As we finally move into cold weather and the winter travel season, consider taking some time to educate your tenants on the simple measures they can take to prevent a lot of headaches.

Temperatures are going to continue to drop lower as we move further into the winter months, and with that comes the potential for water freezing in pipes. The potential for this is made even greater as tenants travel and consider turning the heat in their units either way down or completely off. By doing this there is no heat in the unit to keep the pipes thawed. Talk to your tenants before temperatures drop and set expectations to prevent issues before they arise.

Be a resource for helpful information to your tenants. As temperatures drop, consider sharing cost-saving techniques to keep their utility bills low. Discuss the benefits of keeping the temperature at reasonable levels and wearing layers indoors to stay comfortable with cooler temperatures.

Remind tenants to check their smoke detectors. Are they in working order? Do the batteries need to be replaced? A working smoke detector can be the difference between stopping a fire early and losing a unit.

What do you do to engage your tenants and help them operate their units more effectively?