For better or worse, they play a vital role in your happiness and ensure that your home is maintained, safe and comfortable.

A good landlord-tenant relationship with your landlord can make life much easier, and here are some tips from RentSeeker to ensure that you get the benefits of getting along with your landlord.

These tips don’t cost anything and can go a long way in helping you get the benefit of the doubt should you have any issues with your landlord or building manager down the road.

1. Understand Landlord Tenant Rights

Before you begin a new relationship, you have to know yourself, and understanding your rights as a tenant is extremely important. Before you sign any paperwork or even meet your landlord to see a potential rental apartment, the Residential Tenancies Act protects you from racial, sexual orientation and other forms of discrimination that unfortunately exist.

After your initial meeting, the terms or price of the unit shouldn’t change, and if they do, it’s a red flag. Besides protecting yourself and ensuring you’re not taken advantage of, knowing your rights is vital to ensuring you have a good tenant-landlord relationship.

2. Understanding Landlord Responsibilities

Landlords are much more than just collectors of payments. Since the late Roman Empire & the dawn of Manorialism within the feudal system, the Lord of the Manor was responsible for the legal and financial duties of the upkeep of the manor.

Fast forward to the digital age we live in now, and the term landlord doesn’t necessarily refer to the owner of the property, rather to the person who oversees the responsibility for managing your property. This includes collections of fees and ensuring that your rental property is safe and up to code.

The Residential Tenancies Act came into effect Jan 31, 2007 to “create a rental housing system that protects tenants, helps landlords and promotes investments…” and is just one of the legal guidelines for landlords.

In each province there are multiple bodies dedicated to the field, and there is no shortage of resources online. As a renter, it’s very important to know what your landlord is responsible for, such as repairs, emergencies and ensuring your property is maintained.

If you understand what they’re responsible for, it’s much easier to know what to expect and how to deal with problems, thereby starting your relationship on solid grounds.

3. Be Fiscally Responsible

Money talks, especially when you have to pay someone on a regular basis. If you physically pay your landlord on a monthly basis or need to drop off a cheque, nothing can go farther to get you into the good books then paying on time. It shows you’re responsible, reliable and trustworthy, all very important factors to maintaining a healthy relationship with your landlord.

If and when you’re ready to afford the “Canadian Dream” of buying your first home, which you can determine with this useful Rent or Buy Calculator, then giving your landlord the legally required amount of time of notice to vacate is the right thing to do.

4. Be Socially Responsible

Apartment buildings are home to multiple individuals, meaning it’s a very social place. Whether or not you choose to say hello to the stranger in the elevator is one thing, but you have to respect the social norms of the people you live with.

Wear clothes when you walk to throw out garbage, have respect for others as you walk by their front door and don’t destroy building property that everyone shares.

If your landlord is getting complaints about you through other tenants, it will hurt your reputation, whether your neighbours are right or wrong.

Here are some great tips for meeting new friends when moving into a new rental property.

5. Be Aware of Bulletins

Most of the time we barely acknowledge the ‘Building Update’ bulletins in the elevators, but it is important to be aware of what’s going on in the building. Landlords and building managers don’t post bulletins so you’ll have something to read in the elevator, they do it to communicate important messages and news updates.

Staying up to date on building news briefs can help you plan your sleep-ins (be aware of fire alarm testing day!) and be aware of any construction projects that may interfere with your routine.

Complaining about something that was laid out in a bulletin shows the landlord you aren’t respecting their efforts, which is something to avoid.

6. Follow The Rules

Easy enough, right? Breaking building rules is a sure fire way to get on the bad side of your landlord. This is an easy one to follow under normal circumstances, but sometimes evening activities will inspire some rule breaking (being on the rooftop after hours for example).

While certain acts can be dangerous (climbing on structures) damage caused by recklessness can come out of your pocket. Also, once you have broken the rules, many buildings log this information into a form of a ‘bad book’ that you don’t want to listed in.

7. Know your Landlords Name

This one may seem obvious, but a ‘hello’ with a name goes farther than just a simple greeting. It shows you are an attentive, caring person and forming a positive relationship with your landlord starts with a hello.

Greeting them by name may seem insignificant, but from their perspective, they deal with a lot of angry and upset tenants, so showing your friendly side will only help your cause (especially when it comes time to renew your rental agreement). And remember, it costs nothing to smile!

8. Be Friendly With Security

While being friendly with the security in your building may not directly impact how your landlord perceives you, it’s more than likely that your landlord frequently speaks with the security team.

