Tenants as neighbors

[Thomas P. Stafford II]

In 2019 we purchased our first building, duplex, with 2 doors. We live in one side and rent the other side. We are in the process of purchasing our neighboring buildings creating four additional doors. Exciting stuff! Although, I’m a little concerned about living in the middle of our 5 tenants who previously were just our neighbors. I plan on writing a newsletter to our new tenants laying out the change over, and establishing protocol such as notifying us by email or through rentredi.com of maintenance issues and not to come to our door. What advice do you have in this situation? What information is appropriate to add in the newsletter?

Thank you,

Jamie Stafford

[Nathan Gesner]

You are on the right track: set boundaries and stick to them.

First consideration is to have a system in place where they can report maintenance in writing. This enables you to better track without interrupting your day. Even if it's just email, at least you can have a conversation without having to catch each other on the phone, you can attach pictures, etc.

Second consideration is a phone number specifically for renters. You can set up a Google Voice number. Tenants call and are instructed to leave a message. You can listen to the message or get an email transcript of the call, then decide when/how to respond. This prevents them from calling your cell at 9:30pm on a Saturday to ask about renewing their lease.

Once these systems are in place, educate your tenants and then enforce it. If they show up on your doorstep or catch you in the driveway, be friendly and polite but remind them that everything has to be done through email, phone, or whatever system you've set up. I'm in a small town and see my renters at restaurants, grocery store, etc. If they start asking questions about how to get a pet or pay rent late or complain that their toilet keeps flushing on its own, I tell them I have a terrible memory and will probably forget it by the time I get back to the office so they MUST follow the process and contact the office during office hours.