They've trashed your property, upset their neighbors, and paid rent late multiple times. After one bad tenant, you'll never skip tenant screening again. Developing an effective tenant screening process can help you avoid these stressful situations in the future.
Here are three tips to help you screen a tenant in California. With these tips, you can find great renters you'll want to retain for years to come!
1. Attract Great Applicants
Before developing your San Jose rental property screening process, review your marketing strategy. Attracting reliable renters to your property can help you avoid potential problems.
Start by creating a detailed property listing. Showcase the property's important features, including:
- The number of bedrooms
- The number of bathrooms
- Amenities
- Rent amount
Hire a professional photographer to capture stunning images of the property. High-quality photos will help you attract potential renters.
Let applicants know of any special requirements you have, including an income range or credit score. These details will help you avoid applicants that don't meet your expectations.
Specify all payment requirements, including down payment information and additional fees. For example, perhaps you charge a monthly pet fee.
The specific requirements you add can help you avoid tenants who can't afford the property.
Once you've updated the listing, share it on multiple rental websites. Use social media marketing to expand your reach online. If you're struggling to find potential renters, hire a property manager that offers marketing services.
2. Be Thorough
Before you screen a tenant in California, review state laws to remain compliant. California landlords can use credit scores and other tenant screening reports.
According to the California Landlord Tenant Law, landlords can charge tenants for the cost of actual, reasonable fees for screenings and background checks. The maximum screening fee is about $35 per applicant.
Unfortunately, not all tenant screening reports are accurate. Between January 2019 and September 2022, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received 26,700 complaints. About 65% of these complaints were because inaccurate information appeared on the reports.
To ensure accuracy, equip yourself with the best tools to run comprehensive background checks. Be thorough and review each applicant's:
- Credit score
- Employment verification
- Criminal history
These reports can help you avoid potentially problematic tenants. You'll have peace of mind choosing tenants you can trust with your property.
3. Hire a Property Manager
Consider outsourcing your tenant screening in San Jose. An experienced property management company will already have a screening process in place. They'll standardize your data collection by creating protocols.
For example, they can call employers to confirm applicants can pay rent each month. They can even call past landlords to identify problematic renters.
Outsourcing your San Jose tenant screening will save you valuable time and stress. You can trust your property manager to choose only the best applicants. With their help, you can develop an effective, efficient screening process.
Improve Your Tenant Screening Process
Developing a tenant screening process will help you avoid problematic renters. Instead, you can find tenants you can trust with your investment property. Use these tips to start screening applicants today.
Without help, tenant screening can become time-consuming and stressful. You don't have to do it alone.
Provident Property Management is a family-owned and operated management firm. You can leverage our expertise to find the best renters in San Jose. Contact us today to use our tenant screening services!
