Finding quality tenants is a must for landlords, but if you’ve just recently started renting property you might not know where to start. Today we’ll offer a few helpful tenant screening tips for new landlords:
Ask for ID
All prospective tenants should provide a valid photo ID, which you can photocopy and attach to the tenant’s application. To further verify identity, consider looking up the tenant’s license plate.
Call Two Landlords
Previous landlords can tell you if a prospective tenant has a history of skipping rent or damaging property. However, if you only call the tenant’s most recent landlord, she might give a glowing review just to get rid of her most problematic tenant! Calling two landlords will typically give you a more nuanced picture.
Check out Social Media
If you can, find the applicant’s Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn profiles to verify that the employment information they provided checks out, and that they don’t belong to any hate groups or gangs.
Hire a Property Management Company to Screen Tenants for You
There’s no doubt about it—tenant screening can be time-consuming. That’s why many landlords turn to property management companies when it comes time to find new tenants. Not only can it save you time, but the company will also ensure that you’re adhering to the Fair Housing Act (FHA), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion and other factors.
Looking for top-quality property management services in the Indianapolis area? At AMG Property Management, our experienced team of rental property managers and leasing agents can work with you to help you get the most out of your rental property. To get started, feel free to give us a call or contact us online today!
