By Claire Murdough, HelloSign
So you’ve found a perfect tenant and you’ve secured a handshake agreement. Now it’s time to find a printer, print the rental agreement, send it to the tenant, wait for them to sign it and scan it back, and then file the document somewhere in the depths of a filing cabinet.
If that last series of steps made you want to pull your hair out, you’re not alone! Paperwork is one of the most tedious parts of the rental process.
Luckily, there are easy ways to complete required rental documents safely and securely online – no fax machine required.
Here are five ways to upgrade your rental paperwork flow to save time, resources, and sanity:
1. Make the move to legally binding eSignatures
If you haven’t considered using electronic signatures to sign rental documents then you’re missing out. eSignatures are a simple and immediate upgrade to any paperwork cycle.
Electronic signatures act exactly as pen and paper signatures. They just happen to cut the hassle of paper handling! They’re a legally binding and secure way to speed up the paperwork process.
You’ll enjoy an easy online signing process that won’t leave you paper-laden and your tenants will love the simplicity of signing from their desktop or mobile device.
2. Give tenants an easy way to complete documents
From making rent payments online, to having access to online portals where tenants can flag issues – the majority of rental tasks are now available online. In fact, people have come to expect digital options in real estate. This includes the paperwork portion of rentals as well.
By making it super simple for tenants to access and fill out forms online, you gift them with an amazing customer experience. It’s an ideal way to build a good relationship and bolster your reputation as a modern professional.
3. Ensure information is formatted correctly using data validation
The hurdle of paperwork isn’t just confined to getting documents completed – it’s important to make sure documents are completed accurately. That’s where data validation comes in!
With data validation, you can set up special rules for document fields. For example, you can set up an “numbers only” rule for a phone number field. If a tenant accidentally fills in their email address by accident, they’ll see an alert that asks them to double check the field. This can save you the task of combing through a document to catch errors manually.
4. Cut redundant work by setting up online rental agreement templates
Why do something over and over again when you can get away with doing it once? Creating a reusable template is a fantastic way to streamline the rental paperwork process.
When creating a template, you can format a document (like a rental agreement), and save the formatting for future use. It’s a great way to save time and prep work when sending out an online rental document for signature by a tenant.
5. Securely store documents online
Say goodbye to filing cabinets and messy storage systems. Online storage for completed rental agreements makes it simple to save rental paperwork for easy access.
Documents stored online are easy accessible and remove the burden of having to rifle through paper documents by hand.
Author Bio: Claire Murdough is the content manager at HelloSign. Based in the heart of San Francisco, HelloSign is an API company that gives companies the power to embed easy online signing on their platforms.
