Renting a home in Pakistan comes with its own share of hassles. Since there is no standardisation or regulatory body to aid individuals during the process of renting, it is difficult to find a good landlord as well as the right tenants.
On one hand, there is a high probability that a landlord might end up signing an agreement with the wrong tenant, the kind that does not evict the property unless official authorities get involved. The fear of renting your property to the wrong candidates is genuine, but so is the possibility of renting a property from an owner that is uncooperative and unavailable when the house demands maintenance.
On the other hand, for tenants, signing a rental contract with an uncooperative and absent landlord can be a nightmare. This is why it is essential to know when you’ve found the right property owner to sign the rental agreement with. However, you can find a good landlord if you know which traits to look for.
Traits that Define A Good Landlord
Here are some of the key characteristics and behaviours that can help you identify a good landlord when you see or meet one.
Gives an Honest Assessment of the Property
With a lack of regulatory bodies, tenants are left depending solely on the word of mouth of the owner to know more about the rental unit. This is why the honesty of the landlord holds great importance, as it is often the only source of information for a potential renter.
A property owner should be honest about the availability of necessary utilities, the noise level in the area, the security issues, the condition of the apartment or house, and other potential issues that a tenant may have to face. The sad reality, however, is that many property owners rely on lying in the hopes of securing a renter.
Note if the landlord is forthcoming in mentioning the problems along with the pros of renting their property. If that is the case, you might have found the right person to rent a property from.
Is Willing to Answer Your Questions
Another trait that sets good landlords apart from the rest is that the best ones will be focused on satisfying your concerns and will answer all of your queries with regards to the rental property. If you think that the property owner is not telling you all there is to know, question them on it and share your concerns.
In such a scenario, the right landlord will be focused on answering your questions honestly, whether your worries are related to the property’s security or the lack of parking space nearby. A property owner that becomes defensive and aggressive when you point out the flaws in their rental unit will trouble you down the road. So, look for a cooperative and level-headed individual who will work with you and address your concerns in a reasonable manner.
Must Be Prompt and Active
Every landlord wants their tenants to be on time when it comes to receiving the monthly rental income. However, the property owner must also ensure the same level of promptness from their end when the rental unit requires maintenance or urgent repairs. The right landlord must be available for communication in case of emergencies, should prioritise the maintenance tasks as per their importance, and ensure that the repair or maintenance work is completed without inconveniencing you in any way.
Having a landlord that values timely actions as much as you do is a blessing, as rental unit owners that do not pick up calls or return missed calls can be difficult to track down when urgent repairs are needed. You can determine how actively your landlord plans to make repairs by asking them questions with regards to the possible situations that you may face. Determine if they have a clear plan, timeline, and contractors at hand to assist you. Evasive and vague answers should raise a red flag.
Is Flexible and Accommodating
Every rental agreement comes with a fixed date for when the rent is due for every month. Accordingly, most landlords are eager to receive the rental payment on time, since they have expenses to meet at their end as well. However, what happens if you are facing a medical emergency that requires you to divert the rental funds towards hospital bills? What if you fell victim to theft or robbery? A good landlord should be accommodating, understanding, and flexible in such scenarios, especially if you have a good track record of paying your rental dues on time to the same landlord.
Additionally, sit together with your landlord before signing an agreement and discover how open they are to making modifications in the terms that have been drafted. For instance, if your salary is deposited into your account on the 5th of every month, but the rent needs to be paid on the 1st, this can become problematic for you in the long run. Make sure that your potential landlord is flexible and understanding with regards to unforeseen circumstances before signing a long-term rental agreement with them.
Should be Customer-Focused
Customer-focused individuals end up becoming the best landlords as the tenant to landlord relationship is all about facilitating the tenant while accommodating the demands of the landlord. For this, it is important that both parties play their role responsibly. A landlord that is professional but distant might not be as understanding of your struggles in life as one who knows a little more about you on a personal level.
If the owner of the rental property wants to know more about you, your family and your dependents, take this as a positive sign. While they might be doing so as part of a background check, the fact that they are interested in learning more about you can pave the way for a smoother landlord-tenant relationship.
If the landlord owns multiple units in the same building or if they own an entire residential project, then note whether or not the landlord collects information from you while renting out a unit since they would have done the same with other renters. This act ensures that the owner cares about who is living in the building and that when you rent the property, you will be surrounded by good and cooperative neighbours that have passed the landlord’s screening test.
Holds Good Rapport with Other Tenants
Talk to other tenants if your landlord has more than one property up for rent. Find out if their relationship with the landlord has been satisfactory so far. Also, determine if the unit you wish to rent is being vacated by renters before your arrival. If there are people currently living in the property, they can be your best source of information as to what the experience might hold for you.
When it comes to renting an apartment or a house in Pakistan, talking to the neighbours is the next best way to determine what problems you might face while residing within that community as a tenant. You can also learn about the problems faced by previous tenants or their reason for leaving the rental unit from the people living close by. This can give you insights into how the tenant was being treated by the landlord.
If they left due to the rising rental costs or the lack of maintenance, the same problems might trouble you down the line. If they were forcefully evicted due to lack of rental payments, what were the circumstances and how accommodating was the landlord while sending out their eviction notices. All of this can tell you just how eager a landlord is to build and maintain good terms with their tenants.
If a rental property owner has all or most of these qualities, you can rest assured that you’ve been able to find a good landlord to sign a rental agreement with.
