| After the initial interview and property tour, the | | | | They can let you know how prompt the tenant |
| next logical step landlords will usually take is having | | | | was at paying rent, whether they were ever late |
| the applicant fill in an application form. This form | | | | or whether they left without paying. You would |
| will give you as a private landlord your potential | | | | also want to know how well the tenant looked |
| tenant's name, social security number, current | | | | after the property. |
| contacts and the details of their previous | | | | After all, the last thing you want is a tenant |
| residence. | | | | racking up your bills due to growing cost of |
| The information provided on these application | | | | repairs. Take note; if the tenant was evicted, it |
| forms is important in helping you conduct tenant | | | | tells you that not only are they rent defaulters |
| credit screening. With the consent of the applicant | | | | but they most likely will be uncooperative when |
| you can screen your prospective renter. You also | | | | you ask them to vacate the property. |
| want to consider an application fee to cover you | | | | Criminal record |
| cost of the tenant credit screening. | | | | Even though criminal background checks are |
| When you go to a credit-screening agency to run | | | | usually at the discretion of the landlord, performing |
| a credit check on the applicant, they will give you | | | | one can save you a lot of trouble in future. |
| a report that contains a comprehensive account | | | | Criminal records are maintained as public |
| of their payment history. Included in this report is | | | | information, meaning that you can carry out |
| information on irregular payments, payment | | | | thorough investigations yourself to determine if |
| defaults and any other red flags that can help you | | | | your applicant that has passed tenant credit |
| determine if the applicant will pose a credit risk. | | | | screening has a criminal history. |
| Usually, when it comes to tenant credit screening | | | | In some states of the US, such a search can be |
| score's anything above 600 is considered good | | | | conducted online. As a private landlord, you |
| with scores below 600 considered more risky. | | | | reserve the right of admittance onto your |
| While tenant credit screening may furnish you | | | | property - as such you can use this information |
| with enough information to shortlist applicants, it is | | | | to disqualify any applicant. |
| not comprehensive enough to help you make a | | | | Verifying employment |
| well-informed decision. | | | | Unlike tenant credit screening, verifying |
| There are three areas that private landlords | | | | employment is fairly straightforward. All you need |
| make the mistake of overlooking during tenant | | | | to do is to either visit or call their employer to |
| screening. These are previous rental history, | | | | confirm that the tenant indeed still works there. |
| checking if the tenant has a criminal record and | | | | Do not rely on the contacts the tenant may |
| verifying their employment information. | | | | provide as it is possible to collude with a third |
| Rental history | | | | party to corroborate false information. Instead, |
| Using the details the applicant provided in the | | | | check in the directory for the firm's contacts so |
| application form, you can contact their former | | | | you can be certain you are calling your |
| private landlord to get information on what type | | | | prospective tenant's employer. |
| of a tenant they were. Previous private landlords | | | | Tenant credit screening is important but don't |
| are often an invaluable and reliable source of | | | | make the mistakes above as these other checks |
| information because they rarely if ever, have a | | | | are just as important for you to choose the right |
| motive to lie. | | | | tenants. |