THE TAK
?Referencing is crucial
Rigorous referencing is by far the best method of avoiding problematic and
unfathomable tenants, yet it's a step so many landlords fall short on, if not completely
avoid. Insanity.
The time and effort you put into referencing will reward you more than ten-fold. Do it
properly. A 5 minute phonecall can be the difference between harbouring a total pillock
and having a stress free life.
Tenants that are able to provide references from previous landlords are delightful.
?Tenants require attention
I got suckered into the whole landlord gig because I was gullible enough to believe that
being a landlord generats passive income. I thought I was going to be making money in
my sleep, while dreaming about the nasty things I like to dream about.
That's probably one of the biggest misconceptions about the profession. I've had tenants
disturb me at ungodly hours during my most valued and intense moments. It usually
always happens at the most inconvenient of times.
The core of this article is to highlight how much attention can potentially be required,
and how much of your time will probably be wasted.
?Attend every reported issue, despite how stupid
A part of me painfully dies in the most traumatic and gruesome of means when a tenant
contacts me to report one of those problems that isn't really a problem. Being called
upon to resolve every little niggle only gets more painful, and that's why I'm partially a
walking corpse these days.
Being a landlord is largely about biting your lip and enduring stupidity. It's like any other
retail job; you're mostly dealing with precious idiots that are too lazy to do anything for
themselves, even if they're more than capable.
However, like all good servants, it's our duty as landlords to play the game and resolve
the problems we're presented with, regardless of how big or small. Allowing the
customer to remain displeased is a dangerous game, especially when they sleep, eat and
empty their bowels in our most valuable asset.