The most recent U.S. Census estimate showed that more than 125,000 new residents moved to California in 2022. This is great news for property owners looking for renters in the Covina area.
Yet, with so many residents making the move, landlords will find that they need to compete to find the best tenants in the market.
Setting up a tenant portal is a great way to attract renters because it means easily paying rent, among other features, online. Renters also have the advantage of more payment options.
Keep reading to learn how to make the most of your tenant portal.
Send Instructions to New Tenants
When you get a new renter, you need to send instructions on how your tenant portal works. New tenants might not have used a tenant portal before. They could be completely new to renting or just never had a landlord who used this tech.
Consider sending a welcome email that includes instructions for your tenant portal. The instructions should tell them how to log in and navigate the portal.
If your tenant portal offers specific features like paying rent and submitting maintenance requests online, include these instructions in the email as well.
Use the Portal for Rent Payments
Rental software is beneficial for landlords and tenants because it can make rent collection easy. Tenant portals provide a lot of options for paying rent from debit cards to ACH payments.
Most people don't use checks or carry around cash anymore. With an online portal, paying rent in the old-fashioned way is no longer a concern.
Once a tenant submits their payment, the money goes straight to the landlord.
You can easily set up rent payment reminders, late fees, and other financial concerns on the portal so tenants know exactly what to expect. The reminders will go straight to a tenant's inbox so they stay informed.
Use the Portal for Maintenance Requests
Owning a rental property requires landlords to be responsible for property maintenance. If something goes wrong in a tenant's unit, you are responsible for handling it or assigning a maintenance professional.
With a tenant portal, all maintenance requests are saved in one place. This means no requests are getting lost in phone calls or in-person meetings.
Tenants can leave specific comments on their problem to prepare you or a hired contractor for the fix.
Add Lease Information to the Portal
It's important to provide tenants with lease information that they can reference anytime.
Paper documents easily get lost, so adding lease information to the tenant portal is an ideal solution. If tenants have questions, they will have specific online paperwork to provide them with answers with ease.
When a tenant's lease is up, you can use the portal to offer them a lease renewal or schedule a move-out inspection.
Make the Most of Your Tenant Portal
A tenant portal can benefit tenants and property owners. To make the most of your tenant portal, send instructions to new renters, use the portal for rent payments and maintenance requests, and add lease information.
If you don't currently have a tenant portal, a professional property management company can help you implement this technology.
At PMI San Bernardino, we make the lives of landlords like you easier. Contact us today to learn about our services.
