What to do when tenants won’t leave a voicemail (and keep calling back)

If you manage rental properties, you’ve probably been there: your phone rings three or four times in a row from the same tenant, but when you let it go to voicemail, they don’t leave a message. Instead, they call again. And again. It’s frustrating, disruptive, and counterproductive—especially when you’re juggling dozens of other responsibilities. And the worst part is that according to customer reviews research, a missed call can lead to a negative review.

Some tenants genuinely believe calling repeatedly will get them faster service. Others avoid voicemails because they think no one listens to them anyway. Whatever the reason, the result is the same: your phone becomes a stress machine.

Here’s how to stop the callback chaos and get tenants the help they need—without burning yourself out.

1. Make your website do more work

Before you pick up the phone (again), take a hard look at your website.

Is it easy to navigate? Does it have a clear FAQ section with answers to the questions tenants ask you most often—like how to pay rent, submit maintenance requests, or deal with lockouts?

Quick fixes to make your site more self-serve:

• Add a "Top 5 questions" section to your homepage or tenant portal
• Use a chatbot or form for common requests
• Link to emergency procedures or contact info right from the top nav

If tenants can find answers online in 15 seconds, they’re less likely to blow up your phone in frustration.

2. Try an answering service (we’re biased, but hear us out)

If your phone is ringing off the hook and you’re missing important calls, an out-of-hours call handling service can help you stay sane.

A good answering service can:

• Respond to calls 24/7
• Collect tenant details so you're not playing phone tag
• Forward only the important stuff to you

Upfirst is a property management answering service that’s affordable and easy to set up. It can be trained to answer common questions and transfer calls to other numbers.

How many times have you rushed to pick up the phone only to explain—again—that:

“Rent is due on the 1st of each month. You can pay online through the tenant portal.”

Or had to repeat:

“If you’ve lost your key, please call a locksmith.”

Upfirst can handle those FAQs for you and send you an email with a call summary and transcript. You can even keep your current phone number. Just follow simple call forwarding instructions to pass either all of your calls or just your missed calls to your AI agent.

Prefer a human touch? You can also use a live or virtual receptionist service. Either way, having a reliable backup means tenants feel heard—and you don’t have to stop what you’re doing every 10 minutes.

3. Update your voicemail greeting (it actually matters)

Let’s say a tenant does reach your voicemail. What do they hear?

A generic greeting like "Hi, leave a message" doesn’t build trust or explain what happens next. That leads to radio silence.

Instead, create a voicemail script that sets expectations and encourages action. For example:

"Hi, you’ve reached [your name] with [company name]. I’m likely helping another resident right now. Please leave your name, unit number, and a detailed message—that’s the fastest way to get help. I check voicemails regularly during business hours. If this is an emergency (like a burst pipe), please call [emergency line or number]."

That one tweak alone can increase the number of voicemails you actually get—and reduce the number of missed calls.

You can take this one step further by skipping to tip number four. Set up a voicemail assistant that actually speaks to callers and collects all of the information you need to follow up with them but spares you the painful experience of listening to a rambling voicemail that's missing the necessary details.

4. Use a business texting platform

Not everyone likes to leave voicemails. But almost everyone will send a text.

Adding a business texting solution gives tenants a frictionless way to get in touch, and you a written record of the conversation. Some platforms (like Textedly, SimpleTexting, or Google Voice) let you respond from your computer, assign messages to teammates, or even set up auto-replies.

Pro tip: Add a line to your voicemail and website that says:

"You can also text this number for faster service during business hours."

You'll be surprised how many repeat callers become calm texters.

5. Make sure your voicemail box isn’t full

It sounds obvious, but it’s worth checking.

A full voicemail box sends a terrible message: “I’m too busy to hear from you.” That’s when the callback spiral starts.

To check on an iPhone: Go to the Phone app > Voicemail tab > Scroll to the bottom. If it's full, delete old messages or clear them from "Deleted Messages."

To check on Android: Open the Phone app > Tap Voicemail > If it’s full, go to settings or call your voicemail inbox and manually delete older entries.

Do this once a week. It takes two minutes and prevents dozens of headaches.

6. Explain the rules during tenant onboarding

One of the most overlooked tactics is setting expectations before the first call ever happens.

At move-in, include a short one-pager (or a section in your welcome packet) that says:

• When to call vs. when to email
• What qualifies as an emergency
• How long it typically takes to get a response
• Alternative ways to reach you (texting, portal, maintenance form)

If you don’t tell tenants the rules of engagement, they’ll default to what they think works: call, call, call.

7. Use email to set the pace (and control the chaos)

If you're like most property managers, your day is already chaotic. Letting tenants flood your phone with random questions just adds fuel to the fire.

Email gives you breathing room. It lets you handle issues in batches and respond when you actually have time—plus, everything is written down. No "he said, she said."

Make it clear that email is the fastest way to get a response for non-emergencies. Put this in your voicemail greeting, your lease materials, and your tenant portal. Set an auto-reply that says:

"Thanks for reaching out. We check this inbox regularly throughout the day. For emergencies, please call [number]. For everything else, we typically respond within [timeframe]."

Alternatively, you can use a tool like Upfirst to send voicemail to email in the form of a summary and transcript.

8. Create a simple "who to call" PDF for move-in

Some tenants just don’t know what counts as an emergency or which number to use. Instead of building a flowchart (which most people won't read), create a short cheat sheet they get at move-in.

Title it "Who to call for what" and include real-world examples:

• Locked out? Call [locksmith number]
• Water leaking from ceiling? Call [emergency maintenance]
• Need to renew lease? Email [email address]
• Have a general question? Text or email us during business hours

Print it out. Put it in your welcome folder. Or add it to your tenant portal. That one sheet can save you dozens of unnecessary calls.

Final thoughts

Repeated calls without voicemails aren’t just annoying—they’re a signal that your communication system isn’t working as well as it could.

But with a few small tweaks to your voicemail, website, onboarding, and contact methods, you can reduce phone tag, get clearer messages, and make tenants feel supported without burning yourself out.

If you're ready to stop chasing calls and start getting answers, try Upfirst—our AI answering service is built for busy property managers and real estate professionals like you.

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