So, in our discussion about setting boundaries, we have talked about setting office hours and creating protocols for reporting maintenance issues and how to define and emergency.
If you did not have these protocols in place before, do you have some now? Let’s talk about the third questions which was:
“Do you have standard operating protocols to deal with different situations?”
For example, what does your tenant need to do to give notice to vacate? Will you accept the notice verbally? Does it need to be in writing? Will you accept a text or an email? Do you insists on certified mail?
I personally will only accept it is writing but I will accept a text or an email. I require the tenant to give the exact date that they will be out. I then follow up with a letter stating that I have received their notice to vacate. It is usually a 30 day notice so that kicks off a move out series of emails that I send.
What happens when the lease isn’t up and the tenant gives notice. Do you have a written process for that? What happens if the tenant doesn’t give enough notice?
I could go on and on about the procedures that you need to have in place to deal with a variety of issues. My point is that when issues come up and you are caught off guard, it can be stressful. Landlords reach out to me all the time and will say what happened and then ask what I would do or what I think.
Be prepared for as many situations as you can think of and create a protocol for that. I have a folder called SOP (Standard Operating Procedures) that I can refer to when needed. If I run across a situation that I haven’t dealt with before, I figure it out and write it down.
You need protocols for just about everything. The list below is just what I could think of right off the top of my head.
- Move out.
- Rent turn.
- Hire contractors.
- Collect 1099’s.
- List a property.
- Pre-screen.
- Show a property.
- Run credit.
- Move in.
- Code violations.
- Non-payment.
- Evictions.
- Lease violations.
I love to be prepared! It makes the job a lot easier which means I don’t stress out when these situations pop up. What other things can you all think of that we need an SOP for? I know there are a LOT more of them!
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