When it comes to renting out your property to a prospective tenant, you want to make sure that you are doing everything possible to avoid leasing it to a bad tenant. These are the type of tenants who might be unruly, disruptive, or even shady. You want professional tenants who will respect your rental units. Here are some tips for avoiding these types of tenants:
1. Screen Your Applicants Carefully
It is important to screen your prospective tenant applicants carefully before approving them for a rental unit. During the tenant screening process, make sure to ask for references from previous landlords and contact them. You should also run a credit check on all potential tenants, check the nationwide eviction history report and conduct a nationwide criminal background check for past infractions.
Bad tenants who take advantage of landlords repeatedly are always on the hunt for a landlord who seems like they don’t give a lot of effort or don’t care too much about their rental property. You should be a little territorial about your units, and always strive to put trustworthy and forthcoming renters in them. If you don’t respect yourself or your properties, you can’t expect other people to respect you either.
2. Require a Security Deposit
When you require a security deposit from your tenants, you are essentially protecting yourself from any damages they may cause while living in your property. This can help to offset any costs associated with tenant damage.
On this same note, make sure your rental rate is competitive. You want to appear firm, confident, and very aware of what’s going on in your market so you don’t seem like a lowly or complacent landlord. If a potential tenant suspects that you might not punish them for paying rent late or not in full, they may take advantage of you. You need your tenants to pay rent so you can keep up with your rental properties and pay yourself or your property managers, so don’t let bad tenants short you on cash.
3. Get to Know Your Tenants
It is always a good idea to get to know your tenants on a personal level. This can help you to better assess their character and whether they would be a good fit for your property. Meeting them face to face, and showing that you will be around will dissuade them from trying to get away with neglecting or mistreating your property.
4. Have an Eviction Policy in Place
If you ever have to evict a tenant, it is important to have an eviction policy in place. This will help to ensure that the process goes as smoothly as possible. Make sure you have a solid rental or lease agreement. Lean on other landlords or lawyers to help you draw up a solid contract. More rules are better than none.
If you’re already at the point where you need to evict someone because there is currently a dodgy tenant causing trouble in your rental property, contact a local eviction services firm today. Rocket Eviction in Las Vegas is your trusted, local, affordable, expert eviction services firm. They were founded by a lawyer who is very well-versed in eviction proceedings in Clark County and Nevada in general. Their helpful staff will guide you through the eviction process. They take care of everything from delivering eviction notices and working with the justice court to providing legal advice and working with local authorities to remove bad tenants.
5. Keep Up With Routine Maintenance
Routine maintenance is essential for keeping your rental property in good condition. By keeping up with routine maintenance, you can help avoid any costly repairs down the road.
By doing routine maintenance like keeping the lawn manicured, keeping your units clean, repairing small chips or cracks, cleaning the appliances, etc., you show your potential renters that you keep very close tabs on your rental properties, and they may be less likely to think they can get away with mistreating it.
6. Regularly Inspect Your Property
Regularly inspecting your property is another way to help avoid bad tenants. By keeping an eye on things, you can catch any issues before they become a problem. If, after talking with previous landlords during the tenant screening process, you feel that your prospective tenants might try to hide waste or be reluctant to cooperate in any way, maybe rethink their rental application.
7. Get Help From a Property Manager
If you don’t have the time or the resources to manage your own rental property, it might be wise to get help from a property manager. This can take some of the burdens off of you and help to ensure that your property is being properly taken care of. Experienced property managers will have a good idea of the screening process and how to interview potential renters more than you will if you’re just starting or if you don’t necessarily have time to properly vet people and keep an eye on the property.
You Got This!
When it comes to finding a tenant, you want to make sure that you take your time and do your research. By screening your applicants carefully before approving them for a rental unit, you can help to avoid any bad tenants or potential problems down the road. Make sure to ask for references and contact them. You should also run a credit check on all potential tenants. People who take advantage of landlords repeatedly are always on the hunt for a landlord who seems like they don’t give a lot of effort or don’t care too much about their properties. You should be a little territorial about your units, and always strive to put trustworthy and forthcoming renters in them.
By following these tips, you can help reduce your chances of leasing your property to bad tenants. For more information, please contact Rocket Eviction today! They are your local Las Vegas eviction services firm who can give you great tips on how to avoid the eviction process altogether, and what to do if you do find yourself needing to evict a bad tenant.
