Renting to a bad tenant can cause an ongoing headache. No one wants a tenant who will not keep the unit clean or pay the rent on time. However, it can be difficult to definitively determine whether a tenant is bad or good. However, if you keep a few pointers in mind, you can greatly improve the odds of making a correct decision.
Note the applicant’s appearance. Look for an excessive amount of animal hair on clothes, bad odors and simply an unkempt appearance. If body and clothing clean are not clean, you cannot reasonably expect the applicant to keep your apartment clean.
2
Look for forthrightness and honesty. Ask pointed questions during the home showing process and observe whether the tenant is completely honest. Ask the reason for the move, how fast it must occur, who else will share the unit and if any are pet owners.
3
Look at the application, which often reveals if the person is good, even before you start calling references. If the application is not entirely completed, you may be dealing with a bad tenant. If the name on the driver's license does not match the application, even with women using a different last name, you may be dealing with a bad tenant. If contact information on an application is false, you are definitely dealing with a bad tenant.
4
Double-check references on the application. Always be sure to check the information given for a previous property owner and tenant's job to make sure the person you are calling is not actually a relative posing as a landlord or boss. This can be done through county records and reverse telephone directories.
5
Conduct a thorough screening. Because screening prospective tenants can be expensive, many property owners skip this process. This will cause you to miss important information that may have saved you from renting to a bad tenant. If you cannot arrange for a professional screening, at least call and Google all references to verify identity.
Tips & Warnings
Use the Internet to verify the prospective tenant's previous address.
Get a copy of the applicant's drivers license.
Do not allow a sob story to prevent you from diligently processing the application.
