In this post, we will cover all of the basics of tenant screening, including: what information you need, how to get it, what you should do with that information once you get it and how to use it to make your screening process faster and easier.
Screening your tenants is basically finding out who is coming into your property to do business or use your facilities. You are probably thinking, "How does that pertain to me?" Well, it pertains to you because you are the landlord. If you are not actively screening your tenants then they are doing business in your building without your knowledge. This could be bad news for you if they don't pay their rent or cause damage to the property.
To avoid these problems, you have to know who is renting housing units in your buildings. You also need to know who is entering your property for a particular reason. The better you can find out about a prospective tenant, the less time and effort it will take to clear up any issues that may arise during their tenancy.
For example, if you are considering renting part of your building out to someone who needs medical treatment, then having access to that information may help you decide whether or not that would be a good fit. It's a good idea to know everything you can about a possible tenant in order to take the best approach when approaching them.
Screening tenants will help you make better decisions in the long run. The more you know about who is going to be living, working or visiting your building, the easier it will be to take action if anything goes wrong.
So, let's get started by talking about how you can get information about your prospective tenants.
The best way to get the information you are looking for without causing any problems is to ask for it up front. This is especially important if you are asking someone to fill out an application. Make sure you inform them in detail what will be required in order for them to move forward with the application process. This will make the process easier for everyone involved. Some key information you might ask for on the application includes:
-Name
-Address
-Phone Number
-Email Address
-Credit History: If you are asking for credit history, then you have to be sure that it is legal in your state to do so. You can always request that they share that information with a landlord or property manager even if they won't fill out an application. -When They Will Move In
-Job History
-References
-Bank Statements
-Bank Verification Forms
-Utility Bills: If you are asking for utility bills, then be sure to include the dates that they are available. Most utility companies will only allow you to look at current or previous bills. You can request that they send any old ones if they have them, though.
The list of information above is more than enough to get the job done. If you don't ask for enough information, you may not get what you need. If you ask for too much information, then they might not fill out the application at all.
Don't apply different rules to different tenants. Everyone should have the same set of guidelines for how to move through the process. They should also have the same expectations about what happens once their application is submitted.
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