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How to stay on good terms with your apartment community

Any agreement made between you and your property manager before you sign your lease should be written down in the terms, so you both know what’s expected. (Astrid Riecken for The Washington Post)
4 min

As the saying goes, teamwork makes the dream work. Both you and your property manager want you to be happy in your apartment, and the key to accomplishing that is maintaining open and honest communication.

Whether you are just signing a lease and want to start off on the right foot or you’re a resident looking to strengthen your relationship with your property manager, these tips will help guide you in the right direction.

Be respectful

This may seem like a given, but not everyone treats their property manager with the respect and kindness they deserve. Remember that those who work at your apartment community are people just like you — and they should be treated as such. They are doing their job to provide you with housing, and you need to do your job in return. This includes adhering to your lease, as well as being polite and communicating openly.

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The same goes for neighbors and staff: Apartments are communities, and everyone deserves the same respect and appreciation. Being on friendly terms by saying “hello” to a maintenance technician or property manager can make all the difference. Small actions of courtesy go a long way in establishing positive relationships in your community.

Report damage

Whether it’s instant damage or something that could become a larger issue, it’s important to quickly notify your property manager, so they can make timely repairs and document what happened and when. Issues that go unmentioned could cost more to fix and ultimately become a bigger burden on both you and your property manager. Reporting damage helps keep your home in working order and may save you and your housing provider unnecessary stress and expenses.

Be reasonable

When requesting your housing provider’s help with an issue, be polite and empathic. Recognize that other residents may also have urgent repair requests, and trust in your community’s maintenance scheduling. Also, be sure to read your lease carefully to ensure maintenance requests are reserved for items that are your property manager’s responsibility. (Burned-out lightbulbs and HVAC filters could be up to you.) It’s also important to be reasonable about replacement vs. repair. If something such as an appliance or window can be saved, your property manager may choose to repair it instead of replacing it with a new one.

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To help facilitate requests, it may be helpful to let your community manager know your availability to discuss your issue or schedule a maintenance appointment. Remember that, although community managers want to resolve your issues in a timely manner, some factors, such as supplier and party availability, scheduling, travel time and weather, are out of their control.

Put everything in writing

Any agreement made between you and your property manager before you sign your lease should be written down in the terms, so you both know what’s expected. It’s equally important to ensure that any requests made afterward — even simple ones — are documented. This helps eliminate confusion or miscommunication. And remember to be respectful and reasonable in all of your communication.

Set yourself up for long-term success

Paying your rent and utility bills on time should be a top priority. This sets you up for success by establishing a favorable rental and credit history — something that will be helpful for other major life purchases down the road. If a problem arises and you think you’ll be late paying your rent, be upfront and communicate the issue to your property management team, so you can work on a solution together.

Take care of your home

Keeping a tidy home not only keeps germs and unwanted pests away, but it also shows respect for your property manager and the other members of your community. Regularly cleaning your space, taking out the garbage and picking up after your pets are all part of creating a comfortable living environment for yourself and everyone around you.

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When it comes to personalizing your space, check what’s allowed in your lease. It’s understandable that you want your home to feel like home, but before you nail shelves into the wall or repaint a room, be sure that you’re following the agreed-upon terms of your lease.

At the end of the day, consistent and upfront communication makes for a strong relationship. Informing your property manager about issues, making sure your expectations align and being respectful to one another will help create a positive situation for all involved.

Robert Pinnegar is president and CEO of the National Apartment Association in Arlington, Va.

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