By Denise Rejec
While your landlord was accepting visits to view their property, they were probably going through a screening process to pick the most suitable tenant to occupy their precious home, especially if it wasn’t set up as an entrepreneurial venture but as a comfortable abode for them to live in.
Now that you’re happily settled into your new rental, here’s how you can offer due respect to your landlord and their home, and keep that mutual happiness alive:
TREAT AS YOUR OWN
Your landlord might eventually return to live in the place they’re renting out, so you must look after it as though you were the owner while you make it your home. Keep the property clean and orderly, and most importantly in good repair. See to any damage you cause in a timely manner and pay for it. Understand that the security deposit that you paid doesn’t entitle you to be careless about your rental, and should the cost of damages be more than the deposit amount, you’ll need to cover the remaining cost.
PETS
If your landlord has allowed you to keep pets, you’ll still be liable for any destruction and odours that they bring about. Unauthorised pets are a definite no-no. How will you hide them from telling neighbours or explain any negative traces to your landlord?
ABIDE BY YOUR LEASE
Be familiar with all terms in your lease and adhere to them. If you’ve agreed with your landlord to undertake certain upkeep duties while they’re away, be sure to do them. Your lease probably states that no major alterations are to be made to the property, such as changing the colour of the walls or hanging items by drilling holes, and so on. But should you need to do anything of the sort, discuss this with your landlord, and perhaps you could agree to reinstate any alterations made at the end of the lease.
COMMUNICATE
Be open with your landlord, and be sure to contact them when the need arises. A problem might seem small at first, but can potentially escalate if left unattended. Here’s a golden piece of advice that will help you keep your landlord super happy: Offer to pursue communication with any maintenance people once the lessor has made the initial call for repairs.
PAY ON TIME
Your landlord might have the best of souls, but don’t take advantage by bringing up the lamest excuses for not being timely with your monthly payments. Telling the lessor that you’ve been robbed or that your dog ate your wallet with all the money inside won’t get you very far. Should you have a genuine issue, such as having lost your job or you’re still waiting on your salary, you might get your landlord to cut you some slack if you’ve been honest from the get-go and have a good relationship going.
Whether your landlord has set up their rental initially as a home or else as a business venture, you must know that home ownership is a big deal, taking much time, cost and effort to put together and maintain it. Remember: Most landlords aren’t evil – they have good intentions and want happy tenants. So just keep these salient points in mind, and have a pleasant stay.
All the best,
Your RB Malta team.