Blog Post

Importance Of Tenant Screening

Matthew Tierce • Feb 11, 2021
Screening a tenant is vital because of the risks associated with renting your property. Avoiding late payment, non-payment, and property damage is a significant priority for a successful landlord. Evictions can be stressful and expensive, and the goal is to avoid them. When screening a prospective tenant, it’s important to pay attention to factors such as the tenant’s income, references, credit history, prior evictions, and criminal history. 

Income
Evictions can be costly and stressful processes. Landlords need to make sure that a tenant can afford their rent by verifying their income. A good rule of thumb is that a tenant should make three times the cost of their rental property. Verifying income can involve contacting employers, examining pay stubs and W2 forms. It can become more challenging to verify the income of self-employed tenants. 

References
When checking references, we first need to determine if the tenant is telling the truth. Is there income reporting accurate? A landlord also needs to know about the prospective tenant’s rental history. Checking references can answer questions about the tenant’s history of paying on time, property damage, and being a good neighbor. 

Credit History
The information found through a satisfactory credit check can speak to the tenant’s responsibility level. Poor credit might show that the person has been late or delinquent in paying rent or bills, involved in lawsuits, or hasn’t been financially active. We can also use a credit record to understand the tenant’s spending habits, which helps determine if they will be able to pay their rent in full and promptly. Safely using a credit report to decide if you will allow a person to rent your property involves understanding discrimination laws. This is an excellent reason to be knowledgeable about local laws or hire a property management company. 

Evictions
Generally speaking, evictions remain in rental records for seven years. Eviction history is public record, and checking it is a different process from checking credit history. People have a pattern of relevant behaviors, and you certainly should pay attention if someone has been evicted multiple times. This could mean that they did damage to the property or simply didn’t pay. Considering that eviction can be stressful and costly for landlords, it usually happened because of a significant and persistent problem. 

Criminal History
When evaluating a prospective tenant’s criminal history, considerations must be made. First, determine whether the criminal history is relevant. Could it impact your property or your other tenants? It is important to know if the tenant has maintained a good renting history after the conviction and made rehabilitation efforts. Landlords must use consistent practices to avoid being accused of using discriminatory practices. Some cities limit a landlord’s ability to reject a tenant based on criminal history, so it’s important to understand the laws. 

At Valley Insured Property Management, we understand the importance of tenant screening. We also understand the law and how to use the information obtained to make the best decisions about your property rental. As an industry leader in the High Desert Region for 30 years, we are committed to providing professional and innovative property management services to the community. 

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By Matthew Tierce 04 Feb, 2022
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By Matthew Tierce 09 Nov, 2021
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