I have an investment property and this year I asked my agent to give a $50 gift voucher to my tenant as a goodwill gesture for looking after the place. My agent told me no one does this and questioned whether we should go ahead. I don't want the tenant to misinterpreted my action as weird, like giving with one hand and taking with the other, especially when time comes for a rent rise. Should I do anything as a landlord to keep good relations with the tenant?
Christmas gift for tenant a good idea?
skimp on 06/12/2016 - 17:07
Comments
Its been a long time since I was a tenant but I would say that rather than a Christmas gift I would rather my landlord set a reasonable rent and treat us respectfully throughout the year by attending to repairs and minimising disruption for inspections etc.
I wouldn't do it.
Our landlord sent us a bunch of flowers once on the day we moved into their property, with a card that welcomed us to our new home and that they hoped we would enjoy our time there.
I thought it was lovely.
Maybe instead of giving them a gift card let them know that you're taking a once off 50 dollars off of rent for the christmas week in thanks to the tenants for keeping the place clean and to allow them to have a better christmas.
I'm assuming its safer (money wise) to get rid of rent then it is giving money. You can also utilise the christmas thing to ensure its a once off sort of thing.
I have no idea if theres any problems in terms of agent pay or contract or anything like that though but it does push home the "its because you're a tenant" thing.
If my landlord gave me a bottle of wine the cynic in me would question why they are using/wasting my rent money to buy me something I don't need and I would be a little worried about them increasing the rent. If it was a gift voucher I may be more accepting.
Good idea ? No - it won't buy you brownie points if that's what you're after.
Depending on the house, offer up a bunch of plants or something that benefits both parties? They get a nice garden, which in turn is something that benefits you?
Or pay for a lawnmower guy to come out one day?
It comes down to the people. It can be interpreted in a number of ways and depending on how much risk you're willing to take and show a genuine gesture, could turn out horribly or wonderfully.
I personally wouldn't because of chance of misinterpretation.
I think sending a card to say something like Merry Christmas wouldn't be too bad, it'd show your tenants that you don't think of them as some kind of income generator but fellow human beings. That said, anything monetary might make me suspicious; cynic in me might think of it as the landlord giving me something before screwing me over.
money/gift = suss
i would think they are buttering me up for something in the next few monthssimple merry xmas card in the mail should do it and get the same desired outcome
Yeah, I would give them a few pot plants and ask them to take care of them. If they do u can go halves in the profits…
while it's a nice gesture it can be taken different ways.
years ago our landlord gave us a xmas hamper basket for xmas, the thought was nice, but all the crap in the hamper was out of date by at least a year.
I looked up the company that distributed the hamper and found the one we received was actually last years hamper.
so it went from being a nice gesture to 'oh what a tight ass'
maybe offer them some plants for around the house or something
As landlords for the past 10 years my wife and I have usually given a Christmas cake and a bottle of wine to our tenants purely as a nice gesture and nothing more.
None of our tenants took it as anything more; when we increased rents at properties they didn't seem to take it in a bad way.
I think it's a great idea as I used to do the same with my tenant.
Wish them a merry Xmas and thank them for looking after the property in the card. Finding great tenants is always hard.
I hate how people are always skeptical of people's intentions, sad world we live in.I wouldn't do it.
It will come across like you're desperate to rent out your property and the tenant has the upper hand.
The landlord has the upper hand.
If you wanted to create some goodwill, I would try to drop along for a regular inspection, introduce yourself as the owner with the agent next to you, and then suss each other out. Hopefully they're nice people like you, they will recognise that, and you can have some more personal rapport which will help them take care of your property. At that point, maybe ask them nicely to not scratch your nice new timber floor or marble benchtop or whatever concerns you.
A mate of mine has an investment property & every Christmas he gives his tenants one week free rent, mainly as they have been long term tenants & he's never had a problem with them.
It's a great idea I think. Or a bootle of wine and a card.
Send it directly otherwise they will think the real estate is giving it to them.
Just because others don't doesn't mean don't do it. If the tenants are good make em happy to stay.