Document Everything
The days of doing business with a handshake are long gone. If you are going to be renting a friend’s property, ask for a detailed lease that explains all your rights and responsibilities. This lease should document everything you have agreed upon. Not only will this documentation of your landlord’s expectations protect you, but it will also help hold you and your landlord accountable.
Separate Business and Pleasure
As your friendship begins, it is wise to set good boundaries with your landlord regarding your landlord-tenant interactions and your social time together. When you are in a social setting, avoid discussions about the rental home, and make sure you understand that being friends does not mean your landlord has to cater to all your requests. Special treatment like this will only cause trouble between you, your landlord, and your roommates. You are friends, but being a landlord is still your friend’s business, so you should keep it professional.
Set Boundaries
It is good to keep your business and personal relationships separate, and it is also right to set good boundaries with your landlord. Your landlord might feel a certain degree of closeness with you and feel that, as a friend, it is ok for them to invite themselves into your home and possessions. This can often cross the line between being a landlord and taking advantage of a friend. And once a landlord feels he can cross one boundary, he can easily overstep in other ways. It is up to you to end these unwelcome behaviors as soon as possible. Good boundaries will maintain your positive relationship with your landlord.
Anticipate Awkwardness
As your friendship with your landlord progresses, you become more comfortable talking to them. However, like everything else, these conversations can get awkward when you find yourself discussing other tenants or even facets of your landlord’s business that are not relevant to your rental situation. You might have a landlord who spends a lot of time on the property and you feel pressured to invite them to all your social events. This is a problem especially if your landlord shows hurt feelings every time he is not included in the social activities in your rental home. Even if would be awkward, it is important that you should talk to your landlord and make it clear that your friendship does not come with obligations to include them in everything. Similarly, do not expect to be invited to all of your landlord’s social gatherings. Neither of you will benefit from blurring the lines of your relationship.
By now, you see the challenges and possible pitfalls that can arise from becoming close friends with your landlord or renting from a friend. If you want to keep your friendship free from possible conflicts that could arise, it would be better to just keep things polite but professional with your landlord.
Are you looking for a Georgetown rental house managed by true professionals? Then think about getting to know our Georgetown property management team! Contact us online or call us at 512-580-3099.
