A good landlord will go to great lengths to find a good tenant for their rental property. There are certain qualities that can make you as a tenant stand out as the perfect tenant in your landlord's eyes:

1. Pay your rent - Better yet, pay your rent on time! The landlord and tenant relationship revolves around regular rent payments in exchange for a place to live. Making on-time rent payments is one of the most important jobs for which a tenant is responsible. Most likely, your landlord relies on the rent to make their mortgage repayments on the rental property so paying rent late can be a financial burden for your landlord.

2. Treat the property like your own - Taking pride in the way you present your rental property by taking care of it will not only ensure the return of your bond but also builds for a great rental reference should you decide to move in the future. Normal wear and tear is expected, but preventing tenant caused damage is ideal.

3. Communicate maintenance issues - A perfect tenant will notify the property manager when they notice any maintenance issues that require attention. Even small issues cab turn into a big expensive problem for the landlord. Here at Raine and Horne, we have a Console Tenant app where you can easily report maintenance. If you have an iPhone or an android, it is super easy to use!

4. Don't let someone live with you who isn't on the lease - The lease agreement is designed to protect both you and your landlord. it needs to be signed by anyone over 18 living at the rental property. A good tenant will not sneak in secret roommates and should notify their property manager if they plan on hosting any long-term guests.

5. Keep the rental clean - A good tenant will keep the property sanitary as to not invite pest infestations or cause property damage. If the tenant does not keep the clean home, an amount for cleaning or repairs may be deducted from your rental bond as per the lease terms.

6. Don't be high maintenance - While a property manager and landlord values great communication from their tenant, a renter who constantly complains or requires special attention can challenging. In most cases, you will not be your landlords only tenant and only priority.

7. Renew the lease - Managing tenant turnover is expensive and very time consuming. A long-term tenant is highly desirable for a landlord. So, renew your lease agreement.

8. Keep up with tenant maintenance - While a majority of maintenance responsibilities fall on the landlord. As a tenant you may be required to manage lawn care, clean air-conditioner filters, etc (as outlined in your rental agreement). A great tenant will not only understand and agree to these general maintenance but will actually do it.

9. Follow lease terms - A standard lease will prohibit any illegal activity on the property or any behaviour that threatens the safety of the community. A good tenant will uphold theses rules as well as other lease terms. Other lease terms that a bad tenant might break typically involve pets or obnoxious parties that disturb other renter’s right to a quiet enjoyment. Beyond failure to pay rent, lease violations like these constitute legitimate grounds for eviction, which is expensive and stressful for all property managers and landlords.

10. Have renters insurance - Not only will renters insurance help cover the cost of replacing any stolen or damaged personal possessions, it can also cover the cost of damage caused to the property by negligence. This can help you and the landlord to cover cost of damage to the property or court fees. The good news is, renters insurance is extremely affordable!

11. Be honest - The most important quality of a good tenant is honesty. If something happens that negatively affects your financial situation and rent becomes unaffordable, your property manager and landlord will appreciate honest communication about the issue. While you aren't required to share all your personal information with your property manager and landlord, you are required to pay your rent throughout the lease term. If rent payments suddenly stop, your property manager upon instruction from your landlord will have no choice but to move forward with breaches and if not remedied a notice to leave. If you communicate ahead of time, you may be able to come to break your lease without negatively impacting your rental history or work out an alternative agreement such as a payment plan.

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