Tenant Screening – The Process – How Does A Landlord Go About Screening For The Right Tenant?
The Basics
* All applicants over eighteen should fill out and sign and date an application
* All applicants should provide current photo ID such as a drivers license
* Spouses should be considered as separate applicants for the rental process
* Be aware of fair housing and local discrimination laws. Do not write on the application or make any notes that could be interpreted as code words or marks used to differentiate protected classes.
* Time and date stamp all applications. Process them in the time/date order received to remain objective.
* Be sure that it is signed, that is where your permission to run a credit check and to check into backgrounds is given by the applicant.
* Have the application signed in your presence. Verify the signature against a drivers license.
* Use the same screening criteria for everyone
* Don’t accept incomplete applications
Verification
* Check the application signature against the photo ID
* Do a credit check and we suggest you buy the FICO score, the eviction report and the social security check. Any discrepancies or negative reports here are a red flag. Remember, you will have to deal with this person for a long time. OFAC or screening for terrorists is now mandatory.
* If you are renting a commercial space you may want to consider a business to business report as well as a credit report on the owners.
* Many applicants do not have a social security number or credit history. It will be difficult to get a credit report without this and you may have a legitimate reason to reject this applicant with no reflection on the character of the applicant, if you require credit reports of all applicants. You may also try to solve this problem by asking for an in-state guarantor. read more…
