Screening Inherited tenants

[Alexander Churchill]

What's up BP! So I'm closing on a rental property in about 3-4 weeks. I'm inheriting tenants and I want to know if and how I can screen them before I actually close and inherit them. Do I just need their names?? How do I go about it??

[Brian Garlington]

@Alexander Churchill

I use SMARTMOVE.com

Do NOT take the word of the seller that they are "GREAT tenants that have never given them problems". 

Find out what terms they are on regarding their lease and make sure you give them YOUR lease that you have them sign and that they will be cool with. 

I would bite the bullet and pay the $34.00 background check per person myself and don't squawk about paying this yourself, especially if you're already paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for the property.

If you see previous evictions or bankruptcies or felonies on the Smartmove report then you need to strongly re-evaluate if you want them as your tenants. Still close on the property of course....but if they are not locked into a long term lease then you need to take the necessary steps to get tenants in there that won't "surprise you".