We all want to find the best tenants possible; people who are considerate of your property, are respectful, and of course, pay the rent when it's due. If a landlord ends up with tenants who cause damage or other problems in the unit, it can be very difficult to have them evicted, and then there are the costs of repairing the unit. So how do we make sure we're properly evaluating our prospects?
Prepare an application
A good place to begin is with a simple telephone screening process. Ask how many people would be living there. You may find out in casual conversation, what the person does for a living, whether they have any pets, and so on. A viewing of the rental property can be arranged once the initial telephone screening is completed satisfactorily. For rentals that have generated a lot of prospects, a landlord may choose a specific time in the evening for people to come and view the unit.
A full length application form should be filled out for people who are interested in your rental unit. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation suggests asking questions to determine if the tenant is suitable, while staying within your province's Human Rights codes during your screening process. Landlords can ask questions pertaining to things like if a tenant smokes, if they have pets, where they work and income, and the names of everyone who would live in the residence.
Things that are not allowed to be asked are religion or ethnic background, sexual preference, for their social insurance number, marital status, or if they plan on having more children, and if family will be visiting.
The background checks are important, so make sure you do your research, even if you are short on time to rent out your suite. Any time spent now, will save you time and money in the long run. Your rental application should include a release allowing you to obtain information from employers, previous landlords, and credit bureaus. After the form is completed, you can't assume all of the data on it is accurate. Get in touch with their previous landlords and employers.
In Canada, with the consent of the prospective tenant, you can obtain a credit check from Equifax Canada or Trans Union Canada. You can also contact Rent Check Credit Bureau, a credit bureau strictly for the housing industry.
Employment: Contact the prospective tenant's employer to confirm their employment status. When were they hired? What is their current position? How many hours do they work? What is their salary?
Rental history and personal references should be checked. Obtain information to contact their previous landlord, and when possible, the last 2 or 3 landlords of your prospective tenant. When was this person your tenant? When did they move out? Were they late paying the rent? Were there pets in the unit? Was the home damaged, beyond normal wear and tear? When they moved out, did they give the required amount of notice? Would you rent another unit to this person?
Prepare an application
A good place to begin is with a simple telephone screening process. Ask how many people would be living there. You may find out in casual conversation, what the person does for a living, whether they have any pets, and so on. A viewing of the rental property can be arranged once the initial telephone screening is completed satisfactorily. For rentals that have generated a lot of prospects, a landlord may choose a specific time in the evening for people to come and view the unit.
A full length application form should be filled out for people who are interested in your rental unit. The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation suggests asking questions to determine if the tenant is suitable, while staying within your province's Human Rights codes during your screening process. Landlords can ask questions pertaining to things like if a tenant smokes, if they have pets, where they work and income, and the names of everyone who would live in the residence.
Things that are not allowed to be asked are religion or ethnic background, sexual preference, for their social insurance number, marital status, or if they plan on having more children, and if family will be visiting.
The background checks are important, so make sure you do your research, even if you are short on time to rent out your suite. Any time spent now, will save you time and money in the long run. Your rental application should include a release allowing you to obtain information from employers, previous landlords, and credit bureaus. After the form is completed, you can't assume all of the data on it is accurate. Get in touch with their previous landlords and employers.
In Canada, with the consent of the prospective tenant, you can obtain a credit check from Equifax Canada or Trans Union Canada. You can also contact Rent Check Credit Bureau, a credit bureau strictly for the housing industry.
Employment: Contact the prospective tenant's employer to confirm their employment status. When were they hired? What is their current position? How many hours do they work? What is their salary?
Rental history and personal references should be checked. Obtain information to contact their previous landlord, and when possible, the last 2 or 3 landlords of your prospective tenant. When was this person your tenant? When did they move out? Were they late paying the rent? Were there pets in the unit? Was the home damaged, beyond normal wear and tear? When they moved out, did they give the required amount of notice? Would you rent another unit to this person?
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