Background Check Report Details for New Tenants You Shouldn’t Ignore
Apr 12
posted by Jeff LeVan in
Landlord Advice
| 0 Comments
Renting apartments and homes is a job that requires a lot of attention and detail. When you have new tenants coming on board, then you want to ensure that you're protected. There are a lot of things that can go wrong when you have someone renting from you that doesn't take the responsibility seriously. While there are many types of background checks out there to help you make decisions through the process, there are a few report details that you shouldn't ignore. Here are a few background check reports that you shouldn't ignore and how the information is useful for finding responsible tenants.
Credit Report
One of the most important background check reports you should run is a credit report to ensure that they are paying their bills on time, or at least in the process of resolving issues in a timely manner. While it will be up to you as to how clean you want the credit report to be before renting, make sure you have the information, so you know what to expect from their payment patterns.
Sex Offender Search For some landlords, being a registered sex offender isn't going to be a reason to deny the application. However, it's still a good idea to know if the person renting the space is going to show up for this. Some tenants will do their own search before signing a lease to ensure there aren't sex offenders living in the apartment or surrounding homes.
Employment Summary An employment summary is helpful because it gives you a glimpse into the work pattern of the individual that is trying to rent a home or apartment. If they have held a steady job for a long period of time, you'll have a better chance of locating them if needed, and it shows that they are dependable. Even if they have had multiple jobs, you can gain a better understanding of their financial flow through the year.
Eviction History While some landlords believe in second chances and aren't worried if the tenant has a history of being evicted, others are going to take this seriously, especially if you've been through this before. An eviction can be time-consuming and costly, and when tenants understand the process, they can take advantage of it. Many first-time landlords will make the mistake of not asking for enough information before renting, and eviction history is one of those reports you should not ignore.
Past Address History
Past address history is helpful when you want to know if the person is putting the same address on the application versus what shows up on the report. If they use a different address than what is listed, you should learn more about this to find out why. In some cases, there could be a simple explanation, and in others, it could have to do with a poor relationship with a previous landlord. Either way, knowing this information can be useful when making the best decision when choosing tenants.