A Guide to Tenant Background Check for Landlords
If you plan to rent a property that you own to a private person, you should certainly conduct a background check on that person. This is highly recommended to ensure that you will receive your rental income on time each month and that you will not run into trouble with the law due to your tenant’s activities. Now it is easier than ever to conduct such a verification thanks to the Internet and the opportunities it offers.
Legal considerations
It is important to note that conducting a background check on a tenant is perfectly legal. It gives you access to information that is available to the general public. Public records provide essential details that will allow you to have complete confidence in the person who will live in your property. If the prospective tenant’s consent must be obtained in order to access certain information, it must be done.
Valuable information
Any member of the public can access the criminal record, including the owner, as part of a background check. It is crucial that they are verified, as any arrest made on the property can have serious legal consequences for the owner. They can also damage your personal reputation.
Eviction records are also public and should be used as part of the control. You have the right to know if the person has been evicted for not paying rent or for other problems in the past. This will allow you to make an informed decision as to whether to accept your application.
You should definitely get the person’s employment information as part of the background check. You can check if they are employed, what position they hold and how long they have been at work and how much they are paid. You must ensure that the prospective tenant has the financial means to pay the monthly rent in full.
A credit check should also be performed as part of the tenant screening process. You should know if the person is having financial difficulties at this time, as this may affect their ability to pay the rent. Any past debt problems can also affect your decision.
How to run a background check
There are specialized tenant screening services that any landlord can take advantage of. Many are available directly online. You can also run the verification yourself using online services to access public records.
You should definitely run a background check on a prospective tenant to make sure the person is trustworthy and financially stable.