Five ways to be the ideal tenant
The relationship between tenant and landlord is ultimately about two people getting along, writes Kathleen Kinney.
Unless you’re lucky enough to buy a home straight out of university (thanks, Mum and Dad), you’ll probably be living in a rental for at least a few years. And that means dealing with a landlord.
In a tight housing market, renting a property becomes a competitive exercise. In some of our larger cities, landlords are in a position to be choosy about whom they want as a tenant.
If you’re renting, the landlord calls the shots on your living situation right now. But most property owners are not the horrible people that some tenants make them out to be.
Plenty of them are ordinary, decent people with a considerable investment in a property that they want to protect.
So if you love your rental place, you’ll want to endear yourself to the property owner by making it clear that you are an ideal tenant. Here are a few suggestions.
Dress to impress, and tidy the car
The initial showing isn’t just to find out if you like the property – it’s for the landlords to decide if they like you, too. Don’t show up looking like a slob and don’t present a careless, lazy attitude. Treat the showing like a job interview.
‘‘I look at how they’re presenting themselves,’’ says Richard, a landlord with two homes in the suburbs east of Auckland. ‘‘If they don’t care about making a good impression, I question whether they’ll care about how they treat the property.’’
While no landlords can deny housing based on race, religion, national origin, familial status, age, disability, or gender, they can certainly say no if they believe you’ll be an undesirable tenant.
You might want to keep your car in order, too.
‘‘I always look at how well-kept their vehicle is,’’ Richard says. ‘‘I don’t care how old it is, I don’t care what model it is, and I don’t if it needs a wash.
‘‘But if the inside is full of garbage and fast-food bags? I can’t help but assume that’s the way the inside of the house is going to look.’’
Honesty is the best policy
Many landlords ask for a pre-tenancy application form on which you’ll provide the following: your name and contact details; where you’re living now and your renting history; proof of your identity; and references they can contact.
According to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, this form also gives landlords permission to do a credit check.
Tempted to tell a little white lie about your credit rating, legal history, or work experience? Don’t.
Something wrong? Speak up
Once you’ve moved into the place, you still need to prove your worth. If your toilet won’t stop running, if the tub is slow to drain or the fridge has developed a disturbing rattle, don’t just sit on the information.
‘‘I’ve had tenants that put off calling because they thought ‘Maybe it will go away,’’’ Richard says. ‘‘It only exacerbates the problem, and a small fix could turn into a huge repair issue.’’
Clutter is OK but filth is not
Accumulated grime doesn’t just mean the move-out cleaning session will be a real pain – it could also be grounds for your landlord to keep your deposit, make you pay for professional cleaning, or even ask you to leave before your lease is up.
‘‘I understand clutter. Really, I do – you should see the state of my shed,’’ Richard says. ‘‘But if I come by for an agreed-to inspection and there’s grease all over the stovetop and the toilet is filthy and there are stains in the carpet? That’s a real problem.’’
Remember, your temporary residence is their permanent possession – and there’s nothing more disheartening than seeing your home falling into disrepair.
Stop ignoring the landlord
There are any number of reasons your landlord might need to talk with you – from making an appointment for a gutter cleaner to come by, to discussing an issue with the next-door neighbour, to showing the place to a potential buyer. Ignoring their texts and phone calls makes things more complicated, and could mean a bad reference when it’s time for you to leave.
‘‘I absolutely hate when I text and I call, and there’s no response,’’ Richard says. ‘‘It’s just making a needless hassle, because then I have to drive there, knock on their door, and leave them a written note.’’
Communication is especially important if you’re having financial troubles that could compromise your ability to pay your rent on time.
‘‘Being up front is so much easier, and I can’t help you if I don’t know the situation,’’ Richard says.