Finding previous landlord contact info
If potential tenants doesn't provide previous landlord info or claim they've never rented before, is there a way to find out their previous landlord and contact info? Thank you from a soon to be first time Landlord.
Either look at them as “never rented before” (moving out of their parents home and starting their own independent lives) or “skip over this one” (mature adults with no prior mortgages/ ownership of real estate who are lying to you or maybe were homeless or incarcerated and are getting back on track).
#1 Tenant Screening Contributor
- Property Manager
- Honolulu, HI
A good credit report will show "prior addresses", which you can then question your prospects about. Also take note of different addresses on whatever documentation they do provide...State ID or DL, paychecks, bank statements etc. to see if they match with their "story". It will also show if they have prior evictions and other public records which is generally more important anyway.
Check their drivers license. Sometimes, it lists a previous address not their current one. Also, you may want to check the public records to find out who owns the properties they lived previously. Alternatively, you can ask them. I always request at least five years of tenant residency.
