Top 10 Red Flags landlords make when screening tenants

10 potential red flags during the tenant screening process

They seem to be able to screen applicants better and reduce problems like late rent payments, noisy tenants or general trouble-makers. We asked them to summarize some common “red flags” that usually lead them to investigate further.These are the 10 things you should treat as red flags during your tenant screening process.

Experienced landlords develop something like a “sixth-sense”

Land and Keep Great Tenants at www.zora.io

This scam has been going around for a while. A prospective tenant (usually moving to your city) will send you an email offering to pay with a cashier’s check. Then they would write an amount larger than the cost and ask for a refund from the landlord. The landlord cashes the check, writes the prospective tenant the refund amount. Then the check bounces, leaving The landlord on the hook for it.

1 Tenant is offering to pay premium on top of

advertised rent price or security deposit.


The only method of payment they offer is cash. This red flag is usually followed by another — they need to be able to move in right away.

2 They do not have cheques and are not willing

to pay using credit card or money transfer.


It is true that there are some unreasonable landlords out there. But most of the “trouble with the landlords” is around inability of tenants to pay rent on time.

3 They say that their reason for moving is trouble

with a current landlord.


This often means that the work history is inaccurate (eg. companies listed are companies of their friends or family who could pass it as true in case of a phone

check).

4 They have no credit but have been working for many years.


While this is often true, more often they are just trying to hide and prevent you from trying to contact previous landlords.

5 They have no rental history and claim the reason

is that they have never rented before and have always owned a property instead.


Like 5 above, often they are just trying to stop you from finding out about their past problems with landlords.

Keep in mind that a lot of people do rent from their relatives or have only lived with

family members before.

6 The claim that their only previous landlords

are their relatives.


Sometimes, differences are minor (eg. forgetting to list one a past place of employment) but more often they are trying to hide a bankruptcy or a gap in

employment history.

7 Their credit report information does not match the

information provided on the rental application.


This one requires no explanation. Run.

8 “What is your policy on drugs?”


These are often people who are in a rush to move in or do not value your time. You do not want either of those.

9 Not showing up for a viewing they scheduled but

still submitting an application to rent.


After they move-in, it will take you a while to evict them. And they end up rent-free. There are people out there who

hop-from a property to property this way.

10 Finding excuses not to pay rent and security deposit

before they move in


These “10 red flags” are by no means definitive but most of the landlords we work with have encountered them at least once.


Zora helps landlords avoid mistakes like these by doing background checks for you and by scoring all prospective

applicants.

Try it for free at www.zora.io


[email protected]

Thank You!

mailto:[email protected]

Real Estate

Top 10 Red Flags landlords make when screening tenants