Communication between owners and property managers is essential, and the most common complaint we hear from clients who come to us from other property management companies is that they weren’t receiving good communication from their management team.
Every owner is different. Some want to receiving a lot of communication and others only want to be bothered if there’s a major problem. So today, we’re discussing what you should expect when it comes to communication from your Columbus property management company.
Finding the Right Communication Balance
We believe there is a minimum amount of communication that an owner needs in order to know what is going on at the property. We also know that owners don’t want to be overwhelmed with information. There are some matters that require urgent discussion and other issues that can wait. Some things simply have to be reported to the owner and not necessarily discussed or decided upon.
One thing we do to ensure appropriate and proactive owner communication is to discuss expectations at the beginning of our relationship. We want to know how often you’d like to hear from us. This helps us talk to you when we should and leave you alone when you don’t want to be disturbed.
Situations Where Communication is Necessary
There are some situations in which communication will always occur. When any these things happen, we involve the rental property owner as soon as possible:
- When possession of the property is returned to us after a tenant leaves.
- When routine turnover repair work and cleaning are complete and we start marketing the property. Our leasing team is instructed to reach out to the owner at least once a week during the vacancy period so you know where you stand with the search for a great tenant. We will tell you about the feedback we are getting and any activity that’s happening.
- When we are ready to approve a tenant who has been screened. We want to review our screening results with you and make sure you’re comfortable with the resident or residents we are placing in your property.
- When an expensive repair is necessary at your property. This may be anything over $500. While we can easily take care of minor repairs without contacting you, we feel you should know when major repairs are required so there aren’t any surprises when you open up your monthly accounting statement.
- When there are code violations at your property. We will make sure you are aware of them, and we’ll take care of enforcing the requirements with your tenant.
- When we need to file for eviction.
Our philosophy is that communication prevents surprises and misunderstandings.
To enhance the way we communicate, we provide an online portal through our management software which allows owners to check their accounts 24 hours a day. You can easily find out where you stand in terms of income and expenses. We provide total transparency.
If you have any questions about how your property manager should be communicating with you, please contact us at Solutions for Real Estate.
