Self managed landlords, do you give tenants your cell?

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Self managed landlords, do you give tenants your cell?

Landon Rasmussen
Member since 2018 · 13 posts · 18 votes

I'm in the process of closing on my first property. I plan to be self managed. It's a 3 unit that is currently fully occupied. All tenants are on month to month agreements which means that it's possible for me to need to start looking for new tenants at almost any point. 

My question is this: when searching for new tenants and posting your property without a real estate agent, do you use your personal cell as a point of contact or do you do something else? Do you have a separate cell phone? 

Same question applies to tenants you already have. How do they get a hold of you when they call? 

I'm not so sure I want to give out my personal cell number to everyone that applies or even to tenants I might end up with. How do you deal with this problem?

Thanks in advance everyone!

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Most Popular Reply

Chris Ellis
Lender · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2017 · 106 posts · 75 votes
8y

A great source for a free number is through Google Voice. Create or login to a gmail account. Open a new tab and go to https://google.com/voice and set up a free number to use. This can forward directly to your cell without having to give them your personal number. 

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  • Scott Weaner
    Rental Property Investor · Yardley, PA · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 561 votes
    8y

    Google Voice is great. I encourage the tenants to use it to text me rather than call. 

    2Reply
  • Justin K.
    Depew, NY · Member since 2017 · 44 posts · 40 votes
    8y
    I tested Google voice and found it more annoying than anything. Being asked what number I wanted to call out from etc. got old quick. I do give my tenants my personal cell number. Usually I'll allow it to go to VM and return the call when it's convenient or immediately if it's urgent. The only time this has been a problem is when my one tenant texts excessively asking when the plow company will be doing rounds during the winter months. I've only used CL for postings and try to keep all communications through email. So far it's worked well for the handful of vacancies I've had in my 8 units.
    2Reply
  • Brian K.
    Rental Property Investor · Buffalo, MN · Member since 2010 · 511 posts · 92 votes
    8y

    I use a google voice # for ads. In the end though it all dumps into my cell phone, so either way its all there. I have no problem giving out my cell #, theirs a number of ways to control calls. 

    0Reply
  • Krishna Chava
    Specialist · Carrollton, TX · Member since 2016 · 145 posts · 100 votes
    8y

    @Landon Rasmussen Use google voice, but don't use google voice number associated with your personal email account. Create a separate gmail account for property management and use that google voice number. My concern here is not about receiving or blocking frequent calls. There are other ways to manage that issue. If you give google voice number that is associated with personal Gmail to tenants, Google will think you are friends. So will Facebook, Linkedin and many sites that are mining data in the background. Few months from now Linkedin and facebook will be showing you these tenants as suggested contacts and it will be making the same suggestion to your tenants. Quite awkward if you just evicted the tenant and it can even be dangerous as tenants will know much more about you that you would have liked them to know.

    It is very important to treat landlording as a business even if you have 1 or 2 properties.

    2Reply
  • Robert Blade
    Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 0 votes
    8y
    @Matt K. I agree
    0Reply
  • Justin R.Pro Member
    Rental Property Investor · San Anselmo · Member since 2015 · 659 posts · 600 votes
    8y

    You can have 2 google voice accounts. One of them being an "emergency number" and the other number for "during business hour". 

    This allows you to vet your phone calls, and make sure if they do call at any hour, its actually warranted.

    1Reply
  • Sean Rhodes
    Rental Property Investor · Portland, OR · Member since 2018 · 45 posts · 10 votes
    8y
    @JD Martine what is your screening process??
    1Reply
  • Dawn AnastasiPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    8y

    I have a Google voice number for applicants but my tenants have my cell number. Most tenants text rather than call.

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    2Reply
  • Michael Japuncic
    Investor · Langley, BC · Member since 2014 · 16 posts · 10 votes
    8y

    I agree with and do it the same as @JD Martin.

    I don't post my cell number on the ads, all contact is through email which has worked great in my area. If I can trust them to live in one of my houses, then I can trust them with my cell. Then I make sure that all of the tenants have my number which is to my benefit because if there is a water leak or some other type of emergency I want to know ASAP!

    1Reply
  • Curtis BidwellPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Olympia, WA · Member since 2014 · 781 posts · 744 votes
    8y

    I have 87 doors self manage 1/2 of them, and yes, they have my personal cell #.  It is also printed on a 4x8 corner street sign for our apartments.  I can’t recall any prank calls. A few seasonal leads (we’re close to a college). I got a 3am call when a ceiling collapsed. Had the contractor there at 8 am! 

    I tell each incoming tenant that I will usually answer during business hours and often times when you least expect it, but be ready to leave a message and I’ll determine how critical it is and respond accordingly.  

    I Do put them in my contacts so I know who is calling (and ignore the complaining lady who always gripes about the kids downstairs!)

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    7Reply
  • Ericka Williams
    Investor · Austin, TX · Member since 2012 · 68 posts · 19 votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Hai Loc:

    Never.. You should get Grasshopper 1-800 number.. Give them an extension that goes straight to a voicemail.. or an extension that directs to your cell and you can choose when and when not to pick up..  Or add a different number to your existing cell phone plan and make sure the plan allows you to know when an incoming call is coming from that new 2nd line..  imagine tenants calling your main cell line at 2am for a leak

     DITTO. There is a phone in my office but folks are going to voicemail and I can check the voicemails. 

