It is very difficult to deal with awkward tenants especially when they are new to letting property for renting purpose. It is very essential to manage the landlord –tenant relationship effectively and resolve the problems with proper techniques when they arise. Most of the people are civilized and are good people who pay their rent in time and cause no issues and do not violate the rules.
First thing to always keep in mind is that you should be professional with your tenants. Even if your tenants do not behave the same way then also you have to be very much professional with them. You have to keep one thing in mind that it is your business and you have to treat it as a business only. Be true and honest. Try to be in a relationship which is full of mutual respect and humanity. When they have any problem then you should be there to help them out. You should sort out their issues properly in time. Please forget the habit of lingering it on. Some problems are actually of serious nature and difficult to avoid such as basic amenities like electricity, leakage problem and water supply problem. These should be dealt on priority basis. The most common tenant problem is late rent and bad checks plus pets, noise, additional residents, sometimes landlords feel that the issue will be resolved itself and there is no need to interfere but that is a big mistake. Regarding rent it is always advisable to send nonpayment notices to everyone
Landlords are advised to keep detailed information of all the persons they are keeping as tenants. You should take their necessary documents. Also keep track of legal or financial transactions with your tenant. Also keep track of all the warnings or requests you have issued to your tenant. Always keep copies of all the e-mails and letters to and from your tenant. You can minimize the possibility of damage by using hard wearing, durable material, and carpets in a dark color. Do not use breakable things.
The best thing is to screen your tenants in beginning only. This will help you to avoid issues later on and thus helping you to save your time and energy. Be aware of the employment history, behavior, criminal records, reason for leaving the previous flat and credit history.