Balancing property upgrades with tenant comfort can feel like working on a tightrope. If you’re undertaking major renovation plans like installing a furnace, building a new room, or replacing the roof, all that construction can create a lot of noise and dust that leaves your tenants unhappy. That’s why we’ve put together this article to help you effectively address tenant grievances while minimizing disruptions to your construction projects.
Common Tenant Complaints About Construction
Noise Complaints
Prepare to get a lot of noise complaints when you’re working on a construction project. If you’re using loud machinery like drills and electric hammers, they can disrupt the neighborhood’s calm and create a lot of disgruntled tenants. After all, it’s frustrating when you can’t concentrate on work or catch up on some much-needed sleep because of construction noise. Renters with kids are especially more likely to be frustrated because loud sounds could disrupt their children’s routines and cause general discomfort.
Repair Delays
Expect tenants to air their frustration when there are repair delays. For example, a major project like rewiring your house could require shutting off power for a few hours, and if there are delays in the timeline, it can prolong your tenant’s discomfort. In such a scenario, it would be best to hire a reputable rental management company in Northern Virginia to offer realistic solutions for tenants while renovating.
Lack of Privacy
Another common tenant complaint during construction is the lack of privacy. With so many strangers working in and around the building, it can certainly feel intrusive for your tenants. Unfortunately, some jobs may require access to intimate spaces like their bedroom and bathroom, and it can feel uncomfortable when their personal effects are out on display.
Importance of Proactive Management to Minimize Tenant Frustrations
Communicate Clearly
Get ahead of tenant complaints by providing detailed information about the scope and timeline for your construction project. When renters are in the loop and receive regular updates about a project, they’re more likely to understand, especially if you can sell the improvement as a mutual benefit. You can renovate on a budget while also minimizing your tenants’ frustrations by proactively communicating well with them.
Work Around Their Schedule
Try to accommodate your tenants’ schedules in your construction plans. Noise, dust, and privacy concerns are only an issue when the renter is at home, so consider asking your construction team to come in while they’re away. Every tenant’s schedule differs, but generally, it’s best to avoid early mornings, late evenings, and weekends. As a result, that might mean extending your project timeline, but also keeping your tenants happy with fewer hours of inconvenience.
Implement Noise and Dust Control Measures
Mitigate noise and dust through thoughtful measures to minimize tenant complaints. For starters, invest in noise-dampening materials that filter out the worst of your heavy machinery and give tenants more peace and quiet. You can also synchronize the noisiest parts of your construction project with when your tenants are out of the house, to reduce the discomfort. If you’re looking to keep dust at bay, try implementing dust barriers to keep particles contained and avoid triggering your tenants’ allergies or leaving a mess on their furniture.
Provide Alternative Accommodation
If you’re working on an extensive upgrade that compromises multiple essential systems such as electricity, plumbing, and the property’s structure, it may be worth it to splurge on alternative accommodation for your tenants. After all, disrupting such services would render the house uninhabitable, and it would be a big ask to expect them to endure it. On the other hand, providing alternative accommodation means tenants can have freedom from the noise and dust of their construction project while enjoying essential amenities.
Set Realistic Expectations
Avoid overpromising and under-delivering by setting realistic expectations from the beginning. The last thing you want to do during a major construction project that inconveniences your tenants is give them false hope about your timeline or the extent of their discomfort. Aside from making you seem more trustworthy, telling tenants what to expect upfront makes them more accommodating and creates fewer frustrations. It would also be nice to attend to their complaints promptly and with compassion when reassuring them.
Conclusion
Upgrading your rental property comes with several benefits that include improved aesthetics, efficiency, and value. However, major construction projects are notorious for being noisy and can create dust and debris that create more tenant complaints. After all, with so many strangers trooping in and out of the building, tenants can feel like their right to privacy is violated. That’s why landlords need to communicate the project timeline to tenants clearly, so they know what to expect and can be more accommodating. You can also try to work around their schedule to minimize disruptions, and if it’s an extensive project, provide alternative accommodations. These concessions will go a long way in reducing tenant complaints during construction.
