If you've never used tenant screening services before, they may seem a bit excessive. After all, how hard can it be to find good tenants in Salt Lake City?
As a new property owner, you may be surprised to realize that finding tenants is a full-time job in itself. Being a landlord becomes infinitely more difficult when you've got bad tenants, so putting the resources and effort into finding the best ones should be a priority.
In this post, we're going to look at some of the common mistakes that you can avoid by using tenant screening services. Keep reading, and it will become abundantly clear that the benefits of tenant screening far outweigh the cost.
Failing to Check Credit
Obtaining a credit report is an important aspect of screening tenants that every tenant screening service should do. When you're screening tenants on your own, you may say you'll perform a credit check, but when you're too busy, this is often the first thing you'll overlook.
Credit can tell you a lot about a potential tenant's financial stability over a longer period of time. If they've been historically irresponsible with money, the credit check will tell you. A tenant screening service will get a credit report right away and use that to whittle down your list of candidates.
Failing to Check References
Another important aspect of tenant screening is getting at least three positive references. These can help you get a sense of a prospective tenant's character and level of responsibility.
A screening service will ensure that specific references are asked for so that the tenant isn't just having you call their grandma, father, and sibling. The 3 references should be from an employer, a past landlord, and anyone else that can vouch for their character.
Failing to Check Employment
You always want tenants that are gainfully employed. It's easy for someone to lie and claim to make more money than they actually do. A screening service will be equipped to ask for the proper documentation to verify a tenant's proof of employment.
Getting pay stubs, bank statements, and employment contracts can get you close to 100% certainty that the tenant is who they say they are and do what they say they do. One of the biggest mistakes a landlord can make is failing to do due diligence on current and past employment.
Background Check
A criminal background check is a standard tool for any landlord to use. Doing so will tell you if the person in question has ever run into any legal trouble in the past. One of the biggest reasons landlords end up evicting tenants is because of illegal activity.
If you own a multi-residence property, you have to take your other tenants' happiness into account. A tenant service will run a background check so that any mischief that comes to light can be dealt with.
Tenant Screening Services Are a No Brainer
As you can see, tenant screening services are an important part of finding quality tenants for your rentals. If you're in need of tenants for your SLC property, then look no further than Utah Property Solutions.
Not only will we help you find the most qualified candidates for your rental units, but we'll screen tenants, collect rent, and evict bad tenants when necessary. To find out more about our property management services, visit our website today.
