Landlord Question and Answer Forum

If the the engaged couple are students, who reside at their own parents, who will start working after their marriage, and there will be a guarantor for 1 year, On whom do I need to run a credit check? 1. On the Students? but they never rented an apartment. 2. On the parents? they are not the guarantors. 3. On the guarantor who is not relate only?

I recommend you run the credit on each adult that will be living in the home. Additionally, I would run the credi on the guarantors, and have each fill out an application. Basically, anyone who will be living their or will be responsible for the payment, needs to fill out an application and have their credit run. Just think of it as if everyone will be living in the home. The parents are irrelavant! Once you gather all this information, you need to decide the amount of risk that the applicants will be able to pay rent. If the risk is low, then 1 month deposit. If the risk is moderate, then 2 months deposit, and if the riskis high, you should denie their application to rent. Good luck Gmeech

Posted by Gregory M, TX on Tuesday, January 25, 2011

What website for me to do a background check

Posted by Al L, CA on Saturday, February 26, 2011

If I have told a potential renter that she has the place based on credit and referral check and then I get a bad referral from the current landlord, do I disclose why I am choosing not to rent to them? It is hard to tell if the landlord has hard feelings because the tenant was there 5 years, but I wouldn't think they would like? Any suggestions?

Posted by Fleetwood Investments , NE on Thursday, March 31, 2011

For background checks I have used a few different ones. I don't have a favorite anymore. http://www.zipreports.com/index.php http://www.tenantverification.com/ https://www.screeningworks.com/index.jsp Just google search Landlord Background Checks. So you already told the applicant they were approved? You need to have a good reputation, so If you approved them, you should not change unless the information they provided was false. If you have not approved them yet and you received a bad referral then there are a few considerations. Again, I don' t like to say no, I just ask for more money to lower the rent. Just say you can't approve them without 1st, last, and deposite of x? But if you denie them, I would always be honest on why! If they rented for 5 years they can't be too bad, you would think. Here is what makes a landlord successful. Renting to people that pay their rent and maintain your investment. Thats it!

Posted by Gregory M, TX on Friday, April 1, 2011

Something to consider. Maybe the landlord gave a bad reference because they don't want to lose them as tenants. If they either didn't care or want to get rid of them, they're going to give a good reference. As in - Let another landlord have the problem.

Posted by Denise A, MO on Sunday, April 10, 2011