What is the best way to see a person is a good Tennant?

Question

Hello. I just put my house for rent but I’m not sure where to do background check and what exactly look for when doing them. Can you please share what you use it would be great. Thank you.

Daniel Alvarez · Answer

Happy New Year! I just want to thank everyone for taking the time to share your knowledge with me. I’m excited to share that I now have a tenant ready to move in on February 1st. I used TurboTenant to help with the process, and everything went smoothly. Once again, thank you for taking the time to help me out! I’m looking forward to what this year will bring.

Let me know if this works for you!

JD Martin · Answer

A good tenant boils down to essentially three things:

1. Pays the rent, in full, on time, every time.

2. Properly maintains/doesn't damage the property.

3. Doesn't cause trouble for you/neighbors/city/police.

That's pretty much the sum of it. All of the tools that you use to try to figure out if a potential tenant will be a "good" tenant revolves around trying to answer those 3 questions. Most tools give you a glimpse of past performance. Credit checks tell you some sense of how they handle their money. Previous landlord references on how they treated their previous property. Background checks on how well they avoid trouble. Some tools give you a glimpse of predicted future performance. A written job offer detailing pay. A recent marriage or birth of a child or adoption of a pet. ETC.

Ultimately it's less of a science than an art, but people rarely truly change so what they did is probably what they'll do. If they like to rob houses, they're probably not going to become a model citizen just because they rented your house. If they pay all their bills and maintain a job it's unlikely they'll turn into an unemployed bum once they move in. ETC.

Alan Asriants · Answer

Hey Daniel, you can use a platform like Avail that will give you all the info you need to know like:

-Credit score

- criminal record

-eviction history

You will also need to gather their:

SSN

ID

Paystubs and 3 months bank statements

at least 2 past landlord references.

If all the above check out, you likely have a great tenant. Try to be strict with your application and underwriting process. You don't want them to just be financially qualified but you failed to investigate how they treated their past two apartments.

The credit score and income will help you determine if they can pay and will likely pay on time

The landlord references, eviction history, and criminal history can help you determine how they will treat you and the property.

none of it is full proof, but the more info you have the better. Good luck!

Heath Sizick · Answer

In addition to tangible screening such as credit checks, evictions, criminal background, & income checks consider intangibles as well - how well do they communicate with you & how professional? You want the highest quality tenant as possible & those two intangibles we find makes a difference.

Matthew Irish-Jones · Answer

The best way to see if someone is a reliably paying tenant is by their credit score.  Look up the default risk by credit score, this information is readily available online.  You also need to account for the eviction process, state laws etc... If you are in a state where eviction cost is high and it is tenant friendly you may need a higher credit score to offset default risk and eviction cost.

If you are in a landlord friendly state where it is easier to get non paying tenants out you may be able to handle more none payment risk.

Mackaylee Beach · Answer

Screening tenants is an essential duty for landlords. I recommend familiarizing yourself with your local landlord and tenant laws, while also developing your own "screening criteria."

Innago is an excellent platform that not only enables you to market your properties but also offers a link for potential tenants to submit applications, including credit and background screenings.

Bruce Woodruff · Answer

Use a service like TurboTenant or Avail......

Nathan Gesner · Answer

I recommend you include some of your key qualification criteria in the advertisement. For example, I mention that every adult must pay a $30 application fee, pass my credit/criminal background, make a combined income of 3x the rent, and whether or not the property accepts pets. Use the top three or four discriminators so applicants can screen themselves.

Then you need to have clear screening criteria yourself. What's the lowest credit score you will allow? Do you check Landlord references? Do you verify their income? Do you know how to read the credit/criminal background? What if they have collections or judgments?

Here's a detailed guide on how to screen applicants: Application Screening Guide

Arvand Sabetian · Answer

It's difficult to see how a tenant will be after screened and signing a lease. However, a lot of concerns can be mitigated with thorough screening and background checks.

For example, we look at everything from income, credit, and background data through our system. Additionally, applicants can (optionally) upload tax forms and bank statements for our review.

If you're looking for a website you can utilize on your own @Bruce Woodruff mentioned a couple that are popular.

Carlos Hennings · Answer

Not all background checks are the same! Many instant reports pull limited public data and often miss key records like evictions, judgments, and liens—which no longer appear on credit reports. They also don’t verify identity, making it easier for applicants to use false information.

A more thorough screening process goes beyond a quick database pull. It includes manual reviews, ID verification, and court-level research to ensure accuracy. The difference? Instant reports might be fast, but they can leave you with gaps and costly tenant risks. A detailed screening process ensures you get the full picture before handing over the keys.

What is the best way to see a person is a good Tennant?

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