As a property manager, one of the difficulties for landlords that I often see is when they are emotionally attached to their property.  I see this when someone has built a new home, or has moved away from the area, but the property that they are renting out has been a much loved home, full of memories and nostalgia.

It can often be quite hard for a landlord to separate themselves from their property and it is often viewed through rose coloured glasses.  This then leads to being set up for disappointment with the renting process.

The fact of the matter is, no-one is going to live in a property the same way that you do.  Just the same as no-one discipline their children the way you do, or makes the same decisions as you do.  Tenants will cook different food, wear different perfume and use the home differently to what you did when you lived there.

Wear and tear on a property is to be expected and is allowed under the residential tenancies act.  Whilst we do everything that we can to ensure that a property is returned in the best condition possible when a tenant vacates, there are always going to be things that will look, smell or feel different to when you were there.  In fact, unless you are painting and re-carpeting between every single tenancy, the property is going to show more signs of wear with each tenancy.

The best thing for you to try and do, is no longer think of this property as your family home, it is now an investment.  Bricks and mortar, being used to further your financial position.  By separating yourself from the emotional side of things, you can make clearer decisions about the property and about the repairs and maintenance that you have carried out there, or need to carry out there.

Here is the thing, I am not saying that I don’t understand why you might feel the way that you do.  What I am saying is that unless you are able to remove your own expectations from your tenants, then you are setting yourself up for a very unsettling and ultimately unsatisfactory experience of being a landlord.

We love what we do and we want you to be able to enjoy the experience as well, without being beholden to fears about how the tenant is treating your property and the horror stories that you see in the media.  Try to take a step back and think about the house as something that is earning you money, not the holder of all your memories.

If you feel like you need to chat about this issue at all, you can call me at the office on 63525125.