Dealing with Messy Tenants

Messy tenants can be a facility manager’s nightmare. They make a commercial cleaning company’s job more difficult, and as a result can end up costing the facility more money. Knowing how to handle this uncomfortable situation will help you de-stress the mess. Here’s the down and dirty on what to do if a tenant is less than perfect.

1. Be confident. Confidence is key when dealing with tenants who aren’t adhering to a certain standard of cleanliness in the workspace. Staying calm and in control when you approach a difficult tenant will keep you on the offensive. Express your concerns clearly and firmly and always from a position that says you are supportive. 
2. Express personal expectations. People can be messy, but there’s a limit to what is tolerated under normal circumstances. Relay your personal expectations on the upkeep of a tenant’s office space. Tenants need to know when conditions are unacceptable and why. Remind them that extra messy environments take more time and effort for the janitorial company to keep their spaces clean and tidy.
3. Communicate legal ramifications. It’s important for tenants to understand the legal ramifications of not abiding by the terms of their lease. If you are having an ongoing “messy tenant” problem, remind them of what is expected legally and what could be the course of action if expectations are not met. 
4. Undergo routine inspections. Tell messy tenants that you will be conducting routine inspections until you are confident their office spaces are being kept up properly.
5. Communicate Regularly. Always keep the communication channels with your tenants open. If your tenants like you and feel valued, they’ll be more likely to listen to your concerns and change their behavior accordingly. Or, if they need help with a certain aspect of upkeep, understanding how your commercial cleaning company might be able to assist may alleviate an issue before it occurs.

There’s no need to stress the mess if you have a clear course of action should a “messy situation” occur. At 4M, we communicate clearly and often with our customers to make sure they are receiving consistently top notch cleaning and maintenance services. It’s just another way we deliver the best, innovative, safe and sustainable solutions for your business. To learn more, give us a call or CLICK HERE to contact us.