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Why You Shouldn't Be Friends With Your Tenant

There are many reasons why becoming friends with your tenant can cause problems, whether you’re managing your own property or using a property manager.

There has always been a debate about whether or not you should be friends with your tenant. Some find that having a friendship increases their odds of a longer tenancy and makes for a pleasant experience for both the landlord and the tenant. On the other hand, many landlords have run into issues or been taken advantage of by tenants that got a little too comfortable.

Whether you are managing your own properties or working with a property management company, being friends with your tenant isn’t a good idea. Some landlords like to know who is residing in their homes, but we’ll explain why this can create problems for you.

If You Hired a Property Manager...

Creates a Triangle of Miscommunication

When multiple parties are involved, the tenant won’t know who they’re supposed to report to. They might tell you one thing and the property management company something else. Even if they only report to you, you could relay incorrect information to the property manager.

On top of that, tenants usually assume that the property owner is higher up on the totem pole. Once they establish a relationship with you, they will feel that you hold the power and send complaints and requests to you instead. This creates frustration for you because you hired the property manager to handle any questions or concerns that arise with the tenant.

You Hired a Buffer

The reason you hired a property manager is because you didn’t want to manage the property yourself. The property manager is there to communicate with tenants on behalf of you. It’s one of the biggest perks of having a manager!

The property manager should be the one responsible for things like determining necessary repairs, increasing the rent, and scheduling inspections. Things can get messy when you, the owner, try to step in. You might agree to something without consulting the property manager, leading to a conflict both with them and the tenant.

If You're Managing the Property Yourself...

Befriending the Tenant

If you’re managing your own property, you will likely meet your tenant since you don’t have a buffer person. This relationship should be kept on professional terms so you don’t run into future issues.

Your tenants need to respect both you and your home. When you develop a friendship with your tenants, they will treat you as a friend and not an authority figure. They may ask for leniency when it comes to late payments or lease violations. You’ll be tempted to give in to their requests as to not make things awkward.

This will only cause more problems for you in the long run. You won’t want to cause friction with the tenants, but you could lose out on necessary fees. It’ll be hard to tell when you should draw the line once you allow them to break a rule.

Should You Rent to a Friend?

You might also consider renting to a friend or relative. On the surface, it seems like a great idea to rent to someone you already know and trust. However, these situations can quickly turn sour.

These tenants might be more relaxed about maintenance issues or repairs, but when it comes to issues involving money, be prepared for problems to arise. Because you already have an established friendship with them, they may ask for leniency on security deposits, late rent payments, or rent increases. It’s up to you if you want to relent, but over time you will start to lose out on important rental income. It also sets the precedent that you are willing to make exceptions for them.

Lastly, you should be treating all tenants the same if you have multiple properties. You could get into big trouble if you’re allowing late rent from your friends and being strict with other tenants.

Final Thoughts

The moral of the story is that your relationship with your tenants should always be professional. They should respect you as the owner of the home and understand that they need to abide by any rules you have in place.

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Further Reading

Short-term Rental vs. Long-term Rental: 12 Things to Know

Steve Welty

Steve Welty is the founder and CEO of Good Life Property Management. Since its establishment in 2013, Steve and his team have made owning rental property easy for over 1,000 San Diego homeowners.Their purpose is Life Improved–creating opportunity, enjoyment, and impact for their community is what matters most. DRE #01744610

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Tagged Tenant Issues

There has always been a debate about whether or not you should be friends with your tenant. Some find that having a friendship increases their odds of a longer tenancy, it makes for a pleasant experience for both the landlord and the tenant. On the other hand, many landlords have run into issues or been taken advantage of by tenants that got a little too comfortable. Hi, I’m Chloe with Good Life Property Management, and today we’re going to go over the reasons why befriending your tenant is a bad idea. Before we get started, be sure to hit the subscribe button for more amazing content like this. We’re going to divide this video into two parts. The first being, if you have a property manager managing your rental and the second being if you are the sole landlord. So why is it bad to befriend your tenant if you have a property manager? First, it’s confusing for the tenant. The tenant should have one point of contact. In this case, it’s the property manager. If they are able to contact both you and the manager, wires make it cross and information may be relating correctly. On top of that, tenants usually assume that the owner is higher up on the totem pole. Once they establish a relationship with you, they will feel that you hold the power and send complaints and requests to you instead. This creates frustration for you because you hire the property manager to handle any questions or concerns that arise with the tenant. Another reason is because you hired the property manager to be your buffer. One of the many perks of having a property manager is that you have more time for yourself and don’t have to deal with the stress of being a landlord. The property manager is there to communicate with the tenants on behalf of you and keep your best interests in mind. They can’t do that if the tenant forms a relationship with you. So why is this a problem if you’re the sole landlord? If you’re managing your own property, you will likely meet your tenant since you don’t have a longer person. This relationship should be kept on professional terms so you don’t run into future issues. When you develop a friendship with your tenants, they will treat you as a friend and not an authority figure. They might ask for leniency when it comes to late payments or at least violations. They’ll be tempted to give into the request so as not to cause friction in the relationship. Once you do this, it can be very difficult to draw the line when future issues arise. You might also consider renting to a friend or relative. On the surface, it seems like a great idea to rent to someone you already know and trust. However, these situations can quickly turn sour. Because you already restablish a relationship with them, they may ask for leniency on security deposits. Late rent payments are rent increases. It’s up to you if you want to relent, but over time you’ll start to lose out on an important rental income. The moral of the story is that your relationship with your tenant should always be professional. They should respect you as an owner of the home and understand that they need to abide by any rules you have in place. That wraps up today’s video. Don’t forget to give us a like and subscribe. I’m Chloe and that’s Olivia behind the counter. Thank you.