Male/Female Dynamic in rentals

[Brent Causey]

Just wanted to get some feedback from the community on a situation I encountered. Tonight I went by my rental to check for a package for the previous tenant that had supposedly been sent there. I knocked on the door and the only person home was a young female college student. All of my tenants are mid 20's male college students. I'm a 30 year old male. I did not go in the house, I spoke to her through the storm door and asked if she'd seen the ups package. I did not know this person, we'd never met before. I've got female tenants, but they're on the lease and we at least know each other and they're usually expecting me there. The day and age we live in, we have to really be careful. Just wondering how other people deal with this dynamic, or is it even worth a second thought?  Bring the wife or a friend? Go by when nobody is home or only when tenants are there? 

[Linda Weygant]

Gender dynamics are tricky and I think you handled yourself exactly perfectly.  You introduced yourself, you left the door between you and her and engaged in polite conversation.

I don't know if you did it for her benefit or yours, but the outcome is exactly the same.  You engaged in a business situation in a completely professional manner in which nobody felt like a threat was offered or implied in any way.  Bravo!

Did you do this because you subscribe to the Mike Pence school of gender relations?  Doesn't matter.  If you didn't cut this woman off from any opportunities due to your unwillingness to be alone with her, then there's no harm done.

For the future... should you meet with women alone?  Yes, absolutely.  There's no reason why you have to bring a chaperone to rental showings and the like.  So long as you always behave in a professional manner with no creep factor* involved, you'll have nothing to worry about.

*creep factors include:

1.  making any comment on a woman's appearance.  Seriously.  Don't do it.  I don't care how good that color looks on her, how stylish her dress is or how much you love her hair.  Just don't.  This applies to every woman, by the way, except for women that you already know and whom you are sure will accept a kindly offered compliment.  Compliments to strangers are interpreted in very different ways and you're just better off not doing it.

2.  making any comment on a woman's relationship status (other than to ask who else will be living in the home).  This will always, 100% of the time, be interpreted as being hit on.  Don't do it.  Unless it affects the property, it's none of your business.

3.  behaving in any sexual manner towards the woman.  (self explanatory).  This includes ANY kind of touching other than a professional handshake or catching a person if they're falling off the stairs.  Guys who touch my back as I'm in front of them or want to take my arm to guide me creep me out.

4.  accepting any sexual advances from the woman.  (you are in a position of power as a landlord.  Never, never, never accept these kinds of advances.  They can and likely will be used against you later).