Tenant screening background check for landlords (8 steps you cannot skip!)

[@RicheyPropertyMgt]

Tenant screening is SO important in your success with your rental property. Got any great tenant screening tips that you've used? Share them below.

[@joemachunda]

I've been a landlord for about 30 yrs. One thing I do when I am still not sure I ask the potential tenant if I can come where they currently live within a few hrs. No one has said no. It can be eye opening and or reassuring

[@barbarareel71mom1son04]

Asking to see their current living space is a great idea. 👍

[@tsmi5807]

I have done present home inspections , maybe ten percent of the time, I have never done an inspection and allowed that prospect into my place. Maybe I am just wary of the right people, I dont know.

[@WendyBartel-w8s]

Brave of you but I often thought about asking to see the interior of their CAR!

[@JPPropertyConsultingLLC]

Ok, just as a “red flag” that would immediately pop in my head… I read this and (if I were a HUD agent) It appears that you only do this when “you’re still not sure” as you put it. You just need to be careful here, because this would indicate that you are only doing this with certain applicants. s I teach in my landlord training courses, your screening process needs to be objective, measurable and consistent. Right away, when you stated that you do this only when “you’re still not quite sure “ , this tells me the process isn’t ’consistent’. Next, I’d ask what you’re evaluating. For example, I hear some landlords say that they “look at the applicant’s car” to see how dirty it is inside. This process of evaluating an applicant isn’t “objective” nor is it “measurable”. Now, after that long speech, I’ll give you an understanding of where I come from with all this. I don’t own my own rental property…. Instead, I come from working at the large national and statewide Property Management organizations, where we train our leasing and management staff proper business practices. That said, there’s lots of advice given by small landlords to other small landlords here on YT. My training courses teach the small management companies and mom/pop landlords all the business practices which are taught at the large Management companies.

[@searchbug]

Well said! Well, we've been helping landlords and property managers to spot red flags. Aside from asking them questions, it's always a good thing to perform tenant screening using data. Always check from criminal records, eviction, liens, garnishments, etc. Not only you protect the property from lawful acts, but you also maintain a good cashflow. We've heard horror stories from landlords themselves, and hopefully no one gets to experience those scenarios again. This is an important reminder to thoroughly screen potential tenants and that should be a top priority!

[@Sugarmesmooth-hair-removal]

I'm a fairly new landlord and these tips are SO helpful! Couldn't agree more that screening is so important.

[@jdantigua1999]

Also, go to your neighborhood police station and if the information is public, the police will tell you about criminal background. Tax return is also very important. Rent plus utilities should be no more than 30% of their monthly income. Add 10% for debt. Get the previous landlords specific contact/ address information. Do NOT trust only a phone number as the person on the other line could be a friend of the applicant.

[@frankamdur1441]

I try to have a conversation at their current living location so I can see how well they take care of the property and if there are any issues

[@wernerheidemann9645]

Can you share with me who do you use for tenant background check

[@Monipenny1000]

I wish you were in my area, I would hire you to manage my rentals. Avoiding bad tenants makes our job so much easier. "Better no tenant than a bad tenant."~John Nuzzolese.

[@OfficialGoldenboy]

Tenant ? More like code name for Slaves

[@jdantigua1999]

Get the application which includes authorization to do a background and credit check. Also, go to your neighborhood police station and if the information is public, the police will tell you about criminal background. Tax return is also very important. Rent plus utilities should be no more than 30% of their monthly income. Add 10% for debt.

[@shawmeck9323]

How do we verify if documents are legitimate?

[@mr.cumbow7438]

What is a good database program landlords can use to track bad renters?

[@StephanieKremic]

Really loving the title of this video. Great work!

[@francisexperience]

very useful advice thank you!

[@kecia225]

Thanks

[@christinsamborOLD]

Great tips as I think about getting into real estate investments!

[@joemachunda]

Really THINK about it. It can become very costly if you have to hire people to do any kind of construction. My husband does everything from laying carpet to replacing old plumbing. Right now isn't the time to invest either. It's a seller's market

[@IntentionalMarriages]

Great suggestions!! I'll forward this to my friend who manages rental properties.

[@RicheyPropertyMgt]

Intentional Marriages thank you!

[@homesgui_chrome9186]

what to you do when : you cant find a good tenant?

[@jimlukas3487]

The federal fair housing laws are fairly clear. Landlords are not allowed to discriminate against anyone in a protected class. These protected classes include race or color, religion, national origin, familial status or age (example: pregnant women, anyone under a certain age, etc.), disability or handicap, and sex. Note however, that lawyers are not a protected class. I’d be discreet and not wave a red flag in their face, but many landlords never rent to lawyers. Or MMA fighters. Or Samurai, ninjas, or ronin.

[@RicheyPropertyMgt]

And many states have additional protected classes as well!

[@deetiligo7761]

How or where did you go to check the applicants credit report?

[@marsha2600]

Zillow

[@TrevorJonescreator]

Oh man! My mom could have used this like 8 years ago! She has a terrible tenant and is afraid to boot her!

