10 Ways to Know If a Renter is Going to Screw You
by ET Barton on Feb 13, 2008 with 16 Comments
If you have rental properties, there is nothing more difficult than finding good renters. Find out what questions to ask in the screening process and soon you will have model renters in your properties.
Doing a credit check and checking references is not a guarantee that you are going to pick a good renter. The fact is, a potential renter is never going to give you a bad reference. They would sooner supply you with a pre-selected friend’s phone number, and that friend is going to lie and tell you whatever they think you want to hear. The same goes with a potential employer. As far as credit goes, there are very few people who have excellent credit these days since the majority of the population does not know what it takes to maintain excellent credit.
Most people assume that closing a credit card is good for their score when in actuality, closing a credit card will drop your score drastically. Therefore, unless you are planning on closely analyzing every item on their report and fully understand how to do this, you will not have any success in selecting a good renter. Instead, use these trick questions to pull the truth from potential renters and make the correct selection for your property. If they do not pass the following test questions, do not take a chance on them. They will screw you over the first chance they get.
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How long have you worked for your current employer?
This question will reveal a lot about your applicant. If they have worked with their current employer for less then a year, there is a good possibility that they may not be working there for much longer. Be very wary of anyone who has only been at their job for a couple months because if they get fired or quit, they will not care enough about you to make the rent on time.
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How long did you work at the job before your current employer?
Again, this question reveals a lot. If they were at their previous employer for less then a year, this person has a hard time staying at a job. It is a strong indication that they will not be a reliable selection. Steer Clear. Stick to people who have worked at their current jobs for more then a year since they will be fully aware of all the good and bad factors related to their jobs, and will be more likely to keep their job.
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How long have you lived at your current residence?
If they have not lived at their current residence for long, they will not live at your residence for very long. Your goal is to find someone who will be there for a long time and take care of your property. Moving again in a short period of time is a guarantee that this is person will be gone before the dust settles. Look for someone with longevity.
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Why are you moving?
No matter how long the person has lived at their current address, there is a reason they are moving. By asking this question, you are going to find out their side of the story. If they had problems with the previous landlord, they are going to embellish those problems. They are going to tell you every bad thing that landlord ever did. What this really means is that your applicant is going to cause problems for you. They are going to complain about every little thing and give you one heck of a headache. Look for renters who are moving because they need to be closer to work or because they want a bigger place. These renters are usually less trouble.
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Are you able to pay the first month’s rent and deposit today?
If they give you an excuse as to why they need time, they will give you an excuse when it comes time to pay the rent. Do not negotiate. If they do not have the money now, they will not have it later.
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Do you have a current pay stub to verify employment?
When they show you a paystub, this gives you the opportunity to verify two things. First, you will see that they do work where they said. Second, you will see exactly how much money they made year-to-date as well as how much they make per pay period. This will let you know if they can really afford paying the rent. Give preference to renters who make more then double the rent.
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Have you had any credit problems that i should know about?
Whether you pull a credit report or not, by asking this simple question, your potential tenant is going to volunteer every bad thing they can think of related to credit. More often then not, they do not know what is on their credit report or understand why they have the score they do, so they will overcompensate to sell you on their worthiness. Listen carefully because whatever they tell you will let you know how well they manage their financial responsibilities. Anyone who has nothing to say probably has nothing on their report, and quite possibly will be a good risk.
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Have you ever been evicted?
If a person has been evicted, RUN. This means that the renter knows enough about the law to take advantage of renter’s rights. If you have to evict them, they will stay put until the very last day. You will spend a ton of money and energy trying to force them out of your property, and in the meantime, they will sit there and not pay you a dime.
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Have you ever taken a landlord to court?
Again, if they have been involved in a legal dispute with a landlord, they will cause trouble for you as well. They know enough about the law to sue someone in a court of law, and they know enough about the law to make you miserable. Do not choose someone who has been in a legal battle with a landlord. Instead, look for the renter who will just leave before things go bad.
