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Before Screening Tenants, Read Our
Landlord Tenant Screening Tips First PART 1

If you are a landlord or property manager, screening tenants has to be one of the most vital part of your job. Our landlord tenant screening tips will show you how to pick responsible, trouble-free tenants today.

First Contact with Your Potential Tenant: Telephone Conversation

Your very first contact with any tenant usually begins with a phone call. This is where you begin screening tenants for any signs of trouble. This landlord tenant screening tips is made up of two steps: First you need to ask your tenants the right questions and you will also need to observe their answers closely as well.

Common and Relevant Questions to Ask when Screening Tenants
  • What is your name, phone number and current address?
  • What is your job and who is current employer?
  • If you don't have a job, what is your income source? E.g. from parents or welfare support
  • What is your credit score? Do you have a credit report that you can show me?
  • How many people will be staying on the property with you?
  • Do you have any children or elderly who will staying with you? If yes, what are their ages?
  • Do you have any pets?
  • Are you a smoker? Does anyone who will be staying with you smoke?
  • What is your reason for moving away?
  • Who are your previous landlords and can you ask them to give me any referrals?
Landlord tenant screening tips : When you are screening tenants, be wary of any tenants who hesitate or refuse to answer the questions above. If someone is sincere about renting your property, he or she should be happy to answer any reasonable questions as long as you ask nicely.

If you want more reliable and complete information on your applicants, there is a quicker and easier way of screening tenants. You can actually buy credit reports, eviction records and background checks of your potential tenants from well-trusted tenant screening sites such as Tenant Verification Service or E-Renter.

Things You Should Take Note of when Screening Tenants on the Phone

Other than listening to their replies, a good landlord or property manager has to learn to listen between the lines.

"My children just won't listen to me." - Will the kids of your tenants turn out to be living terrors who will terrorize the neighbours and destroy your property? Even if your tenants are perfectly pleasant people, you have to watch out for any highly destructive children that tag along with them.

"The place that I'm currently staying in is crawling with bugs." - You have to ask yourself if the place really that old and shabby or the bugs are due to the tenant failing to clean up and maintain the property.

"You should check out my spanking new hi-fi system." - Will he end up blasting heavy metal music late into the night? If your new tenant will ends up disturbing other tenants or neighbours, you will be one suffering a flood of complaints and protests.

"My old landlord was not understanding at all." - Was the previous landlord really a nasty grouch or was the tenant causing too much trouble and headaches for the landlord.

Landlord tenant screening tips : Observe the tone of their voices and their attitudes when your potential tenants are chatting with you. Are they friendly and pleasant or do they come across as impatient and demanding? You have to be extra careful if they agree to rent the property without even viewing or they threaten to find another landlord.

The next step you have to take for screening tenants is EVEN more important. Learn our landlord tenant screening tips for interview your tenant face to face:



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