[@RicheyPropertyMgt]

Trevor Jones it’s hard to get someone out which is why it’s so important to get a good one in! Hope it gets better for her!!

[@TrevorJonescreator]

@@RicheyPropertyMgt Thanks!

[@haolee1975]

thank you for the video. Is asking for 2 month's bank statements appropriate?

[@deetiligo7761]

How do you conduct a criminal check?

[@theroyalone7588]

What all does it screen !?

[@nathanholt1637]

The tenant screening checklist website had a banner that cant be removed, is there another way to get this? Thanks!

[@Logan.A.rademeyer2147]

Hi there, I know landlords who do not perform tenant screening, as long as the tenant has the rent and advance. I also know landlords who perform thorough tenant screening before deciding on the right tenant, yet none of them have ever had any rental collection issues whatsoever, am I missing something valuable here? Can you please give me your thoughts, these are landlords who had no issues throughout the pandemic. Thanks for the great video

[@wintercook2]

I think your land lords are lucky. I've been a landlord for 12 years. I now have four units, six tenants. When one of my units comes vacant, I stop everything and really focus on choosing my next tenant. I put a lot of time and energy into deciding which tenant to choose. It has paid off. I've really liked every one of them. I also make my places really nice, so I get the largest selection of potential tenants. It also minimizes maintenance and upkeep. When something needs fixing, I do the best quality work I can, so I won't have to deal with it again. When I hear of a horror story of a tenant, I think it is usually a lack of due diligence on the part of the landlord. I know it could happen to me anyway, but I can at least minimize the risk by being a good landlord. I get paid well. I can afford to make my places nice and keep them up.

[@smartanajones4u]

Great video but the link to the tenant screening doc is like click bait to some marketing website called “click funnels.” Though the tenant screening webpage comes up, once it opens immediately in a mlli second there is a pop up about this click funnels that prevents one from accessing the tenant list. So disappointing because i was looking forward to putting in my email to retrieve the list but I have no interest in being click baited.

[@MrObrian109]

Hey. The link not working for me. Can you help me please

[@devynbaxter6459]

My lease ends April 29th and I applied for a new apartment community. I applied for Texas rent relief and I’m sure I will be approved. I technically owe money on my account and they will be doing rental verification. It’s not on my credit history but I’m not sure what to do. 🥺

[@GamerGee]

What’s the best way to prevent tenants from applying using CPNs? That’s becoming a big issue now.

[@marcywelk8406]

Your videos are excellent - clear, concise and super smart! The link to the Tennant screening list is not working for me, is there a remedy?

[@RicheyPropertyMgt]

Thanks so much, Marcy. I'm glad they are helpful. I checked on the link and it should be working now.

[@marcywelk8406]

Got it. Appreciate you!

[@clarakumar]

Debt to income ratio: do we use gross income or NET income (take home pay)??

[@padminimayur4049]

Take home

[@vanillathehexican4142]

What about renters protections? I only see protections for landlords...are their companies I can do my own screenings with instead of having to "trust" a landlord by sending some random stranger on the internet $85 for a background check with some random company who gets all my info and God knows what they will do with it? So sketchy to find a place out here lol...I havent met them, seen the place, and they want $55-85 up front for a screening from some entirely too random company on the internet...

[@likethecolorgreen]

I got to this side of KZbin by watching evection videos. I have no plant to rent. I’m just curious about this world.

[@homesgui_chrome9186]

what to you do when, you cant find a good tenant?

[@tsmi5807]

You are either in the wrong property, the wrong neighborhood or in the wrong business.

[@homesgui_chrome9186]

@@tsmi5807 .. I just asked the wrong person.. nervermind... thanks for nothing....

[@RetrieverTrainingAlone]

A tenant screening form required social security, birthdate...this seems risky to a potential renter in terms of potential identity theft?

[@RicheyPropertyMgt]

Background check forms do request that type of information - it's a standard process.

[@FeiXenogears]

For tenants make sure to use your bank card when a landlord as ask for my money to do a background check so if they refuse to rent to you just call your bank and stop the transaction to get your money back

[@ra44mr2]

Ok so im a tenant and here is my problem. I have been living month to month in a place that has a bad drain field in the septic we have paid our rent on time for 98% of the time being late only a couple of times after i was laid off and had a heart attack. But i dont even want to look at other places if there is something on my record and i dont know whats there. I know someone stole my identity long ago and i have no idea if they have evictions etc. How do i check it myself like one does their credit report? BTW my credit does in fact stink we paid rent but lost two vehicles to repo. NOthing we could do it was rent and food or cars. *shrug*

[@RicheyPropertyMgt]

One place you can go is www.annualcreditreport.com You will be able to get reporting from the 3 credit bureaus and can see any liens and judgements and get a picture of your credit at this point. Then you can try to work to clear up what you need to and get a plan in place. All the best to you!

[@duckling4393]

credit check is useless...it does not report any previous evictions, and calling previous landlord is useless too because previous landlord can lie about how good of a tenant was just to get rid of them fast...squatters have more rights than landlords and they play the system and live rent-free for months...and good luck getting any payments from squatters even if landlord wins in court.

[@mimusic1853]

“We heard other people” really Karen