Tenant Background Check

[Rose White]

When is the best time to ask your new / possible future tenant for a background check? Is it before you interview them? After you interview them? Or after you have showed them your rental?

[Nathan Gesner]

Quote from @Rose White:

When is the best time to ask your new / possible future tenant for a background check? Is it before you interview them? After you interview them? Or after you have showed them your rental?

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