Green Property Management: 5 Ways To Become An Eco-friendly Landlord

When we think of going green at home, most of us automatically think of updating our windows; improving our insulation or installing energy-efficient appliances. All of these efforts are moot as a renter, however. Renters tend to think of their space as temporary - they sign the lease, pay the rent and move along when ready, making little or no effort to make the space their own.

Green property management offers a bevy of benefits, to property owners, management companies and tenants. There are some easy steps you can take to become a green landlord, and some of them may encourage your renters to stay for a while.

1. Begin by offering a family of online services. Online rent pay options; Internet-accessible rental records; bill bundling and paperless payment options. This not only saves trees, it saves time. Many tenants will elect to auto-debit their monthly expenses if given the choice, making late payments and overdue collections obsolete.

2. Advertise your green intent as a property management company. Let your residents know that an eco-friendly cleaning company did a thorough job before they moved in, and alert them to the fact that non-hazardous materials were used in the living space. Use this as a selling point to people with pets and children.

3. Offer incentives to tenants who reduce electricity bills and encourage recycling. These can come in the forms of monetary discounts - likely the most enticing incentive - unit upgrades or complimentary home cleanings.

4. Create designated green spaces within your development, or, if you're an individual property owner, make an area for a garden. Having a place for people to grow a tomato plant or sit on a bench among trees will help instill a green mindset in your tenants.

5. Allow people to paint their apartments or rental spaces with low-VOC paints. In most places, people leave the walls blank, thinking that the hassle of repainting or covering nail holes will not be worth the personalization. However, by allowing your tenants to add a touch of themselves to their rooms, you encourage them to root and stay longer.

The going green movement is here to stay. If your property management company is trying to fill a development, use your green initiatives as advertisement. If you're close to public transportation, tout the environmental and financial saving benefits this offers your tenants. As an individual property owner, consider installing energy-efficient appliances to draw in renters. As a tenant, look for going green discounts and rental properties that boast environmentally-friendly features.