Finding renters for your property is arguably one of your biggest challenges as a landlord. Establishing your expectations early on can hopefully minimize discord and encourage compliance.
As you consider renters, use tenant screening to help you identify potential risks. When you learn as much about people as possible prior to accepting them as tenants, you can make a more informed and confident decision.
Aspects of screening
Tenant screening can include a variety of aspects. According to Allstate, ask potential tenants for references. Look at their background and credit history. Assessing such aspects can teach you a lot about people including the following:
- Whether or not they were formerly evicted
- Whether or not other tenants complained about them
- Whether or not they have pending criminal charges or a criminal record
- Whether or not they had difficulty paying rent in the past
While a tenant screening will not uncover everything there is to know about individuals, it can give you a pretty clear picture of what you will deal with. Drawing upon the information you learn; you can assess the risks and determine if prospective tenants will be a good fit for your property.
Handling conflict
Even with tenant screening, you may approve renters that you find challenging to deal with later on. The way you handle disputes can make or break the relationship. One thing you can do is include a clause discussing disputes in your rental agreement. Do your best to maintain open communication with your tenants. If conflict ever escalates to the point where you feel threatened, you may need to scale back and rely on the authorities to assist you.