6 red flags to watch for when screening renters

We as your property manager have many important responsibilities, but none more important than screening potential renters. Done incorrectly, leasing to poor tenants becomes a frighteningly real, and costly possibility.

Fortunately, screening renters is a fairly straightforward process, and warning signs make it easy to identify and avoid problem tenants — if you know what to look for.

Over the years, we’ve helped place hundreds of renters for clients, and we know exactly what to avoid when it comes to problem tenants.

1. Past evictions

A history of past evictions is the biggest red flags for a potential tenant. If past evictions come up while screening a renter, you should remove them from consideration, period.

It doesn’t matter what they say about the circumstances surrounding the eviction. Renters with past evictions are far more likely than renters who have never been evicted to cause you headaches, so it’s in your best interest to avoid them entirely. Eviction rates have come down almost 1/3 in the past few years from just over 3% to just over 2%.

2. Violent felonies

Misdemeanors aren’t enough for most landlords to remove a potential tenant from the running, but violent felonies should never be ignored. Not only does renting to a violent felon put nearby residents at risk, it could also land you in a dangerous situation in the event that eviction becomes necessary.

3. Facial tattoos

Not all people with tattoos on their face are necessarily bad tenants, but there are a couple of things to consider here.

First, people with facial tattoos might have a hard time finding stable work, which is a problem for you when it comes to collecting rent.

Secondly, facial tattoos can be an indicator of past or present criminal activities, and keeping these activities away from your rentals should be a top priority.

4. Too many pets

One or two pets might not be a problem for you, but you shouldn’t take leasing to a tenant with several pets lightly. The problem with pets is that they can cause serious damage to a home, and the risk of this happening is far greater with multiple pets involved.

One of the best ways to avoid costly repairs when a tenant’s lease is up is to simply avoid tenants with several pets.

5. Asking for discounted rent for work done.

When a rental applicant asks for discounted rent in exchange for making improvements to the property, it might sound like a good deal — it’s not.

Asking for discounted rent during the application process is usually a sign of problems to come, and taking someone up on this offer will almost always put you out.

6. Poor credit. While this might not be a knock out factor they should be able to discuss the situation and prove that it was a one-off occurrence, not a pattern of behavior. If it’s a divorce, medical situation, or a job loss then their poor credit is explainable and workable. If it’s a pattern over the years – move on to another tenant.