As single family dwellings become increasingly expensive and as the latest generation of college graduates become more transient in lifestyle choices, the availability and the cost of housing has become problematic.
Across the country the demand for single family housing has quickly become a rental boom. Cities large and small across the United States have not been able to keep up with the demand for rental units. Properties large and small often have a waiting list for units. Securing a rental unit or apartment has become increasingly competitive.
Adam Almeida, President and CEO of TenantScreeningUSA.com states: “As more and more people are priced out of home ownership or choose to not own a home, renting has become a greater challenge. Unit prices are climbing as availability shrinks. In order to get the very best tenant a landlord really should work with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency to conduct tenant checks.”
Tenant Screening is one of the key elements of the rental process and one of the most important.
Almeida states: “A tenant background check goes a long way in verifying the information an applicant provides to the landlord. A best practice is to confirm that information through tenant screening.”
Tenant screening or, more commonly, tenant check provides a landlord and/or property manager with valuable information that allows the best decision be made for an available property.
From Forbes.com, discussing the need for a “formal tenant screening report” (Mar 08, 18):
This report should include a credit report, a criminal background check (in locations where this is legal) and an eviction report. This formal report can help you determine if a renter meets your criteria and will alert you to a history of evictions. (1)
As stated in RealtyBizNews.com defining why a tenant check should be conducted (Feb 22, 18):
A tenant background check is important for the following reasons:• To find out if they have a criminal record
- To choose the best tenants from your pool
- To check their work history
- To make sure that they will comply with your rules
- To confirm your tenant’s rental history
- To know which questions to ask during screening
- To confirm their identity (2)
There are any number of reports used in tenant screening:
- Consumer Credit report – Verify an applicant’s ability to fulfill financial obligations of a rental agreement.
- Eviction Report – Draw upon past history of a tenant’s ability to stay in a unit without formal cause for discharge or eviction.
- Sex Offender Registry Review – Insure the safety of existing tenants.
- Social Security Number Trace – Can advise previous counties of residence as well as confirm name.
- Criminal History Records – Drawn from the County Courthouse, this document can be the most accurate and current piece of information regarding an individual’s criminal past.
Almeida concludes: “In the end a best practice remains that landlords and/or property managers for properties large and small work with a well-qualified third-party tenant screening agency to get the information required to make a solid decision.”
TenantScreeningUSA.com is a third-party tenant screening company that provides tenant checks to landlords and property managers for rental communities ranging from single units to large complexes. TenantScreeningUSA.com has a staff well versed in local, state, and federal laws regulating evictions and tenant screening.
Notes:
(1) www.forbes.com/sites/forbesrealestatecouncil/2018/03/08/how-to-screen-potential-tenants-and-save-thousands/3/#4a3c31c7a8da
(2) realtybiznews.com/traits-to-look-for-in-a-potential-tenant/98747118/
