No one ever said that property management was easy. At least no one did who knew what they were talking about. No matter how well you manage, there will always be tenants who are beside themselves in rage at you with some grievance—real or perceived.

When dealing with an angry tenant, the natural reaction is to dig in your heels and defend your position. “You didn’t pay your rent,” or “you caused those damages” or whatever.

This is, however, the wrong approach.

The correct approach (and the one that will help you maintain your sanity) is to align yourself with the tenant as much as possible. Be on their team, so to speak.

There is a bad guy in these situations, of course. But the bad guy is never you. The bad guy may be the lease, the law, a company policy or maybe even the owner. But it’s not you. You’re the good guy. You’re on their team.

Instead of saying something like “You didn’t pay your rent on time so you owe a late fee,” say “I have to follow the lease that you signed, just like I have to do with every other resident we manage. It would be a violation of Fair Housing to do otherwise. And unfortunately, the lease mandates a late fee.”

If that doesn’t satisfy them (which it probably won’t) talk about working together to find the best possible solution for their predicament. Of course, the best possible solution is not necessarily what they want. But by approaching such confrontations in this way, you put yourself on the tenant’s side instead of in opposition to them. People get along with people “on their side” much better than their opposition.

Tenant relations may never be easy, but it is a lot easier when you work from the side of the tenant than against them.

From: http://www.rentalhousingjournal.com