Thoughts on an appropriate response?

[Cory Lucas]

One of my tenants sent me this email. I’m having trouble coming up with a tactful way to say, “This isn’t my freaking problem!” LOL, anyone have something better than that to where it sounds like I care and want to help, but don’t create more headaches for myself…

”Susan has been blowing all the leaves from her property over here. I bagged them and cleaned them up a couple weeks ago today she did it again and I went out there she was spraying them with the hose I asked her to stop she said she was doing it to stop them from blowing on her property I told her by wetting them she makes it harder for me to clean them up she said she doesn’t care then I should get out here and clean them up!! and that she has asked that these trees be removed several times!

I will clean up the leaves just like I did a couple weeks ago and removed 6 waste bags. I just want you to be aware that this happened.”

[Nicholas Darracq]

Do you provide a landscaper as part of the lease? It is your problem in my opinion if your tenant is unhappy. Perfect opportunity to connect and build goodwill with your tenant (the customer). Sounds like you have a solid and reasonable tenant. Tenant has taken the initiative to have a verbal conversation with the neighbor instead of whining to you first. This is a big deal and I respect this tenant for this. You should too. Now that they can't reach a resolution directly, they contact you, understandably. This is a reasonable inquiry on the tenants part. The tenant pays the rent not your neighbor. I would at this stage reach out to the neighbor to discuss. Perhaps you can install some sort of barrier. Telling the tenant this isn't your problem, even subtly, alienates your most important customer. Remember, it's not property management, it's people management....