The Landlord / Tenant Relationship

I’ve always said that it’s crucial to get on with tenants, as well as having a vicarious duty towards them, it makes life so much easier and more pleasant.  It is not unusual for some of my tenants to give me a hug when I see them and I often have a cup of tea with them whilst inspecting the property, rather than it being a very formal procedure.  It is a chance to catch up, to see how things are going in the flat, if there are any niggles and learning about the neighbouring properties.  Often a tenant won’t get around to ringing or emailing a complaint but they will mention things whilst we’re together.

Recently, I had the unpleasant task of needing to serve notice on 7 tenants, all occupying an HMO which was set to be demolished and made into flats.  The entire process went like clockwork, with everyone leaving as they should, without the need for court evictions, saving the landlord initial court fees of £2737 (£391 per room).  Much of this involved keeping the tenants well informed about the plans, some of them before they even moved in; as well as the good relationships I had nurtured; but before all of this, it also came from selecting the right tenants in the first place.  It is not unusual, during this time when we face a real shortage of properties, to have applicants race to be the first to offer, the first to pay a holding deposit, etc.  But it is not unusual for me to look past the first in the queue and encourage another, more suitable applicant, to put an offer forward.  Perhaps due to nearly 30 years’ experience, or perhaps due to having very good intuition, I am able to pick out which tenants would be best for the property.  In much tougher times, which there have been over the years, such as at the end of 2008 when we had a glut of properties and low demand, there is not always an opportunity to select someone better and I have correctly predicted that the applicants would be tricky!  But despite this, there has not been a tenant I have not been able to smooth relations with in the end.