How Landlords Can Build Better Relationships with Tradespeople

When you are a landlord, one of the most important roles you have to manage is property maintenance. This includes everything from finding skilled tradespeople and maintaining your rental properties to meeting compliance standards and making sure your tenants are well cared for.

As part of this, building strong relationships with reliable tradies is absolutely critical. If you do, you will find that everything runs much more smoothly. Invariably, tenants will remain happy. Your investment property will retain its value. And all repairs should be completed efficiently.

But how can landlords go about building better relationships with tradespeople? This post will highlight some of the main things you can do.

Why Is It Necessary To Build Good Relationships with Tradespeople?

Having trusted tradespeople on your side can make managing your properties so much easier. That is because when you treat tradies as valued partners rather than just hired help, you’ll immediately notice the benefits.

Tip: Maintaining good relationships will always lead to faster response times, better quality workmanship, and lower long-term maintenance costs.

You’ll find that reliable tradies will prioritise your jobs. Often, they will even go the extra mile for you when urgent repairs arise. This should result in fewer tenant complaints and you enduring much less stress if something goes wrong.

From an investment perspective, strong relationships also contribute to your property ownership goals. Well-maintained homes retain their value, attract high-quality tenants, and minimise vacancy periods. All of which adds up to a big win for your portfolio (and peace of mind).

Building long-term relationships with tradespeople also helps create a professional trades network that you can rely on. Primarily, this is because you’ll spend less time chasing quotes and more time focusing on what is best for your investment property.

What’s the Best Way for Landlords to Communicate with Tradespeople?

In any form of life, communication is the basis of every successful working relationship. And, this is particularly true for landlords.

One great tool you can use to maintain consistent and clear communication is Fergus. This job management platform helps tradies and property owners coordinate work, track progress, and send invoices all in one place. Using a system like this will make it easier for everyone to be on the same page throughout all interactions.

To maintain a professional tone, it is vital to always be specific about what needs to be done. Make sure you describe the task clearly and include any necessary details for the tradie to complete their work. You should also make a point of confirming dates and expected timeframes up front. Doing this will go a long way towards preventing misunderstandings and help them plan their schedule more effectively.

If a tradie reaches out with updates or questions, make sure you are polite and responsive. Most tradesmen appreciate clients who respect their time and expertise. It is also good practice to keep records of all correspondence and payments. This will protect both sides in case of a dispute and build confidence in any future jobs your property investment requires.

How Can Landlords Find and Keep Reliable Tradespeople?

It is not easy to find quality tradespeople. But there are some proven and reliable methods you can adopt to build a trusted network. One of the first things you should do is to ask other landlords, property managers, or local investor groups for referrals. More often than not, word-of-mouth recommendations are the most dependable way to find new tradies to work with.

Before hiring anyone, it is essential to do your due diligence on them. That means verifying that they are licensed, insured, and have the necessary experience for the type of property maintenance you require. You should also make sure you read reviews and ask for examples of previous work.

Once you’ve found someone good, aim to keep them long term.

Tip: Paying invoices on time is a great way to build up goodwill.

It is also prudent to set up a recurring maintenance schedule for regular tasks that need to be performed. These might include gutter cleaning, air conditioning servicing, or pest control.

If you own multiple properties, let tradespeople know. They will prioritise your calls when urgent repairs come up. (Particularly if they know you are most likely to give them the work). Finally, be generous with positive feedback. If a job’s done well, say so. Such appreciation goes a long way towards building loyalty.

Tips for Maintaining Professional Relationships with Tradespeople

If you are to build long-term relationships with tradespeople, you will need to develop mutual respect. Additionally, it is important to clearly convey your expectations and maintain a constant level of professionalism.

Before any work begins, be sure to clearly outline the job scope, materials, and budget so everyone knows what’s expected. Consider drawing up a written agreement to help prevent confusion.

As part of your agreement, you should clearly state the payment amount and terms and stick to them. Tradies will naturally want to work for landlords who pay them quickly.

Likewise, it is important to treat every tradesperson with courtesy. They are experts in their fields after all. So, it is vital to keep them onside if you want to maintain your investment property as smoothly as possible.

Common Mistakes Landlords Make When Working with Tradies

Even experienced landlords can make errors that damage relationships with tradespeople (they are only human after all). The most common reason for this to happen is typically poor communication.

Often, this can present itself as vague job requests, unclear instructions, or failing to confirm schedules. That is why it is essential to always clearly communicate what you want a tradie to do, preferably in writing.

Note: Another mistake some landlords make is to delay payment or try to negotiate excessively after the job is complete. Tradies don’t want to chase up late payments. So, the good ones tend to avoid the clients who don’t pay on time and prioritise those who do.

Some landlords also fall into the trap of hiring new tradespeople every time something breaks. While it may seem efficient, it actually leads to inconsistency in the work performed. This, in turn, can introduce more risk into the property. When you work with the same professionals regularly, they get to know your properties and your expectations. That familiarity saves time and money in the long run.

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