Do landlords report bad tenants?

Question

I'm about to be a first time landlord and I've read so much on these forums about running background, credit, criminal, etc. checks and there are many websites that offer those services.  I'm just wondering where those websites get their information on past rental history.  Do we, as landlords, have a place to call to report bad tenants?  If they don't pay their rent for over 30 days, do we report them to the credit bureaus?  I'm just curious... someone has to report bad tenants so that landlords can get accurate information.

Aly W. · Answer

Be sure to check the property tax records to verify if their current or previous "landlord" actually owns the property. I've caught 2 applicants lying about that one. Their landlord was either their friend or relative.

Tom S. · Answer

I use Mr Landlord.com.  You can report debtors and it does get reported on their credit.  The initial setting up of the account takes a bit of time; they'll actually come out to your house / office for a quick inspection to confirm it's you, and to confirm you keep the applications in a locked area.  I believe it cost $75 for that inspection, one time only.

Good service since then for both running credit reports and reporting debtors.

- Tom

Ryan M. · Answer

@jeanette J.

Usually the address where the tax bill goes to is the best one, unless its a PO box. Stop by where the tax bill goes to. Stop by where they say they are living. I pop in their current rental with no notice to check out the condtion. Most of the time if their coming from the same area I will know who owns the building.

Carlos Flores · Answer

National Tenant Network has a move in/move out area where LLs can report non-payments, NSFs, skips w/o notice, evictions, sec 8 violations, etc.  Not sure if they sell/report this data outside their subscriber base.

Jeanette J. · Answer

I have also read about contacting the actual owners of the addresses that tenants say they have lived at before.  The assessors website gives the owners current address, but how do you get their phone number?  Google it and hope for the best?

Steve Babiak · Answer

I recently had an application where the screening service "missed" an eviction.  How did I discover this myself? I check each address on the application, credit report, and the applicant's ID.  I find out the owner of all addresses, and contact them.  That's how I found out about an eviction that I was then able to contact the district justice to get the details (case number and year).

I suggest that you DO go and visit their residence, as long as it makes sense geographically; for example, if somebody is moving from another state, you probably can't readily go see their present home.  This is the only way you can see what the future of your place will look like if you were to rent to them.  The car might be their biggest valued asset, but some will care for that car better than your house, and others will abuse their own stuff but take good care for yours - you just can't always tell.

As somebody recently told me, tenants are not like mutual funds - past performance IS a good indication of future performance for tenants.

Ryan M. · Answer

Aly. That's a good one. I had someone use a address they didn't live at but the landlord number I talked to made them sound great. I knew the owner of the property where they said they lived. In the end they couldn't believe we figures it out.

Jeanette J. · Answer

Thanks for your responses.  I will look for a landlord association around here that I could join.  I'm sure that would be very helpful.  I will definitely call their current landlord and especially their previous landlord just in case the current one is lying just to get rid of their bad tenant.

Jon Holdman · Answer

I call at least the current landlord and, if possible, the previous one.  No, I don't go to their place.

Tenants will not keep your place spotless.  Some won't even keep it clean.  Some will leave it "broom clean", which is probably all your lease says.  Some won't.  There will always be some work to do between tenants.  After renting a house for 10 years, its going to need some rehab if you want to sell it.

Bill Gulley · Answer

We have a Landlord's Association here. Not all landlords belong but they report the bad ones. Bad checks, lates, and they pick up the legal notices and publish it the newsletter. I would not say that they get black listed, but they get on the poie list and I really doubt members rent to them. You might have an organization in your area.

Do landlords report bad tenants?

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