Whether you have a resident who wants to talk on the phone, meet in person or only texts, it all boils down to one truth: the landlord business is a relationship business. Building and maintaining a professional yet personable rapport with your residents is key to developing a lasting business relationship. Because at the end of the day, no matter how friendly you are with your residents, you still need them to pay their rent on time.

Here are our top five tips for relating to residents in a professional manner.

Start off on the right foot.

From day one, you want to work on developing a positive yet professional relationship with your residents. That means making them feel welcome and comfortable at the property, and providing them with all the information they need to start their tenancy off right. That includes contact numbers, details on your expectations, important dates and locations of the nearest grocery stores, schools, bus stops, etc.

Document everything.

This helps with your budgeting but also helps keeps track of your residents’ payments and requests. Be sure to keep archives of all your communications and receipts. It will also help when a resident has a question or disputes a charge.

Communicate early and often about repairs.

Nothing is as frustrating to a resident as not knowing when their stove is going to be replaced or when you’re going to come and finally fix the shower door. Whether it’s a big repair or something minor, make sure your residents know that you received their request and update them along the way in order to manage their expectations.

Always maintain professionalism.

If a dispute arises, and it’s getting heated, take a break to cool off. No matter what, you need to stay level-headed and professional. Stick to the facts, and your policies and procedures, and set emotions aside.