​How to be a good tenant

Posted on: November 18th, 2024

It’s easy to think of the relationship between landlord and tenant in the same way as a supplier and customer. After all, one is buying something from the other, so it’s that simple – right?

Well, no doubt some landlord-tenant relationships are like this and that might be just fine for them.

But if you’re a tenant that would rather minimise the possibility and stress of having to move in the foreseeable future, it can pay to think of the arrangement with your landlord as a partnership.

You see for most landlords, if they have a good tenant in their property, they’d rather keep them than go through all the stress, cost and hassle of having to find new tenants every few months. There’s an old saying in business…

“It’s far easier and cheaper to keep a good customer than to try and find a new one.”

But it works both ways. Just as they don’t want to lose good tenants, you don’t want to be having to search for a new home every year. So what can you do to be a good tenant?

• Be honest in your application.
• Read your tenancy agreement, you will be agreeing to the clauses contained within it.
• Always pay your rent in full and on time.
• Communicate promptly with your landlord or agent if rent payments are becoming a struggle, it’s better to be upfront and honest than build up unauthorised arrears.
• Treat the property as if you own it, look after it and make it home.
• Be willing to carry out basic jobs around the place.
• Let your landlord know about maintenance issues immediately, don’t let small problems become large ones which are more difficult to put right.
• Allow your landlord or agent reasonable access for visits.
• Get to know your neighbours, and treat them in the same way that you’d like to be treated.

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