Renter Rebate

[RisingWealth]

I would like some feedback on a situation I`m going through which involves inconveniencing the tenant in my basement suite.
I have spent the last week rebuilding the shower and in doing so made it impossible for her to shower at home. I feel that it would be fair to compensate her for the inconveniencing with say a $100 gift certificate for groceries or a dinner out.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Mark

 

[Thomas Beyer]

QUOTE (RisingWealth @ Apr 20 2010, 09:40 PM) ...
I have spent the last week rebuilding the shower and in doing so made it impossible for her to shower at home. I feel that it would be fair to compensate her for the inconveniencing with say a $100 gift certificate for groceries or a dinner out.
sure that is nice but not legally required !

 

[JoeRagona]

No question in my mind. YES.

 

[housingrental]

You should provide her with an abatement of rent of not less than the one week she was without a shower and a gift card.

Do you want to know why the world has an unfair and negative perceptions of landlords? It`s because of questions like this.

A day repair is one thing but having somewhere to bathe is what most people consider needed in a home. I`m assuming the tenant did not cause the repair to be needed but the shower had issues or is being upgraded for aesthetics. Tenant is paying for a service that you had agreed to provide which included a shower, and you`re not providing it.

Have you ever leased a car but they need to take out the seats for a week but asked you to pay rent on it in full for that week?

 

[Aneta]

I once inconvenienced a tenant with delayed cable TV hookup (cable was included in the lease).
Appropriately, I bought him a Blockbuster card. He was so amazed and grateful for the gift, I guess not many landlords do this kind of stuff.

 

[DaveRhydderch]

I agree with what people are saying. Keep in mind how much rent they pay in a year, and you losing 1/52th of it is not a big deal. Sounds like the tenant was pretty understanding too....

 

[TheVancouverMarket]

QUOTE (RisingWealth @ Apr 20 2010, 09:40 PM) I would like some feedback on a situation I`m going through which involves inconveniencing the tenant in my basement suite.
I have spent the last week rebuilding the shower and in doing so made it impossible for her to shower at home. I feel that it would be fair to compensate her for the inconveniencing with say a $100 gift certificate for groceries or a dinner out.
Any ideas would be appreciated.

Mark

Yes, do it for sure....$100 seems totally appropriate. I have done similar with my tenants. I keep a few hundred bucks each year aside for tenant `sweeteners`, if it`s really needed.

 

[invst4profit]

$100 is high and 1 weeks rent would be extravagant. Although non use of a shower may be inconvenient she is probably happy to get the upgrade and did have the use of the unit for the week. Non use of the apartment would be a different matter.
I would buy her a small gift for her apartment or a $50 restaurant voucher at most. In the case of a female tenant I would usually send flowers.

She is probably already happy with the outcome so don`t go overboard as it is not about how much money you earn in rent it is about thanking her for being understanding of the situation.

 

[VerticalProperties]

Whatever you do it is best to keep in mind that the key to growing and protecting your investment is to manage the tenant relationship.

The fact that you are legally not obligated is missing the point. Offering a gift such as you have suggested is in fact going above and beyond but is actually very key in creating a positive relationship between tenant and landlord.

Anytime you can give a tenant the impression you are not looking at them with $ signs on their head, you have done yourself a favor.

Be generous, it`s a good business practice.

Cheers

Jake

 

[spark1]

I have a question regarding tax-deductability of these gifts.
Can we deduct these flowers, gift certificates, Tim Horton`s cards, etc that we give to out tenants? or we simply eat the costs?
if we deduct, should the tenant report these gifts on his income statement?

thank you,

spark




QUOTE (VerticalProperties @ Apr 22 2010, 10:12 AM) Whatever you do it is best to keep in mind that the key to growing and protecting your investment is to manage the tenant relationship.

The fact that you are legally not obligated is missing the point. Offering a gift such as you have suggested is in fact going above and beyond but is actually very key in creating a positive relationship between tenant and landlord.

Anytime you can give a tenant the impression you are not looking at them with $ signs on their head, you have done yourself a favor.

Be generous, it`s a good business practice.

Cheers

Jake

 

[vandriani]

Why not explain to your tenant that you were thinking of offering something for the inconvenience. Have them suggest something.
Keep a maximum in mind. Most times they will say that they want nothing. Sometimes, this will ask for less that you think you should gift.
Rarely, will they shoot for the moon and ask for alot. Regardless they should get something.Definitely use the words "I think this is fair don`t you?"

Ooh I can hear some of you and particularly one saying "NO!!!! never ask them what they want ...TELL THEM!!!" I disagree. Just be smart about it.

 

[RisingWealth]

I would like to thank everyone who responded to my request for ideas of compensating my renter for inconvenience.
I disagree however that "questions like these" are respnsable for any negativity toward landlords. It is because I`m bothering to ask for advice that separates me and everyone on this forum from the looser landlords that I rented from when I was younger. It was that experience that gave me the desire to build this suite to code or in this case above. Without going into detail, all the nasty problems that a renter can go through have been eliminated here as well as neighbourhood concerns, like on sight parking. I know my competition and know that this is one of the best suites for the price and so do the renters. There is much respect between my renters and I but this is a buisness so I want to be fair.

There certainly is a full range of opinion on this. At present, I have only two rentals and this is my basement suite with what is the best renter I`ve ever had. She told me that it was no problem at all and that she would shower at her boy friend`s until the job was done and she didn`t hang around while I got the work done, so although there is no legal requirement, I think she deserves a gesture of appreciation.

When we gave her a Christmas card and a Tim`s voucher, she gave us a card with a box of chocolates! (that`s never happened to us before).
Anyway, I think some flowers with a $100 gift certificate to the local Save-ON foods is appropriate, as that is where she buys her groceries. I asked her what she felt would be an appropriate compensation and didn`t think it was neccesary so when I made a couple of suggestions, the grocery certificate won out.

This is a situation I could not forsee and I acted in a timely manner so this seems reasonable to me without getting carried away.

Thanks again to everyone for the advice.

Mark

 

[vandriani]

Glad to see that it worked out.

This is a good example that there are great tenants and great LL out there.

Keep up the good work