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Who will be living in the unit?
This question is important. Look closely at everyone who will be living there because they will be causing just as much damage as any other renter. The more people living there, the faster the damage will occur. Generally, you want a small family with younger children, preferably girls. With a small family, your tenants will be less likely to move anytime soon. With girls, you have a better chance of the place remaining clean. Male teenagers and male college students tend to cause more destruction then any other demographic, so if you have an option that does not include this group, give preference to them. This will not only save you on the cleanup costs, but it will also save you on repairs.
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Published in: Homeowners
Ed Moore | Feb 13, 2008 | Reply
Erica…this is a great refresher for those of us who deal with rentals, especially the one about who will be living in the unit. Needless to say, I have had experience with that one. Thanks for this list. I plan to keep it handy.
Erica T Barton | Feb 13, 2008 | Reply
Thank you Ed. I really hope you are able to use it.
Judy Sheldon | Feb 13, 2008 | Reply
My son is a landlord. I will pass this on, and I know firsthand that these are good tips. Thank you.
Tarra B. | Feb 13, 2008 | Reply
Straight forward and helpful information, I’ll pass this on
louie jerome | Feb 14, 2008 | Reply
Interesting.
b, radley | Feb 16, 2008 | Reply
very informative info. thanks!
informed | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
it is ILLEGAL to refuse to rent to a family simply because they have sons instead of daughters. Someone needs to read up on land lord tenant laws. It’s called discrimination based on familial status.
informed | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
and further more just because a potential tenant sued a former land lord it doesn’t mean they will be a bad tenant for you. If a tenat sued a land lord because the land lord wouldn’t fix a septic system that had back flowed by no fault of the renter and made the hopme unihabitble but still demanded rent. Then obviously the land lord was a slum lord and had the land lord kept to THEIR responsibilties it wouldn’t have occured. A suit against a land lord isn’t doesn’t always make the land lord the victim he may well be the perpetrator.
ET Barton | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
To Informed,
I am fully aware that it is illegal to discriminate based on gender. I am not saying DON’T rent to them. I am saying that this may not be your preferred tenant. I speak from experience as I had renters with male teenagers who brought their friends around and caused destruction to the condo complex they were living in. One even stabbed a knife through a neighbor’s car window. Guess who the neighbor went after for the money…not them.
Also, I have no problem fixing anything my tenants need. However, I have found that people who have been in a lawsuit before with a landlord become a pain in the rear when it comes to money. They don’t tell you something is broken until it’s time to pay the rent, and then they withhold the rent until you fix it. Some things can’t be fixed overnight. Also, when you try to get them to move out, they will stay put and make you serve them and get the police involved if they decide you are wrong. This can cost you a ton of money in unpaid rent and serving costs. It is a potential headache no matter how you look at.
I’m sorry if this article pisses you off, but these suggestions are made to help people realize that some of these questions can bring potential problems to light before a renter is chosen.
Dawn | Oct 29, 2008 | Reply
Good article. One thing that you could add that came up with my property is names…. I was given the maiden name and not the previous married name of the applicatnt/tenant. So when I did the credit check it did not reveal the evictions under the other name. I learned a lesson on that one.
Angie | Dec 1, 2008 | Reply
Most of this article is a crock and would be offensive to anyone.
#4) If someone complains about their landlord, more often than not, the landord is not doing their job. This does not make the tennant will “complain about every little thing and give you one heck of a headache.” And guess what? Even if that were the case, SO WHAT?! People are paying hard-earned money to live at your apartment complex and should expect their living environment to be up to par! How sad that the poor little landlord should have to put up with a tennant in need of something! Poor landlord has to do their job, darn it. Give me a break.
