How to send a rent reminder by text

“How do I get rent reminders to my residents in an effective way?”

This is one of the many questions multifamily property managers struggle with as the prevalence of convenience-centered technology grows stronger. Online rent payment portals make it easier for residents to pay their rent, but sometimes they still need a reminder.

Reaching residents through email isn’t always a timely method, so the natural next step is to send rent reminders by text message, guaranteeing that your residents see the notification right away, wherever they are.

How to remind a tenant to pay rent

In today’s world, where small computers follow us around everywhere, text messages are more optimized for sending and receiving messages quickly and in an informal setting. Emails are traditionally more formal than text messages, but that formality also makes emails easier to ignore, especially for tenants who are already behind on their rent. It’s for this reason that rent reminders have become more prevalent and effective when sent via text or SMS messaging.

Think of weather alerts that can be sent through smartphones. It’s uncommon to receive emails on this topic, because it’s important for those messages to be seen right away. The same rule applies for rent reminders; they typically can’t wait. If residents receive texts from their landlords, then there’s a sense of urgency – a sense that this message needs to be addressed.

Choosing the right way to text rent reminders

Even though sending a rent reminder via text message can imply that the situation is serious, it’s important to know both when and how residents should be reminded of upcoming payments or notified about late rent payments. Choosing the proper language in your text message and knowing when to text a resident about their rent can help convey the importance of the situation while also giving them time to respond accordingly.

Let’s look at an example. Texting a resident in the middle of the day might be advisable given that most residents are more likely to be on their phone at that time; however, if the language of the message adds up to “your last two months is due in 3-5 hours and you will be evicted if you do not pay on time,” it is unlikely that either party will end up satisfied.

Reminding residents about their rent payments shouldn’t be something you do once on the day rent is due and hope that it comes in on time. Landlords or property management offices should send a text message to a resident one week before the final due date, and remind them once more two days before the due date.

When it comes to phrasing your rent reminders, you should be crafting your texts in the same way people craft all text messages – with courteous urgency. For example, the ideal rent reminder could look something like this:

“Hi, Resident Name. This is Landlord Name. Just wanted to remind you that your rent is due one week from today. Please contact us immediately if you are unable to pay by this date.”

Using software to send rent reminders

While sending rent reminders through an instant notification system like text messages may be the most effective way to reach residents, there are different methods that allow one to do that. Instead of sending these reminders through a personal cellular device, specialized property management software can be used to send these notifications. This software can enable property managers to send instant communications for a variety of messages, including rent reminders, weather alerts, maintenance notices, or announcements.

Keeping an open line of communication with your residents is a critical part of multifamily property management. Sending your residents text message reminders about rent payments is one of the most effective ways you can keep them in a loop and receive your payments on time, but there are also other ways to communicate effectively with your residents. Learn more about how you can streamline your resident communications and, by doing so, improve resident satisfaction and retention.