If complaints are ever logged against you, having the security personal vouch for you can go a long way if the issue gets brought before the landlord.

Again, being friendly doesn’t cost anything and can only help your case.

Having a good landlord tenant relationship works in both parties favour, so put in the effort, it will pay-off for both Tenant and Landlord!

As time has (quickly) progressed, technology has completely shifted the way we live our lives today. With virtually everyone today having a smartphone, QR codes have been tried and tested in almost every industry. They continue to pop-up (pun intended) all the time, and then after a bit of hype, seem to go back to the abyss.

They continue to be used in marketing and customer service, with the idea that consumers will use an app on their smartphone as the scanner as a quick way to access information about a specific product or service.

With the ongoing debate of the “usefulness of the QR code”, the fault is probably mostly with the application it’s being used for and how it’s being used, rather than whether or not they are a useful tool.

There are most definitely useful applications for QR codes and which consumers can find extremely helpful and useful, starting with them actually being used in useful places to begin with – and NOT on sources which almost defeat the whole purpose of their usefulness i.e. billboards, television commercials, or in e-mail signatures (all locations which make a QR code almost impossible to utilize).

So our team here at RentSeeker.ca has decided to put together a list of what we titled:

How To PROPERLY Use QR Codes for Real Estate Marketing

*(this list can be used for areas outside of Real Estate as well – as long as it has the right applications and is used in a way that is useful to consumers).

Let’s begin with the “types” of Quick Response codes you can generate. QR codes can either provide information or direct users to a specific URL, phone number or e-mail address.

Here is a list of some very useful information you can embed into a QR code:

Website URL 

When scanned, the QR code directs users to a website URL

*your website will NEED to already be optimized for mobile devices  – since if your website is not responsive or mobile-friendly, it will defeat the whole purpose of the code, given that they can only be scanned with a mobile device!

Property / Corporate Video

When scanned, the QR code can direct users to a property or corporate video of your property or company providing a great way for users to learn more information in an engaging and entertaining way.

Contact Information

When scanned, the QR code adds your information as a contact in someone’s phone or tablet, including phone, address, email, web site, and memo.

Email Address

When scanned, the QR code opens the smartphone email application with the e-mail address auto-inputted, allowing users to just type and send.

Phone Number

When scanned, the QR code auto-dials a phone number.

SMS

When scanned, the QR code sends a text message to the user. The user can then click a link that was pre-setup within the SMS or reply to the text message.

Calendar Event

Great for open houses and scheduling viewings for apartment owners/property managers or building superintendents, when scanned, the QR code generates an entry to be added to the calendar of the users’ smart device.

Geographic location

When scanned, the QR code loads the property listing’s location into a map to display on the phone or tablet.

Promotion

When scanned, the QR code will provide users information on a promotion you have going on – from offering free perks – to providing some kind of discount – this can really be engaging for users, especially if marketed well with providing a sense of curiosity.

If you find that any of these applications could work well for your business, which in Real Estate – they do! The next steps are branding and placement.

Let’s start with branding. Savvy marketing companies have come up with all sort of ways of custom branding QR codes, check out this GIF showing some custom branded QR codes RentSeeker.ca has done for  our clients:

Now that you’ve seen how QR codes can be used, making sure they are well – placed is a key factor in their successful implementation.

And of course, our team here at RentSeeker.ca is here to help ????

So here are 3 great locations for useful implementation of a QR for apartment managers and real estate brokers:

Top 3 Places to use QR Codes for Real Estate Marketing

1. Property Signs

When you put a QR code on a property sign, you provide walk-by traffic the ability to instantly:

• view the house or apartment using a mobile link with images and floor plans;
• contact the appropriate person via e-mail or phone – to schedule a viewing;
• view a property or corporate video providing great information for users in a visually appealing style;
• see any promotions you have available at the property;

2. Printed Brochures and Flyers

This is the most obvious way to use QR codes. When you put a QR code on flyers and brochures, you make it easy for potential renters or buyers to access information about the listing or contact the appropriate person instantly. And if you have an open house scheduled, include a calendar-event QR code.

3. Print Ads

While print advertising has been declining over the last decade with over 90% of renters starting to search for their new home or apartment online, some property owners struggling with higher than average vacancy rates will sometimes add a limited print campaign to increase visibility for anyone still picking up the traditional print magazine.

Given that space in a print AD comes at a huge premium to advertising online, consider including a QR code. You will have to trade in some of your valuable ad space to use the QR code. But in return, you can send readers to your property’s website, where they can find much more information.

