When you’re handed a new property to manage, it is imperative to introduce yourself as the new property manager to the existing (sitting) tenants before writing or making inquiries of any sort from the tenants.
Courtesy demands that you do a formal introduction to avoid embarrassment when you start exercising your powers.
To properly tell existing tenants (sitting or inherited tenants) you should do the following;
GET A LETTER FROM YOUR CLIENT (THE LANDLORD) INTRODUCING YOU AS THE NEW MANAGER OF HIS HOUSE
The tenants will not accept or believe you are the new manager if there is no instruction from the landlord to back up what you are saying to them. Some landlords may not write a letter to the tenants, they would rather put a call across to them or have a meeting with them. But for absentee landlords who may not reside within the city where the property is located, the new manager should find a way to secure a letter of instruction with the following details;
- Caption;
CHANGE OF PROPERTY MANAGER
- Preamble
I write to officially inform you my dear tenants that Mac Done Properties Ltd no longer manage my properties. This is in line with your incessant complaint about their unprofessional style of managing my property. I have confirmed your complaints to be true hence decided to get a new property manager.
- Introduction
My new property manager is LukeMark Realty Ltd, they are located at No.114, James Brown Close, Eave Cave, Lagos.
- Directives
I employ you to give them all the cooperation they will need. They will be representing me henceforth, and are by this letter informed to channel all complaints or inquiries to LukeMark Realty Ltd.
- Commencement Date
Their management of my property takes effect from the 2nd day of December 2024.
- Additional Information
They will get in touch with you any time from now, just make sure to give them your maximum cooperation. All rents should be paid through them as they revert to me from time to time in lieu of rent payments and legal actions against defaulters.
- Conclusion
Thank you for your understanding and anticipated cooperation
WRITE AN INTRODUCTORY LETTER FROM YOU OR YOUR COMPANY TO THE TENANTS
As a property manager, you will write your letter bearing your company letterhead paper with the following content;
- Heading
INTRODUCTION: NEW PROPERTY MANAGER FOR No. 145, RAYMOND STREET, FCT, ABUJA.
- Preamble
We are writing to let you know that LukeMark Realty Limited, located at No.114, James Brown Close, Eave Cave, Lagos was recently informed by your landlord, Dr Ephraim James to take over management of the above-mentioned property where you currently occupy.
- Show Evidence
Find enclosed a copy of the letter containing your landlord’s instruction to us to manage this property. This is for your perusal.
- Exercise Your Authority
Furthermore, you are by this notice informed that our management takes effect immediately. Kindly furnish us with the following documents; your previous payment receipt, a copy of your tenancy agreement and a copy of your last electricity bill so we will be able to trace your payment to ascertain what debt is outstanding to settle.
- Additional Information
Henceforth all correspondences shall be directed to us via our official email address attached herein or sent to our office. We will be having a physical tenant-management meeting in our office on 23rd April, 2024, at 4pm prompt please make yourself available for the meeting.
- Conclusion:
Thank you for your attention, we hope to have a blissful tenant-management relationship going forward.
- Write a Follow-up Letter to the Tenants
The follow-up letter is written after going through the documents (tenancy agreement, receipts and utility bills submitted by the tenants), anomalies, inconsistencies or missing records are brought to the attention of erring tenants for regularization or explanation. The letter should also include a reminder of the scheduled meeting or any other subsequent events organized by the management.
What Not to Include in Your Letter of Introduction
- Do not be in a hurry to mention the tenants’ indebtedness at first
- Don’t introduce your rules in the letter of introduction
- Don’t have your first tenant-management meeting in the property you’re managing, have it at your office
- Don’t mention your weakness to the tenants
- Don’t hurriedly mention the landlord’s plans for the tenant in the letter
Why is An Introduction Letter Important
The introduction letter is a form of letting the tenant know you, it is to introduce you as the new management of a property. The importance of an introduction letter includes the following;
- Introducing yourself to tenants makes them trust you
- When you introduce your firm to sitting tenants, you prevent embarrassment when you go on inspection
- Introducing your firm brings you maximum cooperation from the tenants
- You tend to have access to all facilities on the property
- It’s a way of telling the landlord that you’ve started working