We all know moving into a new apartment or rental property can be stressful. It's stressful on the onsite team ensuring the apartment, keys, and all move-in documents are ready, and everything has been provided from the new resident in order to be able to move-in. But it's also stressful on the renter. They've had to research, tour, apply, and provide a lot of personal information and documentation.Then they've had to pack up all of their belongings and are about to have to unpack all of their belongings. They are putting a lot of trust in the employees they've met at the community only once or twice to move their entire life in only a short window of time.

In a perfect world, every move-in ends with all information being communicated and provided (including parking information, elevator information, cable and internet information, etc), all appliances in perfect working order, and the resident fully knowing what to expect on their move-in day. However, it is a lot of work on both sides and being that we're all human - inevitably, it will not go perfectly 100% of the time. In fact, according to SatisFacts' National Unclosed Tour Survey Index, the average score renters are rating apartments after their tour is a 4.57 out of 5. However, the average score drops down to 4.44 on the move-in survey. This demonstrates that renters are making decisions based on an "exceptional" tour experience, but end up getting something less than expected after they move-in. Issues such as delays in apartment readiness, cleanliness concerns, and technology and maintenance issues upon arrival can taint the initial impression and lower satisfaction scores. This poses a challenge for property management teams who strive to provide excellent experiences for their residents.

We know it's a two-way street and renters need to do their part in communicating questions and concerns, but we also have to remember they need guidance from the management team. In this post, I'll provide tips for ensuring a positive rental experience by setting your team (and your residents) up for success starting on move-in day and beyond:

Renter Responsibility #1: Completing The Move-In Condition Form

It is important to establish communication from Day 1 in order to ensure if there are any issues, the resident knows how and where to communicate them quickly and accurately. Most companies use the move-in condition form to assist residents in writing down issues at move-in, providing them promptly to be addressed, and serving as documentation to assist in move-out condition and/or damage costs. Having this signed document in place helps with communication both at move-in and move-out.

How The Management Team Can Help: Make sure the move-in condition form is provided in multiple formats with clearly defined date of when it needs to be returned - include a copy in the move-in folder, have a copy attached to the refrigerator with a branded magnet with contact information and office hours, have it ready as a scheduled email on their move-in day, and include it in the resident portal under important documents.

Renter Responsibility #2: Setting Up Their Resident Portal

Most rental communities offer a property management system with a resident portal where residents can submit maintenance requests, gain loyalty points through resident engagement, pay rent, and generally communicate with management. But the challenge lies in ensuring residents take advantage of this tool by setting up their account as soon as possible and actively engaging in it.

How The Management Team Can Help: First, verify on move-in day that you have the correct email address/resident account information to ensure they can easily set up their resident portal. Second, people learn in different ways. Provide instructions for setting up the resident portal in various formats. One option could be a printed document with instructions on how to set it up that is included in the move-in packet as well as in the apartment on move-in day. Another option could be a welcome video that is emailed (can be a private link to a YouTube video or partner video company) that provides a video/slide walkthrough of how to set up their resident portal and all the features. Have teams set a reminder during new resident check-ins to inquire if they have set up their resident portal and have any questions.

Renter Responsibility #3: Participating in Resident Surveys

Many management companies participate in a survey feedback program to gather feedback from residents (and employees). This input helps management understand areas for improvement and tailor their services to better meet residents' needs and create a better living environment for everyone long after move-in day.

How the Management Team Can Help: Use SMS opt-ins (if your survey provider offers it) to increase your survey completion rate. Additionally, use flyers in common areas in the community, post on social media, create a pop-up in the resident portal, and leave behind business cards or postcards with maintenance teams during work orders. Make sure they share who/where the surveys are coming from and express the value of authentic feedback to your company. If using a professional survey company, utilize the reporting features to make sure your Valid Email Coverage is at 100% and to audit the # of events compared to the responses to strategize how to increase response rates when/if needed.

Renter Responsibility #4: Communicating With Management

As a customer service industry, we all know the value in understanding our customer's needs in order to ensure their satisfaction. We also know that if we're unaware of existing issues, we can't take the necessary steps to rectify them. Building positive, trusting relationships between management and residents fosters a sense of community, improving resident satisfaction and increasing the likelihood to renew.

How The Management Team Can Help: Utilize a survey tool. Whether it's a free tool like survey monkey or Google forms or a professional multifamily survey company, the best way to ensure your residents are communicating their needs and concerns is to automate feedback requests at various touch points throughout their lease, especially at move-in and after maintenance requests.

Resident Responsibility #5: Engaging in Events & Community

Renters rate sense of community high, at a 3.93; however, many say they don't feel a sense of community in their current apartment. Sense of community can mean different things to different people. Keeping that in mind, if residents want a sense of community; it's important to understand what they are looking for in order to deem the community worthy of their time and energy.

How The Management Company Can Help:

Engage with prospects during their tour to learn what they love most about the community to understand how to utilize your team and amenities to benefit them as renters. Ask residents through polls or brief surveys about their interests and hobbies to understand what types of events to host and move-in gifts to provide. Think of a sense of community outside of resident events, such as environmental practices, unique community features, and even social media activity and engagement to create a stronger sense of belonging for employees and residents alike.