Have you heard that around 37% of Boise residents are renters?
Landlords there can struggle to sift through all the applicants. Choosing the wrong tenants can lead to all kinds of awful situations.
How can you get better at tenant screening? Read on for our five top tenant screening questions.
1. What Is Your Credit History?
Asking about a potential tenant's credit history is essential to gauge their financial responsibility. A good credit history shows that this renter has the power to pay rent on time and manage their finances well.
You can ask for their permission to run a credit check to verify the information that the applicant gives you. Look for the following red flags:
- Several major loans
- Outstanding debts
- A history of late payments
2. Do You Have a Stable Source of Income?
Ensuring that your tenants have a stable source of income is crucial to their ability to pay rent regularly. Ask applicants about their employment status to secure quality tenants. This should include the length of their employment and their income each month.
Their answers will give you insights into their financial security and their capacity to afford the rent.
3. Can You Provide References from Previous Landlords?
References from landlords they've had in the past can give you valuable info about a potential tenant's rental history and behavior. Ask for contact information for their previous landlords and follow up with them to ask about the following:
- The tenant's reliability
- Cleanliness
- Any past issues with rent payments or property damage
A glowing reference from a past landlord is a good indicator of a quality tenant.
4. Have You Ever Been Evicted or Sued for Non-Payment of Rent?
Asking about past evictions or legal issues related to non-payment of rent is essential to assess a potential tenant's rental history. It's helpful to be aware that some tenants may have legitimate reasons for past evictions.
Frequent evictions or lawsuits could be a red flag indicating potential problems with paying rent or sticking to lease agreements, though. This question will prevent you from starting your tenant screening process all over again too soon due to evictions.
5. Do You Have a Criminal History?
It's also important to ask potential tenants about their criminal history to ensure the safety and security of your property and other tenants. While having a criminal history doesn't always disqualify someone from renting your property, certain offenses may raise concerns.
This depends on the nature of the crime and its relevance to being a responsible tenant. It's always better to be cautious when finding tenants.
These Tenant Screening Questions Are Vital During Interviews
By asking these five tenant screening questions, you can gather important information to help you make informed decisions about potential tenants. Finding quality tenants is essential for a successful rental property business, and thorough screening is the first step in achieving this goal.
Do you need help running your Boise rental property business? At Next Step Realty Management, we've been helping investors since 1999. Contact us to discuss our winning property management solutions.