#9) “if they have been involved in a legal dispute with a landlord, they will cause trouble for you as well. They know enough about the law to sue someone in a court of law, and they know enough about the law to make you miserable”
Again, REALLY?! If they have been involved in a legal dispute it means that you, the landlord, were NOT doing your job and pushed them to this point. Do you really think that anyone wants to have to push it to this point?! This has got to be one of the stupidest things that I have ever read, and I read A LOT!
Whoever wrote this, and whoever actually abides by this, you really need to get your head out of your underside.
Steve | Feb 21, 2009 | Reply
While this list can be seen as cynical, it’s also accurate. If you have your choice of someone who has sued a landlord before and someone who hasn’t, all things being equal you would prefer the one who hasn’t.
The stuff about gender and whatnot is definitely illegal discrimination, but it’s also impossible to prove. If you pick a tenant who qualifies under all 10 of these criteria over someone who doesn’t, the person who was passed over will never be able to prove that you picked the other person for any unfair reason.
All in all, an informative list. Thanks!
Tips for Tenant and Landlord | Apr 24, 2009 | Reply
I sublet the lowersuite out in the house I rent…I have been here 4 years and my landlord says I am his best tenant and he has many properties. I care for the yard, in fact nominated for best summer garden in our community.
I have taken one or 2 landlords to court…one for not returning my damage deposit…it was ruled in my favor both times. Both landlords had not so much as a car in their personal name…they played by different rules and made a business out of screwing more people than just a mere tenant. Some landlords have no business sense…and have to learn the rules the hard way…at the behest of the tenant.
My last sub tenant was a nightmare…I had to chase her for everything. Her parents masqueraded as her previous Landlord and altho she signed a contract she had no clue as to her responsibilities, therefore I became the bad guy. She cancelled her last cheque, blew off 2.5 months shared but unpaid utilities and moved out midmonth leaving a mess.
I was relieved to see her go..and it cost me $1300.00
Have them name each and every person living in the place on the contract…including each child so you can prove you only rented to the amount of people you understood would be living there. Go to either their place of work or current home address so you can see how they live and ensure it is not some bogus front giving the reference. Some renters use the family address for mailing because they move constantly to avoid their obligations.
Remember that if you ask them to vacate if you want to move back into the home or sell it, you need to fill out the proper paperwork “Landlord use of Property” You will owe them one months rent for their cost to move.
If they have been a good long term tenant, paid the rent on time and taken care of your property as if it were their own home…you won’t have any resentment in doing so. It is the cost of doing business.
Good Landlords and tenants are to be appreciated (mine is the best) because they don’t come along every day.
Brenda | Apr 27, 2009 | Reply
All of these are great tips. I’m a landlord of multiple properties. So far, I’ve applied all of these questions when selecting tenants and always had good ones. Yesterday I evicted the one and only renter that I hadn’t screened properly,…because he seemed to have a good story, lots of ID and Referrences, a pleasant personality. I let him in before clearing his information and ended up with a HUGE nightmare and hole in my savings. His ID was fake, His Social Security number was fake, his references were bogus and thanks to Google I found out that he’s a Con Artist from the USA.
Maybe add “Google” their names and phone numbers and employer…just for back up!
I know I’ve learned my lesson! Wish I would have read this first!
BG | Apr 29, 2009 | Reply
All I can say after reading this is that I WISH I had read it BEFORE renting to my current tenants! They had been evicted years before, “learned their lesson” and wanted to move to a bigger home since they had 2 more kids, now making it a family of 6. They were late on the rent, brought in a dog when the lease CLEARLY states no pets, and when they got a month behind in the rent, they cussed me out for asking for it. I should have seen the fact that they couldn’t come up with the deposit until payday as a sign that they would NOT be good tenants. At this point, I’m tempted to give them one month’s rent for them JUST to get out of the house. To all people reading, please heed this lesson I learned the hard way: an empty unit is BETTER than a unit occupied by a non-paying tenant.
kathryn | Jun 5, 2009 | Reply
not a comment but a question. how do you feel about renting to tenants who have a dog?