7 Steps to Screen Tenants for a Rental Property Atlanta GA

Dana Williamson
Posted by December 18, 2020 December 18, 2020

If you own income property, its success is going to depend significantly on the tenants you rent out to. A landlord that has good tenants does not necessarily need to be concerned about rent payments or the protection of their property. Bad tenants on the other hand are going to stress you endlessly. For this reason, every landlord needs to do everything in their power to make sure that they are getting the best tenants for their property. This can however be a challenge for most income property owners since they get to interact with lots of potential tenants. To ensure that you do not run into any future problems with your tenants, you must screen each of them before you allow them to sign the lease. Given how challenging and time-consuming the process can be, you should work with Property Management Companies Atlanta GA. This website provides you with some of the most effective tips on how to effectively screen tenants.

    1. Pre-screen Every Potential Client

It is important that you pre-screening every potential tenant even before they send their applications. This can be done by going through the social media pages and looking keenly at the behavior they display. You can also add several pre-screening questions on the application forms. This is a good way for you to get detailed information about the kind of tenants you are going to be dealing with. It could also conserve the time and money you would have spent conducting a detailed background check.

  1. Get every tenant to submit an application

After completing the pre-screening process, Property Management Companies Atlanta GA asks the tenant to submit their application. If you do not work with Property Management Companies Atlanta GA, you can spot several templates for rental property application forms on several real estate websites. A good application form needs to cover every important detail you need the tenants to submit including personal knowledge, employment history, and financial details.

  1. Conduct a Reliable Background Check

Some companies offer detailed reports about any prospective client you are looking to rent out to. Some of the red lights you need to watch out for include public records, evictions, and criminal records. However, make sure that you consider several factors before dismissing a tenant on the basis of their criminal history.

  1. Make Sure to Run Credit Checks

Credit checks are important when it comes to gathering information regarding the credit history of a potential tenant. Most landlords prefer working with tenants that have credit scores not lower than 620. However, make sure that you do not violate the FCRA. If any of the tenants are in debt, they may not afford to pay the rent or make timely payments.

  1. Contact Their Past Landlords

The information you get from your tenants’ previous landlord is important especially for someone new to the process of screening tenants. Get the information about the rental history of the tenant and whether they made payments on time, any damages they may have caused to the rental property, and if they have any arrears.

  1. Contact the employer of the tenant

As a landlord, you have to make sure that each of your tenants has a stable income. You can verify this information by contacting their employer or requesting a pay slip from recent months. Although the employer may not provide you with personal information about the tenant, they should help you verify their employment status.

  1. Interview every tenant

After you have collected and verified every piece of information about the tenant, interview them for more information. Find out if they are going to live with a housemate if they have a pet, whether they drink or smoke, their working hours, and how regularly they are going to have guests sleeping over.

Given how complicated the tenant screening process can be, it is best that you hire Taylor Made Property Management because its a reputable Property Management Company in Atlanta GA they ensure that the process is handled effectively.