criminal record, whom would you accept, and whom would you deny? Will you rent your house to people who’ve had a misdemeanor? What about a felony—what about sex offenders, or those who have been convicted of other violent crimes, such as domestic violence, assault, and murder? Where will you draw the line? You need to figure out what’s acceptable and comfortable to you. • How will you handle references? It’s pretty standard for owners renting out their property to ask for and check on references for potential candidates. Still, it’s a decision you need to make, and there are still considerations. You never know exactly who might be interested in renting out your house. References are necessary for this reason. But what are your standards for references? Probably the best reference—and the most telling—will be the candidate’s former landlord(s). For example, let’s say you’re looking into a prospective tenant, and you ask a former landlord about their history of rent payments. The landlord says they rarely paid on time. Will you accept or deny that candidate? What if the landlord, when asked, tells you their former tenant never took care of the property and even trashed the place? Or brought pets in, under a no-pet policy? Will you rent to that person? Further, you should ask a former landlord the tenant’s reason(s) for leaving, and decide which reasons are acceptable. Don’t forget to ask whether they gave the landlord proper notice before moving, whether the tenant received their entire deposit back, and whether this landlord would rent out to their former tenant again. Essentially, you want the former landlord to paint a solid picture of what kind of tenant that person was, because it’s indicative of how they will be for you.
25
Powered by FlippingBook