A new property manager introduction letter is a message written by the new property manager of a property to a current tenant to inform them of a change in management. This letter may also include important information about operational changes such as how rent is collected or how maintenance requests are handled.
Why Write an Introduction Letter to Current Tenants?
Similar to a Tenant Welcome Letter, an “under new management” letter has the benefits of:
- Communicating changes in operation. Providing this information to the tenant will help avoid unnecessary issues with missed payments and potential miscommunication.
- Recordkeeping. If there are issues with payments or maintenance requests this letter will serve as a record of what instructions you provided to the tenant regarding the new management company and their processes. This will be important information to have if you need to send a late rent notice or begin the eviction process.
- Establishing a positive relationship with the Tenant. Communicating this information to your tenant will help strengthen your relationship with them as you help them adjust to these changes. It also shows that you are a responsible landlord and have everything under control.
What an “Under New Management” Letter should Include
General Purpose and Structure
The following three topics should be addressed in this letter:
- Contact Information. The letter should provide the name and contact information for the new management company along with their website. The letter should also explain to the tenant the best way to communicate with them.
- Rent and Repairs. The letter should instruct tenants on how to pay rent and submit repair requests to the new management company.
- Lease Terms. The letter should reassure tenants that the terms of the lease have not changed. Tenants want to know that important items such as the rent due date and amount have not changed.
The general structure of this letter is as follows:
- Introduction. This section should inform the tenant that their rental unit will be under new management and introduce the new property management company.
- Body paragraphs. This section should provide important information on the changes with the new management company and how the new management company will handle the management of their rental unit.
- Conclusion. This section should provide reassurance to the tenants about their lease agreement, security deposit, and an offer for them to reach out to you or the new management company with any questions.
Specific Items
When writing an “Under New Management” letter you should include the following specific information:
- Date.
- The tenant’s contact information.
- The tenant’s name or a generic greeting.
- The Property management’s contact information.
- A tenant’s primary point of contact at the property management company.
- Website for the property management company.
- The date the new property management company will start.
- A reminder of the rent due date.
- Instructions on how to pay rent.
- Instructions on how to schedule maintenance requests.
- A reminder that the terms of the tenant’s lease agreement will remain the same.
- Transfer of the tenant’s security deposit.
- Offer to answer any questions or concerns.
- Your contact information.
Sample Letter
Here is a sample letter to tenants informing them of their rental property being under new management:
Dear Tenant:
I would like to introduce you to ABC Management Company, the new property management company for your rental unit.
Please address your rent checks to ABC Management Company and send them to the below address:
ABC Management Company
123 Main Street
Philadelphia, PA
Please provide any maintenance requests to Kim Jones at (xxx)xxx-xxxx or by email at kimjones@mail.com.
All terms of your lease agreement will remain the same. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me or your property site manager.
Sincerely,
Jim Smith
For a more detailed example, see the attached template at the top of this article.
Tips for Writing an “Under New Management” Letter
Besides the specific content above, here are some tips to help write an effective letter:
- Keep it Formal. This letter should be professional, formal, and written on business letterhead. The content of the letter should also be clear and instructive.
- Keep it Friendly. How you talk to your tenant will have an impact on your relationship with them. Keep it friendly and always invite tenants to contact you with any questions or concerns.
- Avoid typos. Grammar and typing mistakes in your letter may result in unclear instructions to the tenant.
- Avoid unnecessary information. Only include information that is important for the tenant to know. You should not provide negative information about the previous property management company or issues you may have had with them.
How to Communicate New Management Information to Tenants
Most lease agreements will state how communication should be sent to tenants. If your lease agreements do not, you should provide this information with a formal letter to all of your tenants.
Ideally, you want to send the letter by certified mail to make sure your tenant receives it. You should keep a copy of this letter filed with a notation of what means were used to deliver the letter.
Additional Ways to Communicate New Management to Tenants
There are additional ways you can communicate this information to your tenants. Here are a few options:
- Email. The language of the email can be similar to what you would provide in a formal letter. However, sending a notification through email can allow you the opportunity to provide additional information such as links to the new management company’s website or payment portal.
- Social Media. If you have a social media account for your rental properties, you can post a notice of new management on there. Doing this allows you to give it a more personable touch by including photos of the new management team and an introduction of any new staff members.
- Blog or Article. This can be used in the same way as your social media post.
- Phone Call. This is a good option if you want to notify your tenants in a more personal way. It is also helpful because you can answer any questions the tenant may have about the new management. This option is more practical if you only have a few tenants.
These options each provide a unique way to notify tenants of new management. If you use any of these ways to communicate to your tenants, it is still important that you provide tenants with a formal written letter as well. An “Under New Management” letter is the best way to ensure and document that the tenant received this information.
Other Tasks when Hiring New Management
When hiring a new property management company, there are a couple of other things you should do as well. Make sure you take care of the following tasks:
- Termination Notice. Make sure that you send a termination notice to the previous property management company.
- Update Forms. Update your lease forms and all other documents with the name and contact information for the new property management company.
- Security Deposits. Make sure you have received all security deposits being held by the previous property management company.
Do you have any other specific questions about responsibilities to your tenants? Check out our Rental Laws page for more information.
