09/02/2026
Should Good Tenants Get Rewarded?
We hear a lot about bad tenants.
Late rent.
Property damage.
Unauthorized pets.
Lease violations.
People moving out and leaving a mess behind.
But what about the tenants who do everything right?
They pay on time every month.
They take care of the property.
They communicate when something breaks instead of ignoring it for six months.
They don’t create problems with the neighbors.
And sometimes they stay for years.
Those tenants are worth a lot more than people realize.
Turnover Is Expensive
Every time a tenant moves out, there are costs involved.
Cleaning.
Painting.
Repairs.
Advertising.
Showing the apartment.
Background checks.
Lost rent while the unit is empty.
And sometimes a full renovation before the next person can move in.
Even a fairly simple turnover can cost a landlord thousands of dollars.
That’s why keeping a good tenant can sometimes be far more valuable than squeezing every possible dollar out of the rent.
Not Every Rent Increase Has to Be Maximum Rent
If an apartment could rent for $1,300 on the open market and a great long-term tenant is paying $1,150, is raising them all the way to $1,300 automatically the smartest move?
Maybe not.
There’s value in knowing exactly who is living in your property.
You already know they pay.
You know how they treat the unit.
You know whether they cause problems.
Replacing them with an unknown tenant just to gain another $150 a month can sometimes backfire quickly.
One month of vacancy or one large repair caused by the next tenant can wipe out a year of that extra income.
Good Tenants Should Have Some Benefits
Maybe that means smaller rent increases.
Maybe it means upgrades to the apartment after they’ve been there for several years.
Maybe it means replacing an older appliance before it completely dies.
Maybe it’s simply being flexible when a normally reliable tenant has an unusual situation.
It doesn’t mean landlords should run their properties like charities.
Rental properties are businesses, and expenses continue to rise.
But good business is also about keeping good customers.
And in the rental business, a great tenant is absolutely a good customer.
Tenants Should Look at It the Same Way
There’s another side to this too.
If you have a landlord who keeps the property maintained, responds when you have a legitimate issue, treats you fairly, and doesn’t raise your rent dramatically every year, that relationship has value.
Sometimes tenants leave a good situation to save $50 or $100 a month somewhere else.
Then they discover the new landlord doesn’t answer the phone, the building is poorly maintained, or the neighbors are a nightmare.
The cheapest option isn’t always the best option for either side.
The Best Rental Relationships Work Both Ways
Good tenants want good landlords.
Good landlords want good tenants.
When you find that combination, both sides should probably work a little harder to keep it.
So here’s today’s question:
Should landlords give their best long-term tenants a break on rent increases — even if they could get more money from someone new?
Landlords and tenants, I want to hear both sides.
Would you reward a great tenant?
And tenants — what would make you stay in the same rental for years?
