subject: Landlords Manual On How To Examine Prospective Tenants Before Move In [print this page] Are you a property manager? If so, it is important to wisely pick your tenants. Just because somebody shows interest in an apartment building, it doesn't mean you have to extend a rental invitation. Prior to doing so, examine all prospective renters. The people you permit to reside on your premises can do a ton of harm and cause you to lose major profits if you aren't thorough.
Before investigating a tenant, you need personal information from them. For that reason, a thorough leasing application is advised. On that rental application, ask for all up to date information. This includes full name, current physical location, telephone number, electronic message address, and so forth. Next, request about a criminal record. It is also critical to request about previous addresses, former landlords, and employment history. Have a section where applicants can supply private references. Get contact details for current employer and prior landlords.
As previously stated, you need to safeguard your finances and property. For that reason, get in touch with all recommendations given. Take special time to contact prior landlords. They will be the most candid. Make certain your new lessee will pay their lease in a timely manner and won't damage your property.
Safety is an additional reason to research all recent tenants. This is not exclusively for your protection, but for other renters and neighbors. Do you realize that you could be held responsible for not informing a resident with small children that a sexual predator moved in next door? As a property manager, it is your responsibility to identify these things.
Along with calling all personal and professional references, do a background check. It is in fact swift and reasonably priced to carry out an online background check. In the majority of states, public records can be searched for no cost at local or state offices. This is an easy method to trace foreclosure listings, civil lawsuits, and criminal records.
For extensive background checks, some companies will not do the check without possessing a person's social security number. As a property manager, this puts you in a tough position. Yes, you wish an extensive check on all renters, but what if they later fall victim to a stolen identity? If you are apprehensive about handling renters social security numbers, you can get a membership to an internet background check business and just send your tenants there to execute their own lookup.
When asking hopeful tenants to execute their own background checks, don't ask each person. Once you have narrowed the list down to one or two people, make the request. Execute this after first speaking with personal references, employment history references, and previous landlords. If your renter is worried about the charges, offer compensation. In fact, history checks can be pricey. Your key goal is to safeguard your own interests. Just verify the background check is valid by contacting the business who carried out it.
If you do your own search or buy a professional background check, time and money will be spent. As a property manager, you're a business owner. Take into account it a sensible business investment. After all, do you wish a couple convicted of selling drugs or a sexual predator leasing the apartment next to a long-term renter that has a family?
