Not all lease terminations result from a tenant's inability to pay rent. Sometimes it comes down to poor or failed tenant relations between the property owner and the business leasing the property.
If you're a property owner, you know how important it is to maintain a good relationship with your tenants. Not only can it make the lease term easier to manage, but it can also help to increase renewal rates.
Mutual respect for one another goes a long way in knowing that your tenant respects your property and policies. It can eliminate late payments, rent arbitration, or property damage due to an angry tenant.
In this article, we'll show you why having a good property manager and maintaining tenant relationships are so important.
Tenant Relations: How to Start
Chances are you have never met a prospective tenant before they contacted you about a commercial property. You want to lease your space, and they need a place to house their business. Since you both need the other, the initial meeting is positive and cordial.
After the lease is signed and the tenant moves in, things can take an abrupt turn if the relationship is nurtured. That's where commercial property management becomes crucial.
Commercial Lease Agreements
Start with a good commercial lease agreement that outlines all of your expectations. Several key factors should always be included, such as the following:
- Legal names
- Leasee name
- Business name
- Property Description
- Lease monthly amount
- Length of lease
- Lease terms
Before signing the lease, all parties should tour the property and conduct an inspection. Any promises made during the inspection should be honored.
Tenant Improvement Projects
Regarding commercial leases, tenant improvement projects are any repairs or changes a landlord makes to their property as part of their lease agreement. These changes are usually done to set up the space for a new tenant.
Completing the projects on time is crucial. It will require working with the leasee to ensure everything meets their expectations.
Lease Renewal Strategies
Commercial management companies are well-versed in lease renewal strategies. You should know if tenant relations are on par before a lease is up for renewal. They can keep their lines of communication open by using the following resources:
- Tenant payment portals
- Monthly newsletters
- Online maintenance requests
- Complaint process
Are maintenance issues resolved promptly? Have security concerns been addressed? Quarterly satisfaction surveys can forewarn of problems and help you remain proactive.
Start the renewal process in advance if you plan a rent increase. Or, on the rare occasion, the tenant has to relocate to another storefront or property.
Lastly, keep the lines of communication open by visiting the tenant to ensure their needs are being met.
Communication is Key
Positive landlord-tenant relations don't happen overnight, so you'll need both parties to put in the work. It's not as hard as you may think, especially if you utilize a commercial property management company.
If you're in the Austin area, contact us today to learn more about our management services.
