When you’re dotting your i’s and crossing your t’s, one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself as a property owner is to check out tenant rental history. Running a background check can be effective for uncovering details about an applicant’s previous residences, but it’s still a good idea to work with a service that gives you a full picture of their rental history, as well. This will show you if they have any evictions on record, which is important to know before you sign a lease with a new tenant.
There are a whole host of reasons why a tenant might have had a previous eviction, and you should consider them carefully. In order for a legal eviction to occur, a property owner or manager must prove one of a number of serious offenses, from failure to pay rent to illegal use of the space. For your consideration, here are some of the most common grounds for eviction: rent nonpayment, unapproved tenants or subletting, improper use of space for commercial gain, nuisance complaints, property damage, drugs or illegal activity, unauthorized pets, or failure to vacate after the lease expires.
For obvious reasons, you’ll want to know if a previous tenant might have exhibited any of these behaviors. This is to protect you and your current tenants against any potential liability, as well as to keep your reputation intact. If your properties are housing problem tenants, word may spread via ratings websites or social media, which can damage your future prospects even if problem tenants are taken care of. In order to ensure that you know exactly what you’re getting into before you sign the lease, invest in quality background checks that include tenant rental history.
Requesting a credit check is another way to make sure you’re only signing on quality, responsible tenants. Any negative housing history or a failure to pay rent should show up on their credit history. This is just another tool in your arsenal for creating a safe, beneficial relationship between you and all of your tenants.
For additional information about running rental histories and background checks, please contact us here at Tenant Screening Center to get started!
Landlords Property Managers Contact TSCI