Tenant screenings often take a significant amount of time, but they are incredibly important. A poor-quality tenant causes an incredible amount of problems. Tenant screening is a great way to help protect your investment and eliminate issues that bad tenants can cause.
Set Clear Expectations
Setting clear expectations is a vital component of the tenant screening process. Prior to screening tenants, it is important to have set expectations for income, credit score, and more to ensure that tenants meet all of your requirements. Having these expectations written down can help you to keep your employees on the same page and prove why you rejected an applicant.
Host an Interview
Though an applicant may look perfect on paper, you may notice things in person that you were previously unaware of. You should always listen to your instincts when it comes to choosing a tenant for your rental property. Your instincts are usually correct, so it is important to host an interview to meet with the applicant in person before accepting a tenant.
Contact References
Ensure that you contact their employer to verify that they make the income they claim. You will also need to contact the references they have listed. It can be especially valuable to consult with their prior landlords, as a tenant that has been great in the past is far more likely to remain great in the future.
Complete Credit and Background Checks
Credit and background checks are incredibly important when you screen applicants. These checks can help to indicate past behavior of the tenants, which will substantially impact the likelihood of their future behavior. Never skip these checks, as they may show you substantial problems from the past. Though it is incredibly important to screen your tenants, it is even more important to ensure that you screen them correctly. To learn more about how to effectively and thoroughly screen your potential tenants, contact us at the Keyrenter in Provo today!