Tips on Helping your Tenant on Move-in Day

Tenants start sizing up their relationship with their tenants from the minute they make initial contact to ask about your rental property listing. They continue to build it when they come by and check out the place for viewing. By this time, they usually have a good idea on whether they want to rent from you or not.

How can you, as a landlord, go above and beyond your call of duty to have a great relationship with your new tenant? One of the easiest ways is to be mindful of move-in day.

When you find yourself moving into a new place, it can be stressful. It will be tiring. Figuring out furniture arrangements, unboxing, putting away clothes for hours in closets, etc. How can you help during one of the most difficult days of the year for them?

Buy them lunch!

Ordering a couple of pizzas and soft drinks and having them delivered to your new tenant is a super investment. It’s a cheap way to let them know you’ve thought of them. Most of the time during the middle of a move, the last thing on their mind is lunch. This can save them tons of time and they’ll be super grateful.

Welcome pack

Another nice gesture is to provide your new tenants with a basic welcome to the neighborhood kit. This can include a 4 pack of toilet paper, basic kitchen items such as rice, salt and snacks. Some fresh fruit, a couple of light bulbs and batteries are also a nice touch. The tenants can focus their first day on making their home feel right instead of making runs to the store for the most basic of supplies.

Provide a list of local area amenities

You can also provide a folder with a list of local places such as grocery stores, banks, pharmacies and other important places they may need. You can even provide some of your own personal favorites such as restaurants and places you like to order food from.

Take it even further if you find that local places offer coupons and specials and let your tenant know about them.

Connect them with neighbors

Something to consider is to have a private group of your tenants (with everyone’s consent, of course) on popular platforms such as signal, whatsapp, messenger, discord and more! This way, you can introduce them (if they opt-in to do so) on your online group messaging platforms and everyone involved can make them feel welcome.

This also works with a simple bulletin or newsletter. Again, make sure you respect everyone’s privacy.

Check up on them on their first day

A simple visit to their new home while they’re moving in and offering help can build a lot of rapport too. It doesn’t take too much of your time and it shows you care.

Building a strong relationship with your tenant can have wonderful effects on your business. Happy tenants pay their rent on time, request maintenance on time and hardly ever result in expensive evictions and damaged property. What type of things have you done to help your tenants on their move-in day?