Sometimes a bit of empathy goes a long way – a landlord's recent experience

Just wanted to share a recent experience as a landlord that gave me some perspective.

One of my tenants fell behind on rent for just over 4 weeks. My property manager followed up and then asked if I wanted to issue a vacate notice. But instead of going straight down that path, I asked the PM to send an email:

"The landlord is asking if everything is okay. Do you have any financial hardships? Are you able to provide for yourself and your child? The landlord is happy to work through options if you need help."

The tenant responded saying she appreciated the empathy shown, and reassured us she would be paying all the rent that week once her situation settled and she did, as promised.

We were both happy with the outcome, and I was reminded that not all tenants are trying to dodge rent. Sometimes people just go through tough patches, and a bit of understanding can make a big difference.

Yes, it's important to protect your investment, but building a respectful landlord-tenant relationship can go a long way too.

Would be keen to hear how others have handled similar situations have you tried the empathetic route before?