Do you have to respond to that needy tenant that calls everyday?!

[Troy F.]

I have a conversion four plex in Wisconsin which has some great long term tenants.  I am finding it difficult to respond to a particular tenants needs every day.  They call daily with questions like; do you think the other tenant's dog will hurt mine? I am missing a package..do you think someone stole it?  The heat is too high.  The heat isn't high enough.  I have a hard time balancing between responding to this tenants needs and just being a sounding board.  What is my responsibility to answer these calls?  I've started letting them go to voicemail but they never leave a voicemail so I feel compelled to answer.  I do feel responsible for the heat.  The 4 unit is heated by one furnace, controlled by one thermostat in one apartment.  I don't want them to freeze of course but I also don't feel it's right to text the other tenant daily to ask them to turn it up a notch or down a notch.

Any suggestions on how to handle this problem that only seems to be getting more consistent?

Thanks!

[Marcus Auerbach]

You have been trained. Stop taking phone calls, instead ask to communicate via text and email. Respond "Please text me." and then ignore stuff that is not your responsibility.

As far as the heat, you are right that is a problem, I would look into options to control heat in each unit.