When Renting a House What Can I Ask for to Verify Employment?

It is important to thoroughly vet prospective tenants before renting out your home or apartment. A rental application and a credit report can provide you with all the information you need to help you decide if the tenant is credit-worthy. You also must be confident that the tenant can afford to pay the rent when it's due. It's also important to verify employment, which can be done in several ways.

Pay Stubs

Ask the applicant to provide pay stubs to verify monthly income. These pay stubs should account for a month's salary, keeping in mind that the average month contains 4.3 weeks, according to Landlord.com. An applicant who is paid bi-weekly does not calculate his monthly income by multiplying one bi-weekly paycheck times two.

Employment History

Typically, a landlord should ask for two years' employment history – verified by a phone call to the employer – before renting a home to a prospective tenant, according to author Richard Jorgensen. Ideally, the two years should be in a related field. Some human resources managers do not like to divulge sensitive information about employees, but will usually offer a "yes" or "no" as to whether the applicant does in fact work for the employer. Any other information, such as salary, may be verified if you provide the dollar amount that the applicant provided on the rental application.

Self-Employed Applicant

A self-employed applicant's income may be harder to verify. Independent contractors, freelancers or people who work for tips may not have a regular, steady income, but nonetheless may be well-qualified to pay the rent. Ask for the past two years' tax returns to provide income verification. Cross reference the tax returns with a copy of a credit report; excellent credit is indicative of a financially responsible applicant.

Considerations

Ask the applicant for references from at least two previous landlords. This can reveal a pattern of behavior for the applicant's ability to pay rent. Ask the previous landlords if the applicant paid rent in full and on time or if he ever had any late payments. Furthermore, ask the landlord if the applicant left the unit in good condition and gave advance notice when moving. When speaking with a past landlord, ensure that you're not merely speaking to a friend who may be willing to lie or who has been briefed in advance.

References

• Landlord.com: How to Thoroughly Evaluate the Prospective Tenant's Credit and References
• "The Everything Landlording Book"; Judy Tremore; 2005
• "The New No-Nonsense Landlord"; Richard H. Jorgenson; 2003