Foreign Translation

So recently I have had an influx of prospective residents that are here on a student visa but my problem is that they are extremely hard to work with because their English is very limited and I would say some of them understand less than 30% of what I am saying. On average an appointment can take up to 15 minutes but lately due to the foreign exchange students I am having appointments run up to a half an hour and sometimes up to 20 minutes on the phone and I'm not getting anywhere with them... WE don't require appointments but several people do call ahead and set one up but they are showing up when I have someone already in the office and they do not understand that I am not able to help them and it's costing me rentals... I am a one person office and it's becoming a serious issue.

Is it against fair housing to advise them that they need to have someone capable of translating call back or come with them to the appointment. Or if they show up without an appointment can I end the appointment once it becomes evident that we have a language barrier?

Today alone I have had 3 individuals that use English as a second language and not well... I am an extremely laid back person but I see this as being unfair to me for having to put up with frustration and it's not fair to the people that set up appointments and I have to spend their time explaining to them that I can't help them.. which they don't understand..

Here's a thought. If you are having an influx of new tenants on student visas, is there one school nearby or multiple schools? You might try and work with the schools where these students will be attending.

Also, are they all speaking one language as their first language, or is it multiple languages?

A suggestion might that once you know the answer to the second question that you work with the local schools to come up with a one-pager in maybe more than one language that you could give to the students when you have the meeting. You could outline expectations, etc. I am not suggesting it have the force of a legal document, just kind of a friendly 'welcome letter' tone.

I wouldn't doubt for many of the students it is their first time abroad and the more you do to reach out and communicate with them, the better the experience it will be for all. It wouldn't be unheard of for the students, at the end of their time at the school and at your property, to invite you to visit them in their home countries. From personal experience, when you later take such a trip, the hospitality of the parents is off the charts because you have taken care of their children (whom they were probably hesitant to let travel overseas anyway.)

Charles thanks for your post and to answer your questions.. Yes I have several universities near me but the closest is Kent State which we work with on a very close basis. We are NOT student housing so there is nothing that the university can do for us. They are international students from several countries... Mostly Asian and Middle Eastern decent and they all speak their own languages.

My concern is not how to treat them as I know how to do that my question is to find out on the extreme cases is this a fair housing issue to require those with limited English to have a translator present with them prior to visiting the property. Or request someone who understand English to contact me at a later time if the phone conversation is running long and going no where.

I have several and have had several international students live on my property. We have always had a great relationship with them but I have never had this many that had such raw English skills prior to this year. I am in a no win situation because I am losing rentals from the International students because I grow frustrated that I am repeating the same thing to them sometimes 10 times (in different ways) for them to still not understand what I am saying. I am spending over a half an hour on appointments for some students that don't qualify anyways and they can't understand why even though I have explained it to them as well as giving them a qualification sheet. I have had the same kid show up 4 times in the last month to "talk" to me about renting.. Each appointment has been over a half an hour and has just reiterated what was already said at the previous appointment and he would never qualify here because his stipend doesn't pay enough to comfortably support a one bedroom plus utilities.

I am losing my graduate students because they are calling during appointments which I typically do not pick up the phone but they will repeatedly call back over and over again for someone to pick up... the last time the girl called 14 times before I picked up the phone and it took me almost 8 minutes to advise her that I was with someone and I will be calling her back as soon as I was done. 8 MINUTES!!! I ended up having to answer some of her questions before I ended up "hanging up on her" and leaving the phone off the hook until I was done with my appointment. By hanging up on her I am probably dealing with Fair housing issues on that... Or they show up and think they can just come on in and sit down while I'm in an appointment... I don't know what to do at this point because Fair housing is so darn tricky...

So, my question is still is this a Fair Housing issue?

Let's frame this a different way:

Would you do the same thing you are suggesting when dealing with someone that is hearing impaired?

While not as blatant a fair housing violation as that is, to do this with someone with limited english skills is just poor customer service. As soon as you realize you have a communication barrier of any type; ask when they can come in with a friend that can assist.

I am unsure this is truly a Fair Housing question as much as it is how do I accommodate this situation? One of my properties is affiliated with a prominent university and we had the same issue. Creating the one-page info sheet in various languages is what we came up with, too. One of the professors actually helped with it because my foreign language skills are non-existent for the most part. I can translate but I cannot effectively communicate on a one-to-one basis and certainly not in the Arabic or Asian languages. The Assitant Manager speaks German and Spanish and that was helpful.

I completely empathize with the phone ringing and being the only one there and suddenly someone calls as you said 14 times non-stop! It makes you crazy. I wonder if your property could utilize a short term contract with a Call Service? At least the phone gets answered without you becoming flustered trying to handle phones and appointments.

As for having several Prospects coming at once creating an interruption, if you have the printed material to hand out, or a Clubhouse to send them to wait, that might help. If not, there is nothing wrong with during your appointment time putting a sign on the door indicating you are with someone and will be with them shortly. We are installing an outdoor seating area soon at a property so that Prospects can wait outside if the Office is closed for a tour.

