Are you a landlord looking to keep your tenants in line?
Before hiring someone as your tenant, running a credit check is in your best interest advises Yellow Key Management team. That way, you can see if this person is trustworthy and will pay you on time. If you skip the credit check, you could have a bad tenant.
Are you wondering how to run a credit check on a tenant? Continue reading to learn more.
Table of Contents
Obtaining a Credit Report
Obtaining a credit report is an essential step in a tenant credit check. Before signing a rental agreement, a landlord must ensure that the tenant is financially able to pay the rent.
The report will include the tenant’s ability to pay their rent on time and meet all other obligations associated with a tenancy. This report consists of the:
- Tenant’s payment history
- Financial obligations
- Amount of debt
The report will contain their credit score. By obtaining the credit report, landlords can assess their tenant’s ability to pay rent and determine if the information on the application is accurate.
This step helps ensure the right tenant is chosen. This increases the likelihood of a successful and financially sound tenancy.
Perform Income Verification
When renting, income verification should be a significant component. The credit check should evaluate the tenant’s financial situation to ensure they can pay monthly rent.
A good tenant should have a steady and dependable income, and the landlord should verify this through:
- Bank statements
- Pay stubs
- Tax forms
A tenant should be able to provide at least two recent pay stubs to prove their income. This way, they can verify that the tenant has a reliable and consistent income to manage their monthly rental payments.
Additionally, a credit check for tenants should consider any income gaps. The more information landlords can gather from these verification processes, the more confident they feel about a tenant’s ability to uphold their agreement.
Ask for References
When considering potential tenants, requesting references is essential to the rental process. Requesting a list of reliable references provides insight into a tenant’s character, habits, and trustworthiness.
Speak with the tenants to understand their commitment and reliability to paying rent on time. If the applicant has no rental history or is new to a job, ask for personal references such as:
- Family
- Friends
- Coworkers
Ask these references about the applicant’s reliability, how often and promptly they paid their bills, and if they experienced any issues with them. Consider hiring the best tenant screening services to help you with the tenant screening process. The more references you can check, the better.
How to Run a Credit Check on a Tenant
Now you know how to run a credit check on a tenant. Taking the necessary steps to ensure applicants are trustworthy and financially responsible is essential to protecting yourself and your rental property.
Remember to keep your credit standards realistic and reduce your risk of poor tenant quality. You can always rely on the experts to evaluate credit applications.
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