5 Handy Screening Topics for New Tenants
Every landlord wants to get good, reliable tenants. Your chances of achieving that are greatly increased by not rushing into tenancies and getting some basics right at the outset. It’s best to leave your personal opinions about individuals aside, by focusing on some core issues and knowing the right questions to ask can really help you to find the right tenant for your property. We’ve compiled a shortlist.
Get a credit history report
First and most important is to get a credit check done. There are multiple sources from where you can get the report. It will provide a wealth of information about the tenant’s financial status and history and reliability.
Have they ever been evicted?
Generally, a credit score is not affected by evictions but the eviction having occurred will be on a report and can stay there for up to seven years. So, a clear recent history is a good indicator of rent reliability.
If there has been a problem, be upfront and ask. There may be a reasonable explanation. There are always two sides to a story. For example, the eviction may have happened due to a lack of funds several years ago, the knowledge that your tenant has a steady job now may be enough to disregard the fact that they were once evicted for late payments. You can make a judgement having had it explained.
Do they have pets?
Your property and fittings may be pet friendly and you may have no objections. But if you do, it’s best to have this question answered up front. If you are OK with pets make sure you have specified that there is to be no fouling of garden space. You may have to be specific about what kind of pets you are comfortable with having on the property. Do checkout the latest regulations, the rules have recently changed.
are many legitimate reasons why a tenant might break their agreement, so it’s How long do they plan to stay?
How long do they plan to stay?
A good question to ask is if your dates align in terms of how long your tenants plan to live in the property. If you are looking for more long-term renters, it’s good to discover whether your new tenants are planning to relocate to another country in the next 6 to 18 months. Also, many people are saving to buy a property today, so it can be worth checking their timeline for purchasing a place of their own.
If you don't mind having a high turnover in your rental property then this doesn't really matter. However, if your schedule is quite busy and you can’t spare the time to find new tenants every 6 months, it may be better to hold out for long term renters.
Do they have any unique requirements or expectations?
Asking your tenants what they expect is a good way of showing them that you are willing to work with them and accommodate their needs. This will lay a strong foundation for your tenant-landlord relationship.
Also, knowing whether your tenant requires something specific or unusual can help to determine whether your property is the right fit for their needs. For instance, if they run a small business and need more than one parking space for a van, then you can inform them of the usual capacity for cars on your street or nearby.
How many people will move in?
This is important for many reasons, not least of which is the legal aspect of letting properties to multiple people. Always check how many people will be staying in the property as well as their ages and their relationship to the applicant.
Mid-term inspections
Having set your tenancy in motion, don’t forget to keep it on track by conducting regular mid-term inspections. It is usual to have the initial check at around 3 months with follow-ons 6 or so months later. Our free inventory app allows you to create quick mid-term inspections.
Be sure to make appointments well ahead of time for inspections. You are required to give at least 24 hours’ notice.
Panos, 16 April 2021
Post Titles
- Career Spotlight: Be a Property Inventory Clerk
- What tenants can expect from a Mid-Tenancy Report
- What are Periodic Inspections and what do they entail?
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- What is a Check-In report?
- How inventory clerk software can help your business
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- Do I Need a Property Inventory?
- The Importance of Check-In and Check-Out Reports
- Our App makes creating a Schedule of Condition so much faster and more Accurate
- Our Dictation Software makes creating Inventory Reports so much faster
- Why you need to carry out Interim Inspections of your BTL
- Creating an Inventory is a critical task for a Managing Agent
- An Inventory Guide for Tenants
- Some tips for Landlords carrying out Property Inspections
- Creating an Inventory is one of the most Important Tasks for a Managing Agent
- What should you check for when Inspecting your Rental Property?
- How to Hire an Inventory Clerk
- Is an Inventory Report needed for Unfurnished Properties?
- The Reasons why you should carry out a Mid-Tenancy Inspection
- The Perfect Inventory App for Landlords
- Check-In and Check-Out reports: What you need to know as a Tenant
- Carrying out Mid-Tenancy checks: What you Need to Know
- You’re not still living in the 20th Century, are you?
- What to check for when doing an Inventory Report
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- Reports2Go: the 21st Century way of creating Property Reports
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- What should you check for when inspecting your Lettings Property?
- Some things you need to know about Mid-term inspections as a Landlord
- The Reports2Go App makes Property Reports simple
- Why you should carry out Interim Inspections as a Landlord
- Why Check-In and Check-Out Reports are important for Tenants
- Some things to consider if you are thinking of buying a BTL
- The clever way for Letting Agents to create Property Reports
- Our FREE app makes Inventory Reports so much easier
- What to do if your Tenant has Damaged your Property?
- Inventory Reports and Check-Ins – are both really necessary?
- Who should pay for Property Cleaning - Tenants or Landlords?
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- New plans and improved resolution for images
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- Minimising risks with proper tenant checks
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- The Importance of an Inventory for Tenants
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- 5 Handy Screening Topics for New Tenants
- Busting Property Management Myths
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- Giving your Feedback on an Inventory as a Tenant
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- Tools for New Landlords and Property Managers
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- Doing an Inventory: Part 5 - Enhancing the Report
- Doing an Inventory: Part 4 - Finishing Up
- Doing an Inventory: Part 3 - Describing Items
- Doing an Inventory: Part 2 - At the Property
- How to do an Inventory: Part 1 - Preparation
- All you need to know about Property Reports as a Tenant
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- A guide to Inventory, Check-In, and Check-Out reports
- Reasons for Landlords to carry out Mid-term Inspections
- How to Carry out an Inventory Quickly, Accurately, and Easily
- What does an Inventory Clerk do, and should I hire one?
- Inventory – A Guide for Tenants
- Things to keep in mind when conducting a Check-in Report
- Free Schedule of Condition - Why You Need it
- End-of-Tenancy clean? All you need to know
- Reports During Covid - 19 Restrictions
- Mid-term inspections as a Landlord
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- All about the Reports2Go App
- The Importance of an Inventory for a Tenant
- Dictation makes for a much faster and more Accurate Inventory
- How the Reports2Go app works
- Free Property App
- Completely Free App
- Tenant Fees Act and Inventories
- When you have a lot of Inventories, Reports2Go will save you time
- Periodic Inspections and why they are good idea
- Inventory meets the 21st century with Reports2Go
- Our App saves you a lot of time on Mid-Term inspections
- What is an inventory and why have one?
- Text Mode
- Audio Mode
- Our Inventory App
- Inventory Associations
- The life cycle of a Report