Let us know what you think about QR codes and other ways they can be used for Real Estate and Apartment Marketing or industries by joining the conversation with us on Social Media. Get Social with The RentSeeker Team!

• www.Twitter.com/RentSeeker
• www.Facebook.com/RentSeeker
• www.Pinterest.com/RentSeeker
• www.YouTube.com/RentSeekerVideos
• www.Linkedin.com/RentSeeker
• www.GooglePlus.com/RentSeeker
• www.instagram.com/RentSeeker.ca

Regardless of the age of your property, renovations and maintenance are simply a part of the routine. Whether you’re painting a suite, fixing leaky faucets or even repairing a balcony, staying on top of your maintenance schedule will keep your property looking its best and give your tenants a safe and clean place to call home. Let’s face it, though – renovations and maintenance, while necessary, can be an inconvenience for your tenants. How can you ensure that you can do the work you need while providing minimal impact to the daily lives of the people who call your property home?

Before we get started, it’s important to review the laws in your province regarding regular maintenance and suite renovations. In Ontario, it is not required by law that a landlord or property manager must renovate a suite after a tenant has been living in it for a certain number of years. However, it is required that the landlord provides their tenants with suites that are in a good state of repair and they must also ensure that they comply with health and safety regulations. This means that if a window is leaking or not sealing properly, it must be replaced even if it is considered “new” or was installed recently.

Keep the Communication Lines Open

The first step to making renovations and maintenance easier on your tenants is to communicate clearly the changes that will be occurring. Outline specifically how it will affect them – when you will be entering their suite, how long the process will take and if there is anything they need to do (such as clearing out cupboards, for example). Failing to do this will cause immediate discord between you and your tenants. Remember – you must provide your tenants with notice of entry into their suite at least 24 hours in advance. For renovations that will be taking place in the common areas of the building, post notices in heavily traffic areas (the mail room, the elevator) letting your tenants know about the work that will be done and when they can expect it to be completed.

Tenant Appreciation

If the renovations you will be undertaking will cause considerable inconvenience to your tenants, such as replacing an elevator, show your tenants that you care. Help them carry their groceries upstairs or even provide water and juice in the lobby for tenants to take with them before they walk up numerous flights of stairs. While it is an inconvenience to have an elevator out of commission, the end result of a brand new elevator cab combined with your understanding and appreciation for their patience will help to ease the discomfort. When the renovations are complete, throw a BBQ for your tenants or give them all a thank you card with some chocolates. These kinds of gestures, no matter how small, make a world of difference.

Renovating your property to provide your tenants (and potential tenants) with upgraded bathroom facilities, new flooring or even new window coverings, while not required by law, is very important. Not only will you be extending the longevity of your property, but you’ll be creating happy tenants who will be pleased to recommend your suites to their friends and family. Being known as the building that works to give their tenants the best possible living environment is always a great thing.

Related: Apratment Repairs Dos and Dont’s

Happy Renting 🙂

The RentSeeker Team

The laws regarding smoking in apartment buildings across Canada are varied, but the fact remains that cigarette smoke can cause serious issues both for tenants and landlords alike. According to the website Smoke-Free Canada Housing, “Landlords have the legal right to designate specific apartment units or entire buildings as smoke-free, yet many landlords are unaware of this important fact. Landlords may legally include “no-smoking” clauses in all new tenancy agreements by banning smoking in individual units, including outdoor patios and balconies, or any areas of the residential property.”

The website goes on to explain, “There is no right to smoke enshrined in Canadian law. Further, smoking is not identified under provincial human rights laws as grounds for protection from discrimination.”

This can make the issue of smoking in ones apartment rather murky and difficult to address. While common areas of an apartment building could (and should!) be designated as smoke-free, a tenant can choose to smoke in their own apartment or on their own balcony if there is no stipulation in their lease that says they cannot.

However, once the smoking of a tenant begins to affect others in the building it can become a very large problem. This can range from affecting people who have allergies or sensitivities to smoke to the general odour of cigarette smoke getting into carpets and even staining walls over time.

Make the Rules Clear

If you would prefer that tenants do not smoke in their units, you must include this in the lease. In addition, ensure you point it out to them before they sign so that there are no surprises.

You have the right to ensure that people do not smoke in the units of your building, while the potential tenant has the right to decide if they would prefer to live in a building where smoking is allowed.

Be Courteous

This goes for tenants who smoke – try to imagine yourself in the shoes of another person who lives in the building that may be affected negatively by your smoking. If, for example, the tenant above you played music loudly into the night you probably would not be very happy – the same theory applies to your smoking.

