unsure about what to do when releasing to my current tenant

[Andy Zoll]

I have a tenant currently who has been in my townhouse for almost a year now. Lease ending in November (next month). Her current lease was for her and her aunt to move in. Long story short her aunt didn't end up moving in and it was only the current tenant. Though her aunt was paying all of her rent payments to me, early. Rent is 1100.00 at this point. I sent her an email about a month ago notifying her that her lease end date was approaching and gave her a few options of either releasing for another year or 6 months. Also that the rent was being raised to 1200.00/ month. She wrote back asking me if she could do a 6 month lease with only her on the lease. I'm unsure how to reply to this or how to proceed since her aunt has been the one paying her rent, not her. Do i need to do another background/credit check on her? Is that acceptable/ normal? This is my first full year as a landlord and I'm kind of learning as I'm going. Any responses or criticism is much appreciated. I do all my tenant screening through turbo tenant and my lease creating through law depot. Also any other suggestions for this would be much appreciated as well. 

Thank you, 

Andy

[Kristina Heimstaedt]

If you didn't screen her before, I would screen her now. If she gives you flack, tell her you cannot renew her lease without it. Be up front and tell her that you're nervous about removing her aunt given that her aunt has been the one paying the rent.