Tenant Screening

Tenant screening is an important step in renting out your property. Once people have responded to your advertisement of available housing, you need to look into who the most suitable tenant is. The last thing you want is to entrust your property to America 's Most Wanted! Neither would you like to rent out to a person with an account of defaults or someone who irritates neighbors. However, the process of tenant screening may not be as simple as it seems.

You need to figure out a way to get reports regarding the prospect's credit history, eviction records, employment, criminal records, if any, etc. On the basis of these reports you can opt for the most appropriate tenant for your property. The tenant screening procedure may be monotonous, but it is imperative that you go through every point which has been provided on this list.

• Credit reports: this will give an insight into how the tenant handles his money and if he is in the practice of defaulting payment. You may also request the bank if they will clear a check of the rent amount for their client.
• Court reports of evictions: this will tell you if the tenant has ever been evicted and for what reason.
• Bad check reports: this will help you get information on the non payments and bad checks made by the tenant.
• Employment verification: you can find out a great deal about the tenant from his present as well as past employers.
• Previous landlord verification: you can find out more about the tenant from his present as well as past landlords.
• Criminal background checks: this will help you to find out if the prospect has ever done or been party to any criminal activity.