What should I look for when screening my new tenants?

Tenant screening is by far the most important part of the rental process. A few of the properties which we receive for management have been rented by owners or management companies who did not do thorough & appropriate screening when their current tenants moved in. Now these tenants have not paid their rent and must be evicted.

We recommend that you look for the following items from your prospective new tenants: a completed rental application from every adult that will be occupying the property, a proof of income such as a copy of a current paycheck stub showing year-to-date earnings and a copy of a current driver's license or other form of picture ID. Make sure that names and addresses match.

Always obtain a credit report and a tenant performance report on your potential tenants. We currently use National Tenant Network for our reports. The tenant performance report will indicate whether these people have had any previous unlawful detainers or evictions filed against them. Always check references.

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