A little courtesy goes a long way to ensuring the health and comfort of everyone in the building. Go for a walk or simply step outside into the (outdoor) parking lot. You may also want to inquire with your landlord if a designated outdoor smoking area can be set up for your building that includes “Butt-Stops” that you can use to dispose of your cigarettes.

Check out this blog post by Oh My Apartment about Second Hand Smoke in Your Apartment

We hope that the advice we have listed above will help you to resolve any issues you may encounter when it comes to smoking in apartment buildings.

The RentSeeker.ca Team

When it comes to advertising your rental properties online, it is now easier than ever to promote your property and generate interest in your units available for rent and drive great qualified leads for your rentals and at a fraction of the cost of print Ads.

So you’ve got a great apartment in a great location. But that’s not necessarily going to sign the lease. With so much competition on the market these days, how are you going to set yourself apart and attract great residents? Do not underestimate the power of a well-written / well-formatted rental ad! This guide will teach you how to write a rental ad that works.

1. Title Check

A quick check of the rental listings on Craigslist Toronto shows more than 100 ads posted each day.

ILS’s (Internet Listing Services) such as RentSeeker.ca have thousands of ADS posted monthly.

So, how can you ensure that your apartment rental ad is noticed in such a competitive marketplace?

First and foremost, you need to have a catchy title that stands out from the rest. Use descriptive words and put some of the features of the apartment in the title – this allows your ad to come up when potential renters use the search functionality and on Google.

For example, if the apartment you are renting features in-suite laundry facilities (a huge selling point for many renters!) your title could say: “Spacious, bright 1 bedroom apartment in a diverse neighbourhood with in-suite laundry”.

This makes your ad stand out from the glut of “1 bedroom apartment for rent” entries.

2. Get the Point Across

Now that you’ve got renters interested and they’ve clicked on your ad, how can you entice them further?

You want to give as much information as possible about the apartment and the building, preferably in point form to keep it easy to read (large blocks of text generally turn readers off).

Start off with the basics – the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, the cost of rent per month and if you require a lease and what term.

Then you can get into the specific selling points: balcony, laundry facilities, hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, new bathroom fixtures – anything that makes your apartment special.

You will also want to include information about the neighbourhood and its amenities. Is public transit nearby? What about schools, parks, gyms and coffee shops? These features show the livability of the neighbourhood and generate more interest.

And lastly, make sure to highlight a call to action i.e. the rental office phone number and email address for quick reference to contact you.

3. Scope the Competition

It’s a good idea to check out the competition before you compose your ad. What are landlords in similar buildings and neighbourhoods saying? Are they flexible with things like move-in dates and pet ownership?

Knowing what your competition is doing will allow you to better understand what your ad needs to say to entice more potential renters.

It can also help you to make changes to your own rental agreements if you are finding that you are losing many renters to other buildings in the area.

For example, if you refuse to allow pets of any kind, you may want to change it to allow small animals within reason.

4. Photo Op

Last but certainly not least, and the importance of this cannot be overstated – include pictures! Several pictures!

You increase your chances of having your rental apartment ad clicked on if photos are included.

Most free classified sites, as well as ILS’s, allow you to include photos at no additional cost.

You should upload photos of the most attractive selling points of the apartment and even of the building itself. Ensure the photos are not blurry and clearly show the value of your apartment for rent.

Photos help potential renters to really “connect” with the property before they even come to view it.

Of course, in today’s marketplace videos can also be a fantastic selling tool – for more information about apartment video production and marketing, you can check out: www.Videos.RentSeeker.ca to learn more.

Following the steps above should greatly increase your chances of attracting the right resident.

Happy posting!

Related: Apartment Lease vs. Rent – What is the difference & why it matters

-The RentSeeker.ca Team

There’s nothing worse than being treated as though you’re something that you’re not. It’s like being back in high school and getting scolded when you’re not the one doing the talking. That is why it is important you take close care when marketing to seniors.

For baby boomers, it’s being marketing to as though the deathbed is behind the next door.

There is a common misconception among rental market advertising that seniors are out of touch, that they’re not as actively involved online and that they’re not nearly as important an audience as their kids and grandkids.

On the contrary, the baby boomer demographic is the fastest-growing group to jump on the computer technology bandwagon, spending a whopping $7-billion annually online. In other words, much like 18-34 year olds, this generation is completely open-minded when it comes to new products, lifestyles and marketing.

