As everyone in the world is highly aware at the present moment, we are in the grip of a global pandemic. These are unchartered waters that none of us have ever lived through previously.
What we are experiencing in our office are the reactions from both our landlords and tenants with regard to how this is affecting their lives and what is needed from them going forward.
The fact of the matter is that people are scared. Scared that they have no money or food. Scared that they have lost their jobs. Scared that they cannot see a way forward for themselves right now, but also perhaps for the future.
We understand the worry and concern. We really do. What we want to be able to do is find a way forward for each person that is experiencing difficulty at this time, tailored to their needs and not just a blanket response across the board. I am sure that you can understand also that this is a lot of work, as we discuss with people what it is that they need and try to proactively find solutions to the problems that we are presented with – it’s our job – but on steroids! We usually deal with this sort of thing reasonably infrequently, but at present it is multiple times a day with many different people.
So whilst you might be calling us with your issue or concern, please be understanding that we want to help you to the best of our ability. We want to find you a solution and will do our utmost to see what can be done within the instruction that we are given. As property managers, our job description is that we are a go between , the women in the middle, of often complex negotiations. We are impacted emotionally by this. It is draining for us to hear these stories multiple times a day and to deal with this on a purely business level is just not possible most of the time. We are invested in the lives of our clients and ensuring that we can help them, it is our end goal at all times.
What I am asking here is that when you call our office and you need to speak to us about your situation, please be patient. If we say that we need some time to get back to you, this is because we cannot make these decisions on our own, we have to speak to other people. If we say that we need you to put something in writing for us, there is a reason for this, a simple text will do if you are not able to email. Please do your best not to resist our requests when we are trying to ensure that we can get the best outcome for you.
However, we have also seen the best of humanity happen as well and these moments brighten our day more than you could ever imagine. Landlords who unprompted are offering rent reductions to their tenants, so that they can make ends meet at this time. Commercial landlords offering to take no rent at all and providing payment plans for their tenants to get caught back up after this is all over. The good will and humanity that we are also seeing is amazing!
Above all else, be kind. This is my own personal mantra. All of our staff are doing the very best that we can for all our clients at this time. If you yell at us, belittle us, or swear at us, you are adding to the strain that we are already under. I cannot stress enough that we are all in the same boat here, hoping to reach the other shore together and in one piece.
