I only sent out reminders because I had a lot of law students who would have the rent check sitting on their dresser, but they were so exhausted that they'd just forget to put it in the drop slot (the owner I worked for was old school and wasn't interested in online options).It seems like the only reason you need to contact your tenants is to tell them how much they owe in utilities. 

For instance, "I'm sorry, but our policy is that we don't allow portable washing machines in any of our units."

Sadly, you might need to explain to them how to use a washing machine and how much stuff you can put in it.

Run the machine empty using Finish machine cleaner (I give my tenants a couple and ask them to run it every few months).

Cel phone was a expensive toy, 286 computer just showed up in the computer store & fax machine was a big thing & every agents carried a pager.The day I get my license, I had been working in my own restaurant for 10 years.

But now I'm at the top looking down at a well oiled machine.

I know many "Bush pilots," I have taken 260 mile boat trips, 300 mile snow machine trips, camped on the Yukon River at -30 below zero, goose hunted from a SNOWMOBILE in may with no snow on the ground, cought 50LB king salmon in a net, excess of 50 whitefish in a net at one time and caught  6lb trout on rod and reel. 

I've never had a potential tenant complain when a unit didn't have them, but when units have had them, there are PLENTY of complaints where there are issues, and tenants are usually pretty hard on those machines, problems are inevitable.

I had seven people slotted, 5 showed and of those, 2 would have likely met my criteria and signed leases.One thing I definitely learned: "we are still looking and we will get back to you" = they are not interested.  

There is a $35.00 Non refundable background check that the applicant needs to pay to smartmove.Look at the ID of the person when they get to the property,.......and make sure it matches the person.....A quick tip on showing......and setting rental prices.......Do a "soft advertisement on Craigslist with all the info.....but without the actual address.....just the name of the street.....see if you get lots of responses quickly.......if you do......that means you need to take the ad down for a couple days and then re advertise it at a higher price..............I advertise on CL and when the phone rings.....Do NOT ANSWER.............let people leave voicemail .....you want to see if when they leave a message they sound like someone that you may feel comfortable talking with on a daily basis......And DO NOT DO OPEN HOUSES..............What you need to do is when the first person you talk to that you get a good vibe with expresses an interest in seeing the house......you tell them I'm showing it Saturday at 10am and Sunday at 3pm...........then be quiet.....they will pick a time.......and you repeat that process with everyone that calls and make sure it at or around the same time slot as everyone else.....Don't tell them other people will be there also......When they do show up and they see other people there also.....it creates more of a demand for the room :-)   Also...pick a time that is withinn 24 hours of talkin with the person....if you talk with them Monday afternoon....tell them you are showing it tonight at 7 and tommorow at 6.