Want a superb management lesson? Visit the web site www.aptratings.com. Here tenants rate the apartment communities where they live or have lived. Some reviews praise their apartment communities, while others say nothing but how insufferable their homes are. Some of those who have nothing but complaints were evicted and complaining on the web site is their way of getting even, but many others have genuine complaints.
What are the lessons you can learn from this web site? What tenants look for to make their home a great place to live.
Noise
The most frequent complaints arise from noise. “I had a very noisy neighbor (absurdly noisy). I can handle a lot of noise, this was just way too bad. I had to file about eight noise complaints on him, and I don´t think that the management did anything at all about it because nothing changed. Supposedly people get kicked out after three complaints.”
“Unacceptable levels of late night noise in parking lots and hallways a frequent issue. Complaints get you a lot of lip service but no real resolution.”
As opposed to: “It’s quiet for the most part. The management must do something to keep the loud parties out.”
Maintenance
“I have to say that I have had no maintenance issues at all. The small incidents have been repaired extremely quickly and with very diligently.”
“Any time I call for a maintenance need they fix it right away or at least let me know what they are doing about the problem.”
The flip side: “The appliances were old and it was hard to get maintenance to fix things.”
Management
“Like most large complexes this one seems to focus on filling vacancies more than finding good renters or removing bad ones….which is a shame, it could be a great complex otherwise.”
“Don´t get me started on the ‘staff’ working there. This crack team of individuals is headed by the rudest human being I have ever met, who makes it her concern to make sure you are as uncomfortable as possible, and insults you when you go to her for complaints.”
Or does this describe your management style? “One time I was on a trip and forgot to feed my fish…the girls in the office took care of it for me.”
“The office staff are helpful and quite nice—they will hold your UPS deliveries and call you personally when they come.”
Other significant issues are security, truth, trust and fairness. Many complaints concern car break-ins in parking lots in spite of security cameras and guards. Others came as the result of being lied to or misled by leasing agents trying to fill up units. Still more legitimate grievances concerned sloppy accounting practices.
Good tenant relations pay off in longer tenancies and higher rents. Treat tenants like business friends and you receive praise such as “We have lived here now for three years. We love it here. It is away from the city in a very nice area with a stellar golf course right nearby. Although its not the college hot spot it once was, the staff is nice, repairs get taken care of immediately, and the apartments gorgeous.”
“This is the best apartment I have ever stayed in. It is beautiful inside and out. The people here are very nice, repairs get done immediately. It is fairly expensive, but if you have the money it is worth it.”
Do your tenants brag about their homes and landlord that way?