Another suggestion for the language barrier is to ask community members to act as translators, if possible. We tell those Prospects who do not speak English to set an appointment and make arrangements for someone from the university to help by phone. I have personally asked Prospects if they can bring a translator with them, too, or have someone they can put on the phone to assist with information exchange.

It is only a Fair Housing issue if you treat people differently - since you try to communicate in anyway possible, how is it discrimination or different treatment.

Thank you Mindy.. the sign idea is awesome and I have no idea why I did not think of that! We are a small property of only 75 units w/ no clubhouse etc.. My office is literally a 12x13 room with a front door so there is no place to send them.. We are single level w/ private entrances.. so unless they wait outside in sometimes poor weather there is no place to put them. We are not a large company and they would not pay for an answering service.. when I have turned off the ringer they just call our maintenance emergency line.

In regards to Johnny's post.. I pride myself on having excellent customer service skills and the question was related to having this a fair housing issue... My attorney is looking into it right now and does feel by advising someone to come back can be construed as a Fair Housing issue if you are refusing to show an apartment... they may not "win" in court but they would have enough to sue if I refuse to show an apartment due to limited English because Nationality and Race are protected... So I will let you all know what he finds out.

Chrissy, I don't thimk you are refusing to show an apartment to anyone, are you? You are trying to do the best job you can and are having trouble communicating with your Prospects. I believe HUD has a direct line for people who are hearing impaired or they can provide a TDD number. I also believe that they could help resolve or direct you regarding handling language barriers.

In my retail life; I worked at a CompUSA near Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center (the company has since pulled all operations from the state). As a result of this, a day without an international customer was a rarity. I often did have trouble communicating; but I was able to put a good front and slow down. I even had a customer once that went to the school that my army unit did it's regular runs past in the town I was stationed at in Germany. As far as your prospective resident that you had to decline; the next time he comes in, show him why you had to do so and ask if anything has changed for him that needs to be considered.

I too, pride myself on providing customer service that is second to none, I have been doing so for over 20 years. I even got to the point where customers actually followed me from location to location. If you watch Storage Wars, 2 of the buyers were former clients of mine that bought multiple computers from me (both for personal use and for their businesses).

Mindy.. No I am not but they can construed it as that if I don't set up an appointment or if they show up and they want to see a studio and we don't have any to show.. they don't' understand that is why we can't show them anything... It's very frustrating... With the hearing impaired they have always showed up with a translator or go through the TDD number.

Johnny.. I am sure your resume is impressive but this isn't about customer service this is again about Fair Housing. In regards to the guy that has come in 4 times he has yet to technically apply because he doesn't have enough english back ground to fill or comprehend the application. I have attempted to help him but it gets me NO where. I have denied him (in writing) for not filling out his application thoroughly which only brings him back in to ask when he is moving in . I have requested he come in with someone to translate but with no luck... If I refuse to deal with him then I am more than likely breaking Fair Housing.

Lets look at this in a different way.. say when you were working at CompUSA and you were the only employee in the store and you were working with a customer and the same person kept showing up and interrupting you.. Knowing he only has $3 in his checking account AND HORRIBLE CREDIT and you have a person who is almost ready to purchase but this guy won't leave you alone... You know he can't afford a computer but he just doesn't go away.. and this happens on a weekly basis... How much customer service do you have left?!!?!

Okay. I think I understand where your concerns are now. I will tell you that when a property has nothing to show, then what can you do if you don't have a Model? When this happens, I like to have a power point presentation to show on the leasing computer and now can also show a "fake tour" using the iPad (just got it!)But it is that language barrier that is so hard to get past! Sorry I cannot be more help. Please update us on what your attorney says. I am curious, too.

I did not have that problem when I was in retail as 90% of my clients were corporate/government/education and I was very adept at minimizing the time spent with the 'rifraff'.

Someone mentioned using an Ipad for a virtual tour; let's take this a step further: I am not an Apple person (the only Apple product I OWN is an IPOD and I have not even had that a year), but aren't there Iphone/Ipad apps that will allow a voice translation from many languages?

If the technology were available, I would use it. If you do not have an Ipad for your property; perhaps this would be a good investment? If these situations arise and you do have someone with limited communication skills (either due to a disability or a language barrier); this could be a way to capture those leases. If you do not have anything to show; you can put a virtual tour and a floorplan on the IPAD so you do have something to use.

This way; you are able to say that you have made the best effort to satisfy all residents/prospective residents that come through the door.

The problem is that customer service is about what we CAN do (and this is where I have been able to develop strong relationships); and fair housing is about what we are specifically told NOT to do and sometimes the 2 are in direct conflict. The challenge is finding the right balance between the two and if there is technology that can help you do so; it is wise to consider how to take advantage.

I think a great idea to not miss anyone would maybe be using technology in getting a flat screen and have inside tours using YouTube videos etc to assist that way if you are busy so are they being active in the beginning process. Pictures do not need any language but yet tell millions of stories.

This is a great idea if you have the ability to do this; but the OP indicated that this was not a possiility at the property in question.