RSS FeedPrevent Your Rent from Increasing
It is not uncommon for a tenants rent to increase by a certain percentage at the end of their lease. Whether you signed a six month lease or even an 18 month lease, rent will usually go up by the end of the lease. More often upon a six month leases’ end, rent will go up less than at the end of an 18 month lease. This isn’t always true, but it is common. If a tenant requests to remain a tenant on a month to month basis, this usually ends up being an even higher monthly increase. There are, however, a few things you can do that might gain you a different outcome. Usually, A++ tenants are hard to come by. If a landlord manages to get a perfect tenant in his property, he will usually bend over backwards to keep them. There have been occasions where a tenant actually goes month to month for several months with no rental increase at all. This is because the landlord was so satisfied with his tenant that he hoped to keep them longer by not increasing rent.
So, what are some of the ways to gain A++ status with your landlord? The first is so simple: pay your rent in advance. Pay at least one to one and a half weeks in advance. This will automatically make you stick out in the landlords mind. You would be surprised how much trouble a landlord goes through to collect rent.
Do repairs for free. They don’t have to be major repairs, but every time a tenant calls the landlord about a leaky faucet, the landlord usually has to pay large amounts to get a repair man out there, unless he covers it himself. Fixing a leaky faucet is simple. If you do fix a lead, replace a door hinge, spackle a hole in the wall, or any other small repair, send a friendly note with your payment. Be sure to include a smiley face, and never ask for compensation.
When you do small projects like these, don’t forget to send it in a note. Ask the landlord, on occasion, if there are some small projects that he would like help with. Ask him if he would like to get paint, so you can do the painting for him. If he has the lawn taken care of, surprise him, and let him know that does not have to pay for this month’s lawn care service, because it was a autumn day, and you took care of it for him.
By the time your lease is up, this landlord will be ready to do what it takes to keep you in the property. While this is not a guaranteed method of keeping your rent low, it sure helps, gives you a great reference, and definitely makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.