Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Being a good neighbor

Whether you are renting or own a home, being a good neighbor is an important part of bolstering the community. Unfortunately, people who rent their homes are sometimes seen as lower class than people who own their homes, regardless of the reason they choose to rent. As a tenant, being a good neighbor goes a long way to dispelling any prejudices the surrounding neighborhood may feel towards a home being a rental unit, rather than owner-occupied. The following tips are applicable to both apartment dwellers and single-family renters.

One way to be a good tenant is to respect the terms of the lease. A lease should spell out clearly what the tenant's responsibilities are towards the unit. Parking, smoking, and pets are often covered in the terms of the lease. By respecting the terms in an apartment setting, the tenant shows respect for those who live in the complex with them. Smoking in one apartment often leads to the surrounding apartments smelling of smoke as well. Tenants protect themselves and their security deposits by respecting the terms, but they also protect those around them that may specifically need smoke-free or pet-free areas for health reasons. In a detached rental home, respecting the terms of the lease are less important for having good relations with the neighbors, but just as important for protecting the security deposit.

A tenant who respects the terms of their lease is also better able to create a friendly atmosphere with their neighbors. To create a friendly atmosphere, it is important to say hello and smile when greeting neighbors. It is also important to respect general policies such as noise control. In an apartment building, noises can carry to other apartments or from the common areas, creating tension among neighbors. In a detached home, playing loud music at midnight is likely to earn you a visit from the local police department. Having had a neighbor with a garage band, I can tell you from experience that neighbors only take kindly to listening to your band for so many nights in a row. We don't have to be best friends with all of our neighbors, but a kind word and a smile can go a long way to easing tensions that might otherwise erupt when people live near each other.

A third way to be a good tenant and a good neighbor is to pay attention to what's going on around you. Keep an eye out for your neighbors. We had one neighbor who was away from his home for an extended period. We kept an eye on the property for them. One day, a car showed up. It didn't move for days. We called the police. The car was stolen and would have continued to sit in our neighbor's driveway if we had not called the police. We had neighbors who would escort our dogs back to the yard when they occasionally went for unsupervised walks. We had other neighbors who would bring treats over for holidays or just because. All these actions led to a sense of belonging and acceptance in our neighborhood.

Being a good neighbor, whether the tenant or the owner, is important. A strong community leads to a stronger society in general. Society seems to need all the help it can get these days. Provident is committed to being a good neighbor. We hope that our tenants are good neighbors and do all we can to ensure that they are. As a property management company, we want to improve the neighborhoods our units are located in. We want to be your property management company. Please contact us today.

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