Tenant Screening: Positive Attributes to Screen For

Seems like I’ve been weighing in a lot on tenant screening forum topics lately.

It is never too early in the process to figure out what you’re looking for and what you will not accept.

Here are some attributes I’m looking for:

• Enough income to pay rent. Verifiable income. A source of income that has been held for at least a year. So many applicants get a new job and immediately shop for better housing; I view them as risky. We particularly like applicants with income in the “sweet spot” – high enough to be able to pay rent on time stress free, but low enough that you aren’t concerned that they will move somewhere bigger/better right away.
• People who don’t move often. If the applicant has moved around a lot, there is little chance that they will stay in this unit for very long. Turnover is expensive, we always give preference to the applicants who have lived at a previous address for five years or more, and don’t want a tenant who has not lived at any address for over a year. We do ask on our application how long they intend to stay, and take that into consideration as well, but past performance does predict future performance. And always verify past addresses with the credit report.
• Roots in the area. If people are moving from more than 30 miles away, we wonder how long they will stay; small town living with limited employment opportunities doesn’t always work out. If people have lived near the rental unit for the past five years, they likely know exactly what they are getting into, like the area, and are less likely to disappear to never be found again after move out.
• Prior landlords that can be reached and don’t hate their guts. With all the foreclosures and how little people keep track of contact info, it is very difficult to reach former landlords. To hear back from one is a blessing, no matter what they say. If the applicant doesn’t owe the landlord money, moved out on good terms, and paid on time, they will probably be a worthwhile tenant. We love hearing from other landlords and getting a chance to tell them that we paid that person to leave, or we would never rent to them again.
• Non smokers. We don’t require it, but we prefer it. I always thought it was illegal to ask, but smokers are not a protected class.

It’s easier to outline to applicants what disqualifies rather than what qualifies, but give it a try, and at least sort it out in your head before you have a stack of applications to prioritize.

What we share with applicants about the positive attributes we’re looking for:

Our Criteria:

• Complete application
• Verifiable rental history
• Sufficient income/resources to pay rent and live
• Credit report showing prior addresses consistent with application