them a lease renewal.

I also do not see my tenants as my subordinates. I expect my rent and lease honored and they expect their concerns promptly addressed.

As such- I do not expect a gift from them, and not receiving one will not make me less committed to my responsibilities.

Christopher Freeman · Answer

We do a small box of chocolates and a well-wishing card during the December holidays. It costs $5-7/tenant/year and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I don't balk at reinvesting $100 of the $100k we collect each year in customer relations.

Do you do gift baskets for your tenants?

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