    0Reply
  • Ryan Dossey
    Real Estate Broker · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2014 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    8y

    Heck no. I would set them up to a Google Voice or Call Rail # with a message stating that their request will be processed within 24 hours. 

    Another options (one I like better) is to use a ticketing software like Zendesk. This way they are automatically updated and notified throughout the entire process. 

    0Reply
  • Soh Tanaka
    Property Manager · Lindenhurst, IL · Member since 2016 · 854 posts · 506 votes
    8y

    Maybe I'm old fashioned, but I give my cell numbers to my tenants. No issues so far. The thing about Google voice like is that, yes I can receive messages, but I want to call them back with my cell, and when I do that, they'll find out about my numbers anyway. 

    As you can tell from those who are give the cell numbers, it's not that bad. 

    4Reply
  • Account Closed
    Rental Property Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2018 · 8 posts · 4 votes
    8y
    @Landon Rasmussen Absolutely! We experienced a fire in the garage In a multi-family and I’m so glad one of our the tenants thought to call us at the moment as the fire dept was pulling up. Emergencies will happen and you want to know at the moment.
    1Reply
  • Mark Cruse
    Investor · Fort Washington, MD · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    They have always had mine. Never had any issue.

    0Reply
  • Victor G.
    Contractor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2018 · 55 posts · 17 votes
    8y
    @Landon Rasmussen My tenants have my personal cell where they are able to either call me for URGENT matters e.g. upstair water heater bursted or text me for any minor issues. I lIve in a hot rental market where there are little to no vacancies with competitve rent prices. My tenants realize that if they become a pest with frivolous calls, they probably will get a higher rental increase and won’t want to get their lease renewed.
    1Reply
  • Mansi KothariPro Member
    Investor · Roslyn, NY · Member since 2017 · 32 posts · 5 votes
    8y

    Google Voice for the win! They can text as well as call.

    1Reply
  • Isaac Braun
    Professional Engineer · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2017 · 117 posts · 75 votes
    8y

    My actual tenants have my personal cell once they have been there for a couple months and prove themselves as being considerate.  Prospective tenants get a google voice number in the local area code.   Congrats on the new property

    0Reply
  • Brian Ellis
    Rental Property Investor · South shore, MA · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    Id rather give them my cell phone number, than my work number lol. 

    Im a little old school for my age, I like to have conversations over the phone. You get better reads.

    1Reply
  • Travis Walker
    Rental Property Investor · Belleville, MI · Member since 2018 · 4 posts · 5 votes
    8y

    Another vote for google voice (or one of the paid alternatives). This works well if you have partners (both get calls/texts) or if you are out of town and need to have calls forwarded to someone else's phone temporarily. 

    1Reply
  • Melissa Gittens
    Real Estate Broker · Windsor, CT · Member since 2015 · 1k+ posts · 268 votes
    8y

    I have a separate contact number that the tenants/clients use to contact me.

    0Reply
  • Peter StewartBusiness Member
    Real Estate Broker · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2018 · 160 posts · 168 votes
    8y

    I used to. Big mistake. Nothing worse than getting texted a million times by tenants about stupid stuff. At night. On weekends. Holidays. Etc. Don't do it.

    I self manage my properties. After a bad tenant eviction, and a lot of reading on BP forums, I've decided to distance myself as the owner. I started a property management company (which is easy as registering an LLC, opening a bank account, registering a website, and setting up gmail and google voice accounts).

    So, I can now introduce myself as the property manager (since it's true). And, I can give out a separate email and phone number (and only have 1 phone).

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    2Reply
  • Kelsey Ross
    Rental Property Investor · Toronto, ON · Member since 2018 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    8y

    Giving my tenants my cell has saved me far more then the bother.  If your operation is small and you want to be hands on provide cell# majority of my tenants text and are even on whatsapp where they can send me pictures or videos of issue and deal with accordingly. Good luck

    0Reply
  • Sarah Ellis
    Real Estate Agent · Clarksville, TN · Member since 2017 · 26 posts · 13 votes
    8y
    Google voice is where it’s at.
    0Reply
  • Derek Janssen
    Rental Property Investor · Novato, CA · Member since 2018 · 110 posts · 145 votes
    8y

    I self manage 10 properties and all my tenants have my cell number.  The trick is weeding out the "needy" tenants - still working on that, but their rent is the first to go up :)

    As far as screening tenants, I don't answer any of their calls and handle it all by email.  I start by emailing them my list of requirements:

    1) No smokers or tobacco users

    2) Pets under 25 lbs only

    3) 2 years on the job

    4) 2 years positive rental experience

    5) No evictions or bankruptcies

    6) 2.5 times rent documented take home salary

    7) Minimum credit score of 600. If you do not know your credit score, there are free services on the internet to look that up.

    Please send me a copy of that report if you wish to be considered further.

    If you meet the above criteria, I would be happy to send you an application and schedule a showing of the property.

    That usually weeds out 3/4 of the tire kickers.

    Most of my tenants text me.  If it's something stupid, I wait a day to respond.

    As someone else said, this is what I signed up for and I smile at the $100/month/property I save.

    Figure out how to get good tenants and it'll all be fine.

    The only time it was an issue was when a tenant texted me while I was working in China at 2am.  But I smile then too bc, this is a business I can do from anywhere in the world.

    I was riding my dirtbike on the beach in baja for 9 days while a rehab was going on in one of my properties.  That's what you can do when you hire good people.

    I love this business...

    6Reply
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