Simple Tenant Screening

 There are some bad tenants out there, full stop. They don’t pay rent on time, cause unnecessary damage to your property, or disturb other renters around them. As a landlord, selecting the wrong group usually means more time managing your property and less return on investment. We outlined some simple screening tips here so you can avoid problem tenants and land a qualified group that will treat your property with respect!

Our Six-Step Process:

Verify Income - Request that groups submit pay stubs, offer letters, and tax forms to verify income levels that match what was reported on their application. If you’re dealing with a self-employed applicant, it’s good to require two years of tax returns and bank statements to be extra vigilant. Generally, Robert C. White & Company looks for an applicant with gross income at least 3x the monthly rent.

Analyze Credit Reports - Outside of verified income, credit is the best indicator of whether or not applicants are financially responsible. You’ll want to require a detailed report so you can analyze their credit scores, open trade lines, and debt to income ratio. We suggest setting a credit score minimum between 600 and 650 depending on the type of property and it’s location. Of course, if you have a higher-end rental, you can always increase your credit minimum!

Verify Identity, Work, and Current Residence - You should also ask prospective tenants to submit a copy of their government-issued photo ID. You can use this to verify their identity and current place of residence.

Check Rent References - Another thing you must do to screen for quality tenants is to call their previous landlord. If a group of applicants is already renting, you will gain insight into how they treat the unit they’ve been in before by talking with a reference. If you can contact more than one landlord, even better!

Sample questions to ask a landlord reference:

• Did the tenants pay rent on time, if not, how often were they late?
• How many pets did they have, and did the animal cause damage or disturbances to others?
• Would you rent to this group again?

Complete Background/Eviction Search - A thorough background and eviction search is a necessary tool for any tenant screening as well. If there is a troubling history of legal issues or past evictions, those are applicants you’re likely to avoid. Ongoing evictions won’t always show up in your check either. Be sure to search the CT judicial website (https://jud.ct.gov/housing.htm) for any current disputes that have not been resolved or reported.

Screen The Pets - Don’t forget to ask an applicant about the pets they would bring to your unit as well. Animals can cause damage in a unit or disturbance to the surrounding tenants, especially if they have an owner that isn’t attentive and aware. If possible, ask for veterinary documents that show the animals are properly registered and vaccinated as well.

There you have it, a simple six-step process you can use to screen applicants to your rental property. If you’re thorough here, picking the perfect tenants will be a stroll in the park, and you’ll have fewer headaches to deal with!