St. Louis City, Missouri, has witnessed a substantial increase in the population of elderly people in recent times. As these seniors are living away from their children, they often prefer to live in properties that offer modern conveniences and have close proximity to transportation.
If you’ve been planning to rent your St. Louis property to elderly tenants, it’s a great idea. However, you need to be a little careful during the screening process, handle matters sensitively, and do your best to accommodate them effectively.
Here are a few ways to best take care of elderly tenants in your St. Louis Rental.
Allow Pet and Service Animals On The Property
Old people may often feel lonely and depend on pets for companionship. Pets and service animals provide mental and physical support to these people. St. Louis landlords should think from their perspective and tweak their ‘no pet policy’ a bit, to accommodate their service animals.
You can charge pet fees and deposit in case the pets cause any damage to your property. Also, you can decide the type of pets you wish to allow in your rental.
Share Emergency Contact Details
Landlords should provide contact details such as phone number, address, and email in case of emergencies. Elderly people are prone to forgetfulness and may not always be tech-savvy. It is good to keep the contact details handy and easily accessible. You can write them on a page in a large font and paste them near the front door or keep it on their desk in the bedroom.
Make it a point to take the contact details of their family members so that you can contact them in case of emergencies.
Ensure Safety in Your St. Louis Rental
Safety is a crucial factor when it comes to renting to elderly tenants. They should feel safe and protected in your house so make sure you install security gadgets like CCTV cameras, bright lights, strong locks, alarms, panic buttons, smoke detectors, handrails, and working stairlifts. Avoid smart bulbs, digital locks, and access cards as older people may not be very comfortable handling them.
Allow for Greater Flexibility in Rent Payments
Sometimes elderly tenants may miss out on their monthly pension or SSI (supplemental security income) and fall behind in paying rent. Be considerate about their situation and adjust the due dates for the rent accordingly. If they are consistently late with their payments, you can suggest new housing with more affordable rent or ask them to apply for help from a charitable organization. Try not to be harsh and understand their situation.
Consider Disabilities and Mobility Issues of Elderly Tenants
As landlords for elderly tenants, you should make every effort to provide reasonable accommodation. Even small alterations in your rental can provide great comfort to your tenants. For instance, installing grab-rails in showers, building a ramp for wheelchairs, and including a lift chair in the living room can be convenient to your tenants. Make sure that they can navigate the house without difficulties on their own.
Maintain The St. Louis Unit
You have to be one step ahead when it comes to property maintenance for seniors. Elderly tenants may not be able to fix small problems on their own. Even if they don’t file a complaint, you are responsible for conducting proactive maintenance with regular inspections and damage assessment and ensuring that the place is habitable at all times.
While providing housing to elderly tenants, you need to have thorough legal knowledge about the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. You also need to take care of their special needs to best accommodate them in your unit. Hiring a property management company like Amoso Properties can help you in managing your elderly tenants effectively. We are a full-service property management company in St. Louis and we provide all types of rental services for single-family and multi-family properties to proactively manage your tenants.
For more information, reach out to us at Amoso Properties.
