As a leasing agent, you only want to provide the best tenant to your landlords. Because for the landlord to have a successful business, he must match with good tenants. Imagine if the property manager ends up with a tenant who never pays the rent, causes problems, and does not follow the lease agreement.
You can avoid all of these by carefully evaluating all the tenant candidates. Your screening process should include background checks, credit validation, and past landlord consults. It is better if the tenant uses their previous landlords as a reference. They can tell you what kind of tenant the applicant is and if they had any issues with them.
If the tenant lists their past landlords, you should make sure that you contact them. But before that, you must know which questions to ask them to get the information you need. You can even list them down beforehand. If you don’t have one yet, you’re in luck because I can help. Below are the landlord reference questions you should pose:
What is the rental’s address?
The first thing you should do is check if the previous rental and landlord exist. Some tenant applicants will go to great lengths to deceive landlords and agents, especially if they got evicted. They can make up a fake rental and a fake property manager. Knowing the address will help confirm if the tenant is providing you with honest info. A phony landlord will not know the specific details.
How long did they rent?
If the landlord was able to rent out their property for a long time, it is a good sign. A lease renewal is a plus. No landlord would agree to let bad tenants stay for a long time, nor would they renew their lease.
Were there other renters listed on the lease?
Sometimes tenants would sublet their rental to earn a little extra money. You can check if the applicant did it on their past property. Some landlords do not allow subletting, and you should give them a heads up about the policy. However, some contracts do not include the name of the subletter, so make sure you ask the previous landlord.
How much did they pay for rent?
Once you know the tenant’s past monthly rent, you can predetermine their ability to pay. If the rental price you’re asking is lower than their previous rent, it can indicate that they can afford it. If it is significantly higher, you have to corroborate with their income.
Were they able to pay the rent on time and in full?
I’m not saying that paying rent past the due date is critical per se because it depends on the reason behind it. Some tenants may go through financial difficulties such as hospitalizations or family problems. But constantly missing out on payments is a different matter. It’s distressing when it becomes a habit, and they can’t give a reasonable excuse.
Were they good at maintaining and taking care of the property?
Having other people live on your property is risky. The landlords would have to entrust their investment to people they barely know. Asking the previous landlord about how the tenant maintained the rental says who they are as renters. Look for tenants who keep their homes clean, immediately reports any damages, and know how to take care of the rental.
Why did the tenant decide to move?
Always remember to ask this from past landlords because the reason will affect your decision. Did they violate the lease agreement in any way? Was there any trouble between them and the tenant? The reason may be because they need to transfer for work or they want to live somewhere with nearby schools.
Past landlords are the best source of information because they know how essential it is to get a good tenant. Now that you have that listed down, you can try it out. If you don’t have applicants, sign up and join Padleads. Post your property listings and syndicate them to other websites. Pretty soon, you’ll have more applicants than you’d expect.