How To Spot A Bad Tenant
A bad tenant can spell disaster for you and your business – and a string of bad tenants can ruin your business entirely. If you’re in charge of renting a building or apartment unit out to multiple tenants, then it’s important that you know how to spot a bad tenant from a mile away.
As
property maintenance providers, Crestview Property Maintenance often cleans up the damages leftover by bad, disrespectful tenants. Since we know a lot about the issue, we decided to share a few tell-tale signs of a bad tenant and how to avoid them.
They’re Hesitant To Complete An Application
A good tenant will arrive to the leasing office with all of the proper materials needed to fill out a leasing application. If the potential tenant doesn’t come prepared, or is otherwise hesitant to complete an application, this is your first warning sign. If the tenant tries to skip over the application process, notify them that all potential tenants are required to fill one out. If they are not willing to do so, then you don’t want them as your tenant anyway.
They’ve Had Multiple Jobs In A Short Period Of Time
Multiple job changes in the previous 6 months to a year can indicate that the individual is having trouble holding down a job – and will also have trouble paying rent on time. If the individual’s estimated income doesn’t seem like enough to cover rent, and he or she isn’t willing or able to tell you any other income sources, it’s time to say goodbye.
They Have No Previous Rental History
While it’s not a problem to accept first-time renters as your tenants (they just need to have a responsible co-signer), you should be wary of an individual who has rented before but has no proof of it. If he or she says they were paying their friend, significant other, or family member the rent, be careful – ask for proof that rent was paid on time. It’s possible that the tenant was violating previous lease agreements by staying in the apartment without notifying the landlord. If they were willing to break rules in the past, they’ll break them again.
They’ve Had Multiple Address Changes In The Past Year
Again, this is an obvious warning sign. Why did the tenant have to change addresses so often? It’s possible that they were evicted from their previous rental spaces, either for late payments or for violating the renter’s agreement.
They Pressure You To Finalize The Lease ASAP
Never give in to an overly pushy rental applicant. Complete your lease agreement under your own rules and according to your normal schedule. Follow your normal routine and don’t make any exceptions for a pushy tenant. A tenant who is rude and in too much of a hurry to find a place to stay will likely cause problems once the lease is signed.
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