If I could state one concept here or direction for this key step in the rental cycle, I would say this: do your best to foster and nurture a positive relationship with your landlord. The rental term is your chance to show you can live up to the obligations, duties, and responsibilities you've agreed to. It's a chance for you to prove you're a responsible tenant who understands their role in the tenancy. Besides personal pride, there are also plenty of tangible benefits to being a 'good tenant'.
Landlords too, have important duties that must be done. Dealing with conflicts and managing this relationship can have its sticky moments at times. However, if you operate on the premise of being solution-oriented, acknowledge the seriousness of the rental agreement and terms, and always aim to preserve the positive landlord-tenant partnership, odds are you'll do really well and have a solid tenancy and quality of life. Of course, sadly, the reverse is also true. Messing up during the term will lead to bigger problems for you.
Prove Yourself To Your Landlord
Your rental term is where actions speak louder than words. If you were to think of this as similar to a new job, you'd have your search (rentals), resume drop-off (application/references), interview (meet the landlord or property manager), offer/acceptance (signing the lease) and then the days on the job (tenancy term). Just like whether you're successful in your job and career depends on your day-to-day work, so too does the success of your tenancy depend on your day-to-day life as a renter. Proving yourself means more than just paying rent on time and keeping your rental clean and in good repair. It can mean being easy to get along with, having good communication, asking questions, abiding by building rules, informing landlord of any concerns/maintenance/disturbances, etc. Some of my best tenants would also have pride in where they live and often would sweep common areas, or offer their own solutions to issues that arise, or even provide quality referrals who then became my tenants as well. As a tenant, it's not about striving for perfection - it's about having the best possible attitude and effort.
Communication Is Key
If there's no communication, nothing else much matters. Communication is the key to really just about everything in a landlord-tenant relationship. Communication must be two ways, but sometimes it's an unequal distribution. What I mean is that you may find you or your landlord doing the bulk of initiating the communication. If that's the case, as long as contact is somewhat regular, that is fine. If it's infrequent and always from one side or another, that could spell problems down the road. If your landlord or property manager isn't communicating, make sure you initiate and explain that you like to keep in regular contact to protect both you and the landlord. Landlords love tenants who treat their property with respect and care. Regardless, communication verbally and in writing is the core of the relationship --- especially during the course of the tenancy.
What To Expect From Your Landlord
Remember that landlords own the property you are renting from. In addition to their own concern for their property, landlords are also expected to ensure a safe environment by fire code, building code, municipal by-laws, legal considerations, accounting processes, and insurance requirements. Banks and lenders also may hold the landlord to certain standards. All of this translates to safety and maintenance inspections, occasional emergency and non-emergency (with proper notice) entry. This could also mean requirements for you and expectations of the landlord to address and rectify issues that may come up. In multi-tenant environments, the landlord is also responsible to keeping the peace and making sure issues with other tenants or neighbours don't get out of control. Landlords may also increase rents during your term (as required and in accordance to laws) and act in their, your, and the property best interest at any given time. Landlords have a lot of downward financial pressure on them as well. Remember they are not offering social housing or charity - landlording is not an easy or 'rich man' business, but it IS a business.
Possible Sources Of Tension
Most of the time, there shouldn't be much tension. Building rules are clearly stated in your lease, rental agreement, or other on-site, handout, or verbal notifications. Rent is clearly stated and agreed upon prior to tenancy. In an ideal world, everything should run like clock work. Unfortunately real-life does sometimes get in the way. There may be occasional or consistent late or incomplete rent, or a contraband pet brought in against rules. Earnestness and good communication are tools to resolve tension. But remember that ultimately as a tenant, consequences of these breaches are yours alone to bear. Aside from that, usually, most of the time, tension may come from unanticipated issues like behavioural or habits that interfere with others or the processes and rules of the building.
Conflict Resolution
Missteps in communication, tension, and even outright conflict may happen at times during the rental period. To facilitate and preserve the landlord-tenant relationship, it's in both the landlord and tenant's best interest to resolve conflicts as soon and as quickly as possible. I found honesty, communication and a solid willingness to find a solution to be the pillars of success with this. Usually, opening dialogue and staying in constant communication helps propose alternatives, resolutions, compromises, negotiation, and ultimately agreements to whatever conflict arises. A vast majority of conflicts often arise or are made worse because of misunderstandings which are in large part avoidable. Finally, if communication isn't working, try to seek out another party to help arbitrate a resolution (ie. if conflict is with property manager, try to appeal to the landlord, etc.). If no resolution is in sight, one of the parties will likely seek resolution via a Landlord Tenant Hearing/Tribunal. Most jurisdictions have some mechanism for resolving landlord-tenant issues. I'll deal more with this throughout the website. Lastly, if all else fails or your area does not have a tribunal process, you may need to seek a legal resolution via the court system. Hopefully it never comes down to that.
Eventually, for better or for worse all tenancies come to an end at some point. And both landlord and tenant must be prepared for this. Most of the time it's a positive process, but in either case, there are important aspects of ending a tenancy which I'll cover in the final part of the tenancy cycle.
