What to include in welcome packets for new residents?

I am a Leasing Manager at a community where people have been relocating to quite frequently. When I started over 18 months ago, there wasn't anything but a blank folder.

I'm looking for suggestions for our Welcome Packet. This is what I have currently:

• Welcome Letter: Office and clubhouse hours, names of employees/staff, contact information for office, maintenance emergency number, courtesy patrol, non-emergency police department and laundry company, portal instructions (paying rent online) and the Facebook web address/name
• Utility Company Welcome Letter: Contact information and explanation for how utilities are read and billed
• Fireplace Safety Instructions
• Neighboring Attractions: Location of Post Office, grocery stores, gas stations, hospitals, schools, public transportation and most popular schedules, DMV, hardware store, paint store (residents can paint their apartments), home decor stores, etc.
• Coupons and Take-Out Menus for Local Restaurants
• Most Recent Newsletter
• Survey Regarding Desired Resident Events
• Cold Weather Reminders
• Property Map: Even though we walk residents to their apartments, we identify their location, carport, parking lots, clubhouse and laundry facilities

Hi menommom!

I like to include the following in mine:

• Welcome Letter: Office hours and contact information, names of the community team, social media addresses, and portal instructions.
• Emergency Contact Information: Maintenance & Non-Maintenance Lines, with QR Codes for quick scanning into most phones.
• Sample Lease: Only the actual Lease Agreement, but no addendum (in the interest of a smaller environmental footprint). This gets replaced by their actual Lease Agreement AND addendum upon signing.
  
• Seattle RRIO Certification: Local document required to give to every resident
• Seattle Fair Housing Ordinance: Also required by the city, but a good inclusion
• Washington Fair Housing Ordinance: Not required, but why not?
• Voter Registration Form: To update their registration
• Safety and Security Tips for maintaining a controlled-access building
• Apartment Fire Safety Tips from Seattle Fire Department
• Tips & Tricks for Removing Common Stains from Carpet
• Garbage/Recycling/Food Waste Brochures: City of Seattle has a robust sorting ordinance. Better education through literature!
• Partner Contact Brochures: Comcast, Renter's Insurance, CORT, 24-Hour Fitness, etc. Businesses we have resident discounts and specials with
• Local Information: Neighborhood stores, restaurants, adult beverage providers, gas stations, etc

Hope this helps!

Jay:

Thanks for your reply!

For your Fair Housing document and Voter Registration form: where did you get these? Was the first provided by your management company and latter from local government?

Thanks again!

Hi Menomom!

The Fair Housing documents are something I got from the City and State government websites. I'm sure that I can get some copies from the City / State specifically, but no sense in doing that if I can print them out myself.

For instance: www.seattle.gov/dpd/cs/groups/pan/@pan/d...ional/dpdd016420.pdf

The Voter Registration form for our county was originally given to me by the Elections office (via a resident that was volunteering for them during an election), but I've since also found them online and printed out.

( www.sos.wa.gov/_assets/elections/VRF_English_web.pdf )

I once rented an apartment and they put a laundry basket full of goodies in each new unit. There were helpful numbers, cleaning supplies, laundry supplies, etc.

Everything was purchased from the local dollar store, but we thought it was a nice gesture.

Unfortunately, that was the only nice thing about the place.

We have a fairly large property (742 units), so our welcome packet really focuses on informing the new resident:

• Community Handbook: outlines rules, amenity hours, employee names, emergency numbers
• Maintenance Handbook: guidelines for fixing simple maintenance issues
• Online Rent payment information
• What is a Maintenance Emergency? Hotsheet
• Dozens of packets for local restaurants, preferred vendors, and area attractions
• Copy of their move in inspection and repairable items form
• Property Map of Amenities
• City Map of the area
• Latest Community Newsletter