Most tenant problems I see are not repair problems. They are communication problems. A small leak becomes a big one because nobody said anything for three weeks. A late payment becomes a fight because the rule was never clear in the first place.

We run 236 doors in Memphis, mostly single-family and heavy Section 8, and we keep it simple:

1. One rent payment method, written into the lease, same for every house. No exceptions, no side deals.

2. One way to report a problem, in writing, with photos. If it is not written down, it did not happen.

3. We answer fast and say what happens next and by when. Even if the answer is "the plumber is coming Tuesday," the tenant knows.

4. We do not negotiate the rule over text. The lease is the lease.

When the rules are the same for every house, tenants know what to expect, and we can see fast which step slipped when something goes wrong.

What is the one communication rule that has saved you the most headaches?