Landlords must-ask questions to tenants

Landlord often waste a lot of time dealing with possible candidates which will not rent out their property in the end. Find out how to avoid this time and effort wasting by asking the appropriate questions.

1) When do you plan to move in?
a.This is an important first question for a Landlord. It is always necessary to know how much time there is left until the desired moving date in order to set the pace of the meetings and viewings. If the tenant wished to move-in in a week, it is recommendable to have a viewing as soon as possible and bring out all the entry costs and requirements to save time.

2) When will you pay the deposit and the first month of rent?
a. The normal answer should be “At the moving-in date”. It would of course be ideal to get the payment a few days before the moving-in, but it is not always possible. It is not recommended to start a tenant-landlord relationship in which there is debt; therefore, try to sort things out with your tenant so the deposit is paid at or before the moving-in date

3) How many people will be living in the property?
a. Tenants may find a property in which it is not clearly specified how many people can live and they might try to find a roommate to lower the costs. Landlords have to make sure the concepts are clear, and whether or not it is a houseshare, the amount of people allowed to live in a property has to be clear and this question is a good way to bring in the topic. A standard number is usually not more than 2 people per room.

4) Can you provide employer and previous landlord references?
a. This answer should always be a yes; it shouldn’t be a problem to get references unless the previous (or current) working and housing situations where bad. It will indicate whether or not the tenant has fulfilled the previous requirements in his housing and professional life.

5) Would you sign and consent a credit background check?
a. Credit checks are a proof that someone is able to pay what he/she is signing for. Tenants sometimes find a property or a spare room which suits their need perfectly but they cannot really afford. It is common that they try to get in with the expectation to be able to cover the rent without struggles later on, but this is not always the case. Credit checks are the proof that a tenant can and will be able to pay the rent from the day they get in, to the day they go out.

6) Do you have any pets?
a. The tenant is not obligated to state that he/she has pets. If your flat for rent does not allow pets, you must ask this question as soon as you can in your conversations with the candidate in order to avoid wasting any more time or effort with him.