What landlords wish tenants understood

We talk to a lot of landlords. These are the things they say most often, and most of them are reasonable.

Tell them when something breaks, early

A small leak reported in week one is cheap. The same leak reported in month four has damaged a ceiling. Landlords are far more responsive to early, polite reports than to angry ones after the damage.

Pay on the same date every month

Predictability buys enormous goodwill. A tenant who pays on the first, every month, gets repairs done faster than one who pays somewhere between the third and the fifteenth.

Talk before you have a problem

If you are going to be late, say so before the date rather than after. Almost every landlord will accommodate a tenant who warns them, and almost none will accommodate silence.

Understand what they are carrying

Many landlords in Bamenda built the house with everything they had, and the rent is servicing that. It does not excuse bad behaviour, but it explains why they take an empty month more seriously than you might expect.

What they owe you in return

Repairs done, the caution returned when it is due, notice honoured, and privacy respected. Being a good tenant does not mean accepting less than that.