Marketing to Seniors

When it comes to marketing your available apartments for rent, you would be wise to allocate a fair amount of resources targeting this demographic, providing your property can cater to some very high expectations. Throughout your campaign, though, keep in mind that you’re not advertising to a sleepy audience, but rather, a lively, virile group with discerning tastes and extensive wish lists.

Marketing Professor Tom Barry of SMU’s Cox School of Business urges companies to focus the message on feel age as opposed to real age, explaining, “Use models that are cognitively younger; they don’t have to look younger, but have a persona that is psychologically younger.” In other words, he says, the content of advertising, sales, and marketing messages should be based on the cognitive state of the audience.

Age, after all, is nothing but a number, so if you’re marketing rental suites to this demographic as old or elderly, you’ve alienated the majority of your audience.

The key to advertising rental units to seniors is research, in addition to knowing what, exactly, your building has to offer that might be attractive to someone in this demographic.

If you’re feeling slightly out of touch, here are some tips on how to engage baby boomers, capture their attention and get them in for an apartment showing.

Go Live

Did you know that the largest percentage increase in Internet use has been credited to the 70-75 age group? And they’re not just checking into an email account that stays open all day. Rather, they’re on Facebook, YouTube and other social media sites. Don’t believe us? Take it from the pros then: Kinesis Inc., a Portland, Oregon, web design and branding firm, found that more than 60 percent of baby boomers actively consume socially created content like blogs, videos, and podcasts. So next time you’re posting, tweeting or liking, don’t forget to consider whether grandma or auntie would find your content interesting.

Advertise with Intelligence

We all know that advertising apartments for rent are becoming more and more of a web-based phenomenon. This is not to say, however, that print ads have become obsolete.

Baby boomers are still heavily reliant upon magazines and newspapers to get their information, meaning that certain dailies and monthlies could have a positive impact on getting traffic to your property.

When targeting seniors, in particular, it’s important to take several technical items into account, namely font size. Simply put, the font should never be smaller than 11-point and colour ads always attract more attention. Also, keep ads un-cluttered with a clearly marked call to action that includes both email, address and phone number.

The photos should do the talking—but keep them honest. We’ve seen enough old people playing tennis and laughing by a pool. Get creative by promoting what your company can do to enhance their lives. Do you offer a shuttle bus for errands? Is your rental property near a fitness facility? Tell the story, but do it in a way that isn’t patronizing or alienating. This means abandoning labels like “golden years” and “elderly”.

Don’t forget to ask advertisers if they’ll give you editorial space alongside the ad to showcase the property in greater depth.

Build Trust with Customer Service

The baby boomer generation has been around a while. They’ve had more experiences than most of us, meaning you’ll be hard-pressed to pull the wool over their eyes. The truth is, the best thing your leasing agent can be is his/herself, to sell the property and the surrounding neighbourhood as a “package deal” that caters directly to the prospect. This means adding a personal touch by doing some legwork to find out about the appealing features of the area and promote them.

Build rapport by letting the individual know that their landlord is just a phone call away should any concerns in their rental unit arise. Another way of doing this is by having honest testimonials by like-minded individuals ready to share at some point during the viewing process.

You might even host a baby boomer event and invite some prospects to come along. This is a great opportunity for current residents to speak to their experiences with the property, the management and what the community has to offer.

Finally, always follow up with a note. Handwritten is a unique way of engaging, but again, this is a demographic that’s heavily involved online—email is just as acceptable.

Sell Gently

Hard sales rarely work with this group. Again, they’ve been around awhile and have seen it all. One of the most effective tools of persuasion is honesty and compassion.

If a person of this age group is moving into your rental property, chances are, they’re downsizing from a house. This could be a giant lifestyle change whereby moving means culling decades of possessions in order to accommodate a smaller space.

Perhaps your leasing agent has gone through a similar experience and can empathize as a way to reassure the individual that your property is the right move. If you have storage units available for rent, promote them (and perhaps offer a deal on the monthly fee).

Cut a Deal

Everyone likes a bargain—and many landlords are offering deals to all demographics as a way to fill available apartment units.

Purveyors of apartments that cater to baby boomers have jumped on the bandwagon, offering a range of bonuses and incentives to make prospects feel as though they’ve made the right choice by signing with your company.

These incentives include rent reduction, waiving of move-in fees, gift cards, fitness memberships, and the list goes on.

Put in the work and make the extra effort to get this age group into your apartment building. In the long run, they make loyal residents who are with you for the long haul and care for your property just as much as you do.

Read more posts about Rental Apartment Marketing

The RentSeeker.ca Team