What do you look for in a tenant? How do you know when you’ve found the right one?
While nothing short of a tenant background check can confirm that you are ready to lease, there are some signs that you likely are on the right track. For instance, good applicants will:
Ask questions about the property, the neighborhood, and the lease rules. Questions that are on point are a sign that the person wants to fully understand what is expected, and what they will be getting in return. That shows responsibility and a willingness to comply with the rules.
Want to make a good impression. Good applicants will act as though they’d like to be at the rental property.
Show respect for the landlord’s time. Good applicants have common respect for others, like offering some flexibility with meeting times, and showing up on time.
Be forthcoming about potential problems. Past credit problems or minor criminal infractions are not deal-killers, but dishonesty is. Someone who withholds information may have been rejected before. Applicants who are willing to bring up possible problems are showing a sense of responsibility, and that’s a positive sign.
Shop for a property at the end of the current lease term. Tenants who shop properties too early are not being respectful. Those who are leaving at the end of the lease are more likely to honor the next lease agreement.
Have good cause to be negotiating the lease terms. While wanting to negotiate is not necessarily a bad sign, doing so without good reason might be. If the applicant is negotiating too early in the process, for example, he or she may not be able to afford the property. Baseless negotiation also is a sign of a chronic complainer. Asking at the property tour, “Would you consider reducing the rent by $50 if I mow this big yard?” is different than a prospect asking for a rent reduction before they’ve seen the property.
This post is provided by Tenant Verification Service, Inc., helping landlords reduce the risks of renting with fraud prevention tools that include Tenant Screening, Tenant Background Checks, (U.S. and Canada), as well as Criminal Background Checks, and Eviction Reports (U.S. only).
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as legal advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual legal counsel or consulting your local, state, federal or provincial tenancy laws.
