How to Avoid Bad Tenants
Updated:
June 25, 2019
Written by:
Abhi Sreerama
If you have rented a house or an apartment before, you may have heard many complaints about landlords on issues such as not fixing your leaking bathroom faucet among other. Other than the horrifying property owners, there are also miserable tenants who often leave their landlords in a lurch. Bad tenants are a reality as many landlords can testify how they had a difficult time dealing with a tenant from hell.Most real estate managers and landlords dread coming across these bad tenants because their effect is more than what other people may know. Unfortunately, you will not get a magic bullet on how to avoid bad tenants. This is because some tenants seem pleasant and very professional at first. They will pass all credit checks, have legitimate pay stubs, but after sometimes, things might change. They do not seem to be ready to pay rent or take care of their old items.
Most real estate managers and landlords dread coming across these bad tenants because their effect is more than what other people may know. Unfortunately, you will not get a magic bullet on how to avoid bad tenants. This is because some tenants seem pleasant and very professional at first. They will pass all credit checks, have legitimate pay stubs, but after sometimes, things might change. They do not seem to be ready to pay rent or take care of their old items.
Signs of Bad Tenants
Most landlords wait for things to escalate before taking actions. It is not rocket science to know when a tenant behavior and responsibility starts to change. However, there are changes that are easy to identify and they are a warning sign that a bad tenancy is about to be fully manifested. Below are some of the signs you should look out for in tenants.
- Possible bad tenants often try to ask for lower rent before they can even see the apartment they want to rent. This is an apparent sign that the tenant cannot afford to stay in the property. Asking about the price before inspection means that the value of that property does not mean anything to them and that all they care about is the cost.
- Bad tenants will also haggle over rent excessively. Excessive haggling means that you might not have a professional relationship with the person paying rent. They also haggle over the maintenance cost and the costs for moving in. The bond is usually refundable if the house is returned in good condition. If the person haggles the bond, there is a high likelihood that he or she does not intend to leave the house in the right conditions or may not have money to move in.
- The bad tenants also examine the smoke alarms to find out whether it is installed. Such people are mostly indoor smokers. They would disable or silence the smoke alarms to avoid being detected.
- The tenants would ask whether the fire sprinklers are functional. This is a significant question, especially on insurance. It is also important to avoid the stray cigarette from setting them off.
- They would also claim to hear sounds and detect smells that were not present during the inspection. The mysterious smells and sounds that the tenants claim to hear often leads to endless complaints about the house.
- You will notice a weak tobacco smell because it has a subtle aroma that a smoker cannot notice. In most cases, a smoker will not even notice when the whole house is stinking.
- Bad tenants also include those people who are always drunk.
- They yell loudly when speaking and their neighbors will often overhear their conversations. This is because they lack volume control and will get even louder on the slightest provocation or despair. You will know them by the questions they ask such as whether the apartment has children or pets. Other questions may be inappropriate such as whether another tenant is a bugler or a security risk.
How to Avoid Bad Tenants
It may not be easy to know how to avoid bad tenants because you will not know whether they are bad until you start talking to them. Here is how to avoid bad tenants.
Referencing
It is important to make sure that you have references for all prospective tenants. This would include conducting credit checks and reviewing a tenant’s employment history and status. You should also look at their current or previous rental details. It would also be a good idea to ask for employment reference and the previous landlord reference.
Be Wary of Tenants Who Want to Pay Cash
The tenants who want to offer cash payment or up front rent for as long as 6 months and above should be scrutinized. It may be appealing for the landlord, but it could be hiding an evil or sinister motive. Sometimes the tenants pay cash and offer upfront, but they could be doing so with a motive to keep the landlord away as they conduct an illegal activity in the property such as a brothel or selling drugs. The tenant may also have a bad rental history and want to cover up by offering a large amount of money to avoid being scrutinized.
Avoid DSS Tenants
The DSS is increasingly becoming associated with bad tenants. These people receive their housing benefits or assistance from the government. A majority of them is documented as becoming notorious in pocketing the entire allowances and never passing it to the landlords. It is, however, imperative to note that not all DSS tenants are guilty of these allegations. Before allowing any of them in your property, it is imperative to pay attention to the tips above on how to avoid bad tenants.
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Do Not Fear to Say No
It may have taken long before your vacant house finally gets a tenant, you might be tempted to compromise on some issues in order to have someone occupy it. This must be avoided, and you must be willing to scrutinize them. If a tenant fails your verification and you have doubts about him or her, it is good to say no than be sorry.
Check Their Behaviors
You should check how a prospective tenant behaves at first contact because this could give clues of the kind of person you will be letting into your property. All the previous signs of bad tenants could tell you whether to say no or accept them in. It is also important to make sure that you take a full deposit. Paying in installments is likely to increase their financial burden and create odd legal issues when you find yourself with a tenancy deposit case.
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