INFORMATION
As the landlord, it is your responsibility to be aware of the QATAR property laws, current market conditions and price benchmarks for you to come up with competitive leasing/rental rates that will, in turn, attract the right tenants.
REPRESENTATION
Both your real estate agent and/or property manager officially represent you in business dealings concerning your property, be it ensuring the property is ready for viewing and all leads are followed up, or vetting tenants and overseeing the tenant move-in process. It is, therefore, paramount that you engage only experienced professionals so all aspects of your property transactions are covered and managed seamlessly.
PRESENTATION
In order to get quality inquiries, make sure any physical damages and pending structural issues are sorted out long before viewings take place. If anything needs fixing or repainting, your agent or property manager should see to it that your property is ready for occupancy right away.
TENANT PROFILING
For you to get good quality tenants onboard, you need to do your homework by inquiring about their finances, especially in the case of commercial leases. Tenants who have nothing to worry about would be upfront about their source/s of personal income or the financial standing of their business. In multi-tenanted properties such as mixed-use buildings, the landlord also has to consider how the businesses of their commercial tenants impact each other and work to develop synergistic relationships among the tenants.
DOCUMENTATION
Get everything done in writing – whether it concerns the terms of the lease/rental agreement, rates (including a clause on increases), notice periods for the inspection of premises or rent increase, maintenance/grievance procedure, terms of eviction, etc.
INSURANCE
Find out whether or not your tenants have their own insurance cover as doing so mitigates risks (yours and the tenant’s) involving potential catastrophic events or emergencies.
SECURITY
Protect your property and reputation from damage, and your tenants from being victimized by ensuring that sufficient safety and security measures are being taken.
MAINTENANCE
As a landlord, it is critical for you to not just properly maintain your property to keep it financially viable for long but also to establish good relations with your tenants. Keep in mind that finding good quality tenants is only half the task, what remains is your being able to keep them for the long term by being on top of all maintenance and repair issues.
COMMUNICATION
Tenants must have access to official business contact information through which they can reach you or your property manager. Updates on changes in the property laws, rules and regulations as well as notices to tenants must be communicated through the right channels, and conflicts and complaints should be resolved in a timely manner.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Set a goal for positive cash flow but always be realistic, and don’t hike up rents unnecessarily as doing so will drive out even the best of tenants. Be prepared for unexpected expenses by creating an emergency fund earmarked for expenditures not covered by insurance, and manage security deposits wisely.