Christmas Gifts For Tenants

[H Simpson]

Do any of you give Christmas gifts to tenants?

If they are "good" tenants, I'll hand deliver a gift card from the local grocery chain. They can use it for gasoline or groceries. Depending on the tenant, the denomination is between $25-$50.

For me, this accomplishes a couple of things.

1. General goodwill. Who would want to screw a nice guy like me?
2. I get to see the house/unit unannounced.
3. I get 20 cents off of 30 gallons of gas for every $50 spent on these cards!
4. In the overall scheme of things, I think it's a small price to pay.

Now for a tiny operation like mine, this type of deal is feasible. I put these gifts into Christmas cards and go door knocking. They are always well received. A few of the old timer residents will hand me some cookies or a re-gifted bottle of booze as well.

I think there's still something to be said for interpersonal relationships, especially around the holidays. That said, all lease rules are always enforced!

Do you guys do anything like this for your tenants?

Why, or why not?

[Ingrid Nagy]

I do the gift thing but only with TWO tenants. They are subsidized and have lived in my place for a long time. These are the two that maintain their apartments immaculately, fix things on their own without asking me, and are my eyes and ears all year long calling me when they see wrong doing going on............they treat my property with respect and look out for me like I was their friend, not their landlord.