A partnered landlord, tenant, property management program should be implemented in communities–the three groups are reliant of one another.

Trust among this grouping is vital. All parties must fulfill they responsibilities. But immediate expectations do fall on property managements; they are commissioned to finding tenants for their client/landlords. They must seek tenants able to meet the requested criteria: come up with first month’s rent, security deposit, and maybe pet fees. They want tenants who will pay full rent each month, care for rental property without causing new damages, and have no reported disturbances or police incidents during their occupancy.

Good landlord programs seem to imply landlords are favored by communities, councils, law systems, etc., and that tenants may be wicked, sinful lawbreakers.

Not all landlords are good landlords! Some rent “as is” without up-keep maintenance or repairs prior to renting their homes or units. A partnership could complement the three and better serve communities.

Property managements must be the liaison between landlords and tenants. They must push landlords to do needed repairs before more damage is caused to a home (especially when leases says tenant cannot do the work), and they must push landlords to correct problems in a timely manner for tenants’ comfort, safety, and good health.

With tenants also in mind, a one time application fee could be charged in lieu of many. Tenants must seek new rentals if: a landlord doesn’t renew a lease, the tenant wants to move within a new school boundary, has a job relocation, a need for more space, or because pleas for rental repairs have been ignored.

Partnership programs could execute a secured online family/individual tenants enrollment account with a “one-time” annual application fee of $25.00 per adult. Collected credit and background information could be logged into the account and be accessed by “one designated staff” of enrolled property managements with an assigned access code, for reassurance of misuse.

In closing, review scores of a landlord, tenant, and property management could be included with a 1-5 scale rating of whether each party upheld their responsibilities and a “yes or no” recommendation for future references without preconceived or personal prejudice.

Pete Terfertiller-Bassett

Harrisville