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Funding the perfect tenant for your rental property is not an easy thing to do. Once you have found one, it is important to make them feel at home immediately while bringing them up to speed regarding what's required of them.

As a property owner, it is best not to appear to be only concerned with rent payments and getting your security deposit.

Building a good relationship with your tenant early on is a great way to set the foundation for a mutually beneficial and long-lasting lease agreement.

The best way to help your tenant move-in is to draft a new tenant welcome letter for them, listing all the details they need to know to make their stay as comfortable as possible.

In our website, you will find easy-to-follow templates to help you draft a detailed, pleasant, and well-written tenant welcome letter. Visit the website now and download a sample tenant welcome letter for your new tenant.

What Is a Tenant Welcome Letter?

Moving from one home to another can be a very stressful time for anyone, so the least you can do is help your new tenant in any way you can to make the process easier. That is where a tenant welcome letter will come in handy.

A tenant welcome letter is simply a brief description of the rental property, including the property address, the condition of the property, and the things that are expected of the new tenant.

In other words, you could regard a tenant welcome letter as a kind of move-in checklist that will help new tenants to settle in quickly.

Unlike a lease agreement, which tends to be quite serious due to the legal implications, you can draft a new tenant welcome letter to be light and friendly while at the same time listing all the rules and regulations of the rental property.

What Is the Best Time To Send One?

The perfect tenant welcome letter is only as good as the timing of the delivery. If you get your timing wrong or approach the delivery with the wrong attitude, your tenant welcome letter may end up not being received in the spirit you hoped it would, and the chance to make a good first impression will slip away.

The best time to send a tenant welcome is soon after signing the lease agreement. This will generally give the new tenant a lot of time to digest the contents of the whole welcome letter and prepare if needed before the moving day arrives.

An example of a bad time to send a tenant welcome letter is soon after your tenant steps off the moving truck and is getting ready to move in. Considering the stress of moving, you are unlikely to get a favorable response in such cases.

Best Way To Deliver One

While sending the tenant a welcome letter via post is an option, the best way to do it would be through email.

This way, you will get confirmation that the letter has been received and it will also open up efficient lines of communication in case your tenant has any questions or concerns.

However, if you decide to do it, always ask the tenant to provide confirmation that they have received and understood the contents of the letter.

Speaking of communication, having effective communication with your tenants can be extremely helpful, and if you'd like to learn more about it, give this article a read!

What to Include

what to include in a tenant welcome letter

Even though you are aiming to send a friendly welcome letter to your tenant, remember that the information contained should be adequate to help them move in without any issues.

Be sure to include all of the following information:

  • Contact info for the property owners, managers, or landlords, including how they can be reached in case of emergency outside of normal business hours
  • The move-in date
  • A proposed time and date for a walkthrough
  • A move-in checklist
  • Proposal for how to pick up the keys
  • Information about utilities, parking, recycling and trash collection, laundry information, and other relevant neighborhood information
  • A list of property rules
  • Information on monthly rent payment
  • Instructions on maintenance requests and how to report maintenance issues
  • A reminder about renters insurance

What It Should Look Like

The perfect tenant welcome letter should be easy to understand and as informative as possible.

All the templates available at DoorLoop are great examples of what a typical apartment welcome letter should look like when the following information has been included

Walk Through

A property walk-through is not something that should ever be overlooked because it is the only chance for both you and your tenant to identify any pre-existing issues on the property.

This is also a great chance to get to know your tenant so you must try to make them feel as welcome as possible.

Important Details on Keys

If you have not already given your tenant their new set of keys, the welcome letter provides you with a perfect chance to do so.

Ideally, you should give your tenant their keys long before the move-in date to allow them a chance to visit the property address and make any preparation that they may need.

Move In Date

You need to be very specific on the move-in date because this has already been discussed and agreed on in the lease agreement.

In most cases, the move-in day is the same as the lease start date, unless there are addendums that state otherwise or the moving date has been changed to allow for last-minute repairs, etc.

Utility Reminder

If the rental property has been idle for a while, the utilities may have been disconnected meaning the tenant will need to be made aware of this as you make plans for reconnection.

This means you will have to approach the relevant utility companies and set up the electricity, water, gas, and cable.

Rent Payments

As you address the rent payments, be as friendly yet clear as possible. Use the tone you would normally use when providing helpful information to your tenant as you remind them of the agreement already in place regarding the rent

Renters Insurance

If renters insurance is a requirement for that property, be sure to inform your tenant of this.

Explain that they need to obtain renters insurance is there to protect their property from damage or theft. State the required amount and provide due dates and methods of payment.

Maintenance Issues

One of the concerns most new tenants have is regarding maintenance issues. Be sure to provide helpful information for this, such as direct lines of communication between the tenants and the repairmen.

Alternatively, some property managers like to arrange repairs and maintenance requests themselves, in which case the tenant letter should state the procedure used to report maintenance issues.

Information on Parking

If there are designated parking bays for each unit in the apartment, be sure to indicate which slot belongs to your tenant to avoid problems with your neighbors.

Also, include relevant parking information on fees and guest parking.

Neighborhood Guidance

Let your tenant know of any information that is related to living in their new neighborhood. This includes helpful details regarding:

  • Local utility companies
  • Nearest grocery store
  • Transport routes and pick-up times
  • Popular restaurants and attractions
  • Closest medical facilities and police stations

Condition of Property

If any parts of the property were already damaged before the tenant moved in, you need to highlight these rather than try to hide them. Letting your tenants find out about serious issues after they move in may be a violation of your lease agreement

Offering a professional cleaning service, or details of where to get one is also a great way to make your tenants feel welcome.

Laundry Room Information

Laundry facilities need to be addressed as well in the welcome letter, especially if the building has a communal laundry room that may require the use of timetables.

If there are coin-operated machines, you can include a short explanation of how these work, the cost of a single cycle, laundry room rules and regulations, as well as who to contact in case of any issues.

Trash Collection and Recycling

Let your tenants know the correct place to dispose of their trash. If you have recycling procedures that need to be followed by all the tenants, explain these clearly in the tenant welcome letter.

Other Property Rules and Regulations

Address all other property rules and regulations that may be unique to your rental property and may have been overlooked in the lease agreement.

Take this opportunity to encourage the tenant to read through the entire welcome letter carefully. If there are any areas they do not understand, invite them to contact you before the tenant moves in.

The bottom of the welcome letter should have your contact details and the times when you will be available to assist the new tenants.

A Welcome Package

There is no better way to say hello to your new residents than a courteous welcome letter accompanied by a small welcome package to help them feel at home.

Visit us right now and take a look at the awesome resources and relevant links available. Download a free template and get started on your tenant welcome letter!

Do you want to learn more about making your tenants feel welcomed? Give this article a read!

David is the co-founder & CMO of DoorLoop, a best-selling author, legal CLE speaker, and real estate investor. When he's not hanging with his three children, he's